Georgi Banna Joins Ballard Spahr's Affordable Housing and Community Development Group

Georgi Banna—a national thought leader on government programs involving fair housing, affordable housing, and community redevelopment—has joined Ballard Spahr in its Washington, D.C., office, firm Real Estate Department Chair Amy M. McClain announced today.

Mr. Banna joins the firm from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), where he served as Director for Policy and Program Development. He has testified before Congress and state officials on matters related to housing and redevelopment, and he has trained subject matter experts across the country on related policy and programs.

“As a lawyer and policy expert, Georgi knows the technical aspects of fair housing, public housing, and Section 8 programs back to front,” said Molly R. Bryson, leader of the firm’s Affordable Housing and Community Development Group. “He will further augment our regulatory, enforcement, and litigation prevention work with assisted housing providers and will be a tremendous resource to our clients as they partner with government agencies or navigate programs to redevelop or operate housing projects.”

At NAHRO, Mr. Banna analyzed laws and other requirements affecting public housing agencies, kept members informed of new housing law and policy developments, and managed relationships with member housing organizations. He also maintained key relationships with HUD, congressional staff, and industry groups, and both tracked and initiated policy action for legal, legislative, and regulatory issues.

Mr. Banna served for nearly a decade as a senior analyst and program manager for FirstPic, Inc., where he conducted training sessions across the country on HUD housing programs and oversaw housing voucher programs at troubled housing authorities. He also established program guidelines and fair housing requirements.

Ballard Spahr is a national leader in the legal and business aspects of affordable housing and community development. Its affordable housing lawyers have helped private developers, public housing authorities, lenders, investors, and other stakeholders negotiate and close many of the most complex affordable housing and community development transactions nationwide in recent years. The Group has represented more than 125 public housing authorities, numerous other government agencies, and scores of private entities in affordable housing and community development projects over the past 20 years.

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