OUR TEAM

MATT HUERTA

With over 23 years of experience in Affordable Housing and Community Development, Matt Huerta as Owner and Principal of MHC, LLC is available to advise, and support affordable housing and community development initiatives aimed at creating self-sufficiency. Areas of focus are program development, affordable housing development, organizational management improvement, and human capital development through leadership coaching and collaboration.

Past clients include:

Burbank Housing Development Corporation
Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation
Caritas Corporation
Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County
Charities Housing Development Corporation
Community Housing Development Corporation North Richmond
EPACANDO
Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA)
National Hispanic Organization of Real Estate Associates
Reed Community Partners
Rancho Cielo Youth Campus
Silicon Valley Bank
Sparks Consulting Services

Current clients include:

Ayudando Latinos A Soñar (ALAS)
California Coalition for Rural Housing
Envision Housing
Non Profit Housing Association of Northern California
Monterey Bay Economic Partnership
PATH Ventures

How can we help you meet your housing and community objectives?

NATALIE FLORES

Natalie Flores graduated from UC Davis in Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning with a minor in Geographic Information Systems in 2022. She was born and raised in Salinas where she graduated from Alisal High School and was very active in the community including supporting other youth through mentorship and tutoring. As MHC's community development assistant she tracks local affordable housing policies and supports community engagement efforts to create new opportunities for farm worker families and other vulnerable residents.

Bio Statement PDF

ERICK DIAZ

Erick was introduced to affordable housing through the California Coalition for Rural Housing Internship program and has been working in affordable housing and community development for the past 10 years. Through his career he has served as project manager for acquisition-rehabilitation projects in Southern California - performing due diligence for acquisition, submitting funding applications, and managing the construction process - and provided feasibility analysis for affordable housing sites in Silicon Valley. He has also spent a number of years in the CDFI space with the Housing Partnership Network and the Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation underwriting $45M in loans and $35M in LIHTC for afforable housing projects across the country, as well as $15M in NMTC investments to community development projects in New England. Lastly, Erick has also used his understanding of public policy, data analysis, and geospatial skills to manage several policy analysis projects for a variety of stakeholders, including the City of Albuquerque, the New Mexico Community Trust, and the California Housing Partnership.

Erick holds a Master's in Urban Planning and Master's in Public Policy from Harvard University, and a Bachelor's degree from the University of San Diego. He currently owns Studio 13 Community Development Consultants and joins MHC on an as-needed basis providing financial analysis and project management support to affordable housing developments in Silicon Valley.

ANGELINA PEREZ

Angelina Perez is an Assistant Project Manager for Chinatown Community Development Center providing support to several affordable housing projects in San Francisco. She obtained a Masters in Urban Planning from San Jose State University. She also has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and minor in Business Administration from Sonoma State University where she spent most of her undergraduate career organizing community service opportunities and events throughout Sonoma County. Being born and raised for a majority of her life in San Francisco helped shape her passion for social justice and all things housing. She also has experience managing a tax-credit property and working on community development projects in San Jose. Angelina tracks affordable housing policy and provides research and analysis for several housing projects as part of the MHC team.

JON WIZARD

Jon is an MHC independent contract Associate. He has over 12 years of experience in the public sector as a firefighter and police officer. He was elected to the Seaside City Council in November 2017 and now focuses on policy development, advocacy, and public relations. He has recently provided Technical Writing and Research support to complete applications for the New Markets Tax Credit Program and Community Development Finance Institution Financial Assistance Program. He also conducted research and convened meetings with design professionals for affordable housing developments in Palo Alto and San Jose. Jon earned his Master’s in Humanities from California State University Dominguez Hills and BS in Public Relations with a Minor in Anthropology from San Jose State University.

ROBYN VAN EKELENBURG

Robyn has worked in community development for over twenty-years, beginning her career in new home development and dedicating the last 15 years to affordable homeownership programs. She has partnered with developers across the state to help create successful homeownership programs with an emphasis on project management, layered financing, risk analysis, homebuyer education and home sales.

Robyn has administered tens of millions in local, State and Federal housing programs on behalf of local non-profit organizations. She supports a number of organizations in their fund development and program management activities, with an emphasis on creating affordability and sustainability.

She joins MHC on an as-needed basis providing technical support for affordable homeownership projects and policy initiatives. She is currently providing technical assistance to help preserve the affordability for residents at the Palo Mobile Estates Park in East Palo Alto. She is supporting the team and residents by providing insight into the condominium conversion process, creating financial scenarios and informing the overall preservation strategy.

Robyn is a licensed real estate broker and mortgage loan originator, licensed by the California Department of Real Estate DRE# 01336834 NMLS #334668

CORINA DE LA TORRE

Corina De La Torre is an Educational Psychology Ph.D. student at North Carolina State University. She is passionate about addressing non-academic barriers such as lack of safety, affordable housing and food security that impact student learning especially for K-12 Latinx students. Corina was born and raised in East Salinas, she learned the importance of hard work and community through the resiliency of her family and neighbors.

Corina provides community development assistant services on an as needed basis to MHC, conducting research and engaging directly with community leaders at all levels to address systemic issues relating to improving public safety and affordable housing opportunities. She helps establish strong grass roots relationships through collaboration with individuals and organizations who also advocate for long term policy changes that will result in safe, thriving neighborhoods.

Rafael Hernandez

Rafael is a community development leader with over two decades of experience. He has teamed with private, public and nonprofit agencies often serving as an effective intermediary between these different sectors. Rafael engages in housing policy and advocacy including leveraging a deep understanding of rural housing challenges. For several years he led the largest farmworker housing effort in California - the Farmworker Housing Study Action Plan for the Salinas Valley and Pajaro Valley spanning 11 jurisdictions and dozens of partners. He has served on the Boards of several organizations that support immigrant communities, including Prospera, which focuses on empowering successful Latina entrepreneurs.

Rafael graduated with a BA in Sociology from UC Berkeley, and a Masters in Public Administration from Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. He provides technical assistance such as policy development, research, and stakeholder coordination to MHC clients including the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership, Building Health Communities Collaborative, and the Non Profit Housing Association of Northern CA.