Paul Russo

Paul Russo is Vice President of the Affordable Housing Portfolio, and is responsible for overseeing Regional, General, and Community Managers and making certain that communities are successful along with providing the highest quality of customer service.  Paul has over 30 years of combined experience in the areas of property management, real estate development, sale & lease negotiations, and mortgage financing.

Prior to joining Habitat, Paul was VP of Property Management for The Renaissance Companies, and responsible for the overall portfolio management and financial performance of their tax credit division, in addition to ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and local tax credit agencies.  Before managing the Renaissance portfolio, Paul served as Project Development Manager on new construction projects in Chicago, Davenport IA, and Williston ND, along with previous development experience at Urban Investment Trust, Inc. on shopping center and strip center developments, leasing, and management. 

Licensed since 1994, Paul has national tenant site selection experience, including previous work with 7-11, Dunkin Donuts, LaSalle Bank, Baskins Robbins, and Murray's Auto, in addition to lease representation and negotiations with Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), AMC Theaters, Hollywood Video, and Dominick's Finer Foods.  Paul was also the owner/operator of a national real estate franchise and a downtown Chicago-based mortgage brokerage firm.       

Paul received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in General Business from DePaul University, his Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) Financial Designation from the CCIM Institute, his Tax Credit Specialist (TCS) designation from the National Center for Housing Management, and a LEED Green Associate from the U.S. Green Building Council.