Mr. Porras has overall responsibility for the firm’s planning, acquisition, financing and development of affordable housing. He is responsible for the development of the $600 million ABLA complex in Chicago and the $42 million RiverWest project in Peoria, Illinois. He also participated in closing the financing of the $17 million Humboldt Ridge project in Chicago.

Mr. Porras has 19 years of experience in the financing and development of affordable multifamily real estate. Before joining Related Midwest, Mr. Porras worked in tax credit syndication and affordable housing development at the National Equity Fund, Inc. in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Mr. Porras also served as a public sector lender and executive with the City of New York's Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

He earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Texas Tech University School of Architecture, an M.S. in Urban Planning from Columbia University in New York City and an Executive Certificate in General Management from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA.

Mr. Porras serves on the Housing Committee of The Resurrection Project and is a member of the Illinois Housing Council.

Michelle E. Merritt — Vice President of Community Relations

Ms. Merritt joined Related Midwest in 2000. Ms. Merritt is responsible for the day-to-day coordination of several of Related Midwest’s affordable housing and mixed-income projects. Her primary responsibilities include coordinating proposal responses, preparation of applications for financing of new affordable and public housing projects, internal coordination with Related Midwest’s accounting department on all affordable housing construction draws, oversight of construction-related wage compliance reporting, public events planning and various other community relations functions.

Prior to joining Related Midwest, Ms. Merritt was responsible for administration services with Four Town Realty Group. Ms. Merritt graduated from Hampton University with a Bachelor of Arts in History.

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