The Larkin Hoffman Real Estate Podcast: Building Affordable Housing – Interview with Johnny Opara, President and CEO of JO Cos

[Originally Published by Larkin Hoffman: View Source]

Megan Rogers recently had the opportunity to talk with developer Johnny Opara, President and CEO of JO Cos., a real estate development company in the Twin Cities that specializes in developing high-quality, affordable multifamily housing. Johnny took an unusual path to starting JO Cos and his career as a developer but as a first-time developer, he was able to get the St. Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority to unanimously approved bond financing for construction of The Hollows in the Payne-Phalen area of St Paul. Today, the 62-unit workforce housing development is complete with affordable units for low-income renters.

For this episode of The Larkin Hoffman Real Estate Podcast, Johnny and Megan talk about his decision to move from corporate America into the real estate development world; what he’s building now; and what he wants to build in the future.