Burbank Housing Joins North Bay Leadership Council

The North Bay Leadership Council (NBLC) announced today that local affordable housing nonprofit Burbank Housing has joined its membership ranks. Burbank Housing currently manages more than 3200 rentals throughout 86 communities and serves more than 10,000 residents. During its 40 years of operation, Burbank has also built 915 single family subsidized homes and has almost 230 homes in development.

Patty Garabino, NBLC Board Chair and President of Marin Sanitary Services, expressed excitement, pointing to Burbank Housing’s knowledge in the field gained over four decades as Sonoma County’s largest nonprofit affordable housing developer.

“The housing crisis is a major concern to North Bay employers,” said Garabino. “Burbank Housing is a leader in affordable housing development and operation with an impressive track record of success. We look forward to having their expertise and wherewithal to help drive our housing advocacy efforts.”

Burbank Housing believes that communities thrive when housing is affordable. The nonprofit has led the region in creating and maintaining quality, sustainable housing and rental opportunities, and inspired education and acceptance of affordable housing initiatives. Their work fosters community development and revitalization, and provides opportunities for residents to lead healthier, more successful lives.

Burbank Housing’s member representative will be the organization’s CEO and President Larry Florin, who brings more than 30 years of experience in real estate, as well as community and economic development expertise in both the public and private sector, to Burbank Housing and the Council.

“Building new homes for North Bay residents requires a lot of advocacy and political will-building,” said Florin. “Joining with housing advocates like the North Bay Leadership Council is vital for success. Burbank looks forward to working with the North Bay Leadership Council and its membership to help get much needed affordable housing built in the region.”

Prior to Burbank, Florin served as the Director of Housing and Intergovernmental Affairs for Napa County. Before Napa County, Florin spent more than 10 years in the private sector co-founding a development company that specialized in adaptive reuse of underutilized industrial property. During his tenure, he oversaw some of the company’s largest development projects in the San Francisco Bay Area, including the redevelopment of the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and Treasure Island.

Florin also possesses more than 15 years of experience working in senior management positions in San Francisco, including executive level positions in Mayor’s Office, the Redevelopment Authority and the City’s Port. He served as the first Executive Director of the Treasure Island Development Authority. Other accomplishments include serving on the Executive Board of the Association of Bay Area Governments, the State Governor’s Task Force on Military Base Conversion, the State of California Housing Element Working Group and California Forward’s One Million Homes Initiative. He also received the San Francisco Business Times Real Estate Transaction of the Year Award and the San Francisco Mayor’s Manager of the Year.