AILANTHUS is a housing creation platform focused on transformative projects in the New York City region. We believe that private enterprise can help address urban challenges while delivering attractive returns with meaningful impact. Drawing on two decades of transactional expertise and navigating government and community processes gives us the unique ability to identify acquisition targets, many sourced off-market, and take projects from entitlement through development.
We actively collaborate with neighborhood stakeholders, architects, landowners, lenders, brokers, community representatives, and government to develop mixed-use projects that respond to the needs of neighborhoods and enhance the urban landscape. Prior to founding Ailanthus, our team – comprised 50% of women of color – collaborated on several Brooklyn projects, with a pipeline of approximately 2 million square feet and 1,500 housing units.
Our approach is community-driven as we strive to expand opportunity in the neighborhoods where we work, focusing on:
- Pioneering affordability models: To address the country’s housing shortage, our projects have a significant affordability component, with special emphasis on making housing opportunities accessible to local residents. We strive to go beyond off-the-shelf affordability programs to increase housing for all.
- Centering communities: Early outreach and constant dialogue helps us tailor developments to best address the needs of the neighborhoods where we work with clear community commitments.
- Fighting climate change: We incorporate cutting-edge green technology in our developments to help address the effects of climate change and to make our buildings more efficient.
Internship Description
We are seeking an exceptionally talented Planning and Development Intern to help support our current portfolio and pipeline of housing development projects. This is a challenging and rewarding position for an experienced and highly organized self-starter, who is interested in real estate investment, housing development, and urban planning. The right candidate should demonstrate a willingness to learn and dive into projects, and will be someone who can work independently as well as enjoy a meaningful interactive role in all aspects of our work. Ours is a small, collaborative firm, and this position will work directly with the entire Ailanthus team.
Anticipated projects and responsibilities include:
- Research and planning to support current projects, including identification of capital sources, government programs, key stakeholders, and project design precedents;
- Landscape analysis regarding housing development opportunities, including cataloging projects underway; identifying areas of opportunity; and analyzing potential projects against public policy landscape;
- Developing a deep understanding of the New York regional market via research projects and collection of market data;
- Supporting preparation of project materials, including talking points, presentation decks, and/or key statistics;
- Supporting engagement efforts by attending online and in-person community meetings;
- Monitoring key influencers, stakeholders, or policy areas related to our projects.
Experience and Skills
Qualified candidates should have the following experience and skills:
- Superior written and verbal communication skills, with meticulous attention to detail and superior organization skills.
- Collaborative, proactive, creative, entrepreneurial, and thrives in high-pressure situations.
- Strong work ethic and positive attitude, with willingness to be flexible to achieve success and a healthy appetite for feedback.
- Can develop relevant, sustainable solutions, align the right resources to the task at hand, and foresee and plan around obstacles.
- Formidable initiative and follow-through skills.
- Sound judgment, maturity, and the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
- Ability to promote and maintain a collegial, collaborative team environment while consistently and effectively representing the views of team leadership at all times.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PPT; website CRMs and Adobe Creative Suite a plus.
- Demonstrated interest in or internship experience working in economic development, real estate development, finance, business, urban planning, or other relevant field.
Compensation
This role is open to flexible, full-time or part-time scheduling for candidate looking for college credit or can be a paid hourly position.
Interested candidates should email their cover letter, resume, and 1-2 writing samples to:
Vivian Liao | Principal