Stuart Portney, P.P., President

Stuart Portney founded The Metro Company, LLC in 1988 and has over 35 years of planning, real estate, finance and development experience in both the public and private sectors. Mr. Portney manages and oversees the firm’s housing development and finance activities including: initial project planning; property identification; financial feasibility analyses; acquisition assistance; financial packaging; and the successful transition of projects from construction to operation.

He has extensive real estate development experience, which encompasses: identifying opportunities for development of new affordable housing; selecting and supervising project architects, engineers, contractors and property managers; and working effectively with local government and various stakeholders to garner needed project support and entitlements.

Mr. Portney works closely with for-profit developers, investors, non-profit organizations, municipalities and housing authorities on various residential and mixed-use development projects throughout the region. Clients and business partners seek out Mr. Portney for his expertise in handling complex affordable housing, planning and redevelopment projects and especially for his extensive funding and financing experience.

Mr. Portney excels in the financial structuring, packaging, and closing of multiple funding sources for a wide range of affordable and mixed-income housing projects. He maintains excellent relationships with public and private lenders and equity investors, and creatively leverages and combines financial resources such as conventional construction and permanent financing, taxable and tax-exempt bonds, tax credit equity, and various grant and subsidy programs.

Prior to forming The Metro Company, Mr. Portney served as Vice President in charge of planning and development for a commercial development and construction company in northern New Jersey. There he was responsible for analyzing the financial feasibility of office and industrial projects and obtaining all local approvals. He also served as Deputy Director for the Jersey City Department of Housing and Economic Development. It was during this time the City's ambitious redevelopment efforts were launched and gained widespread recognition. Mr. Portney was responsible for coordinating some of the largest mixed-use waterfront development projects in the northeast.

Mr. Portney is a licensed professional planner in the State of New Jersey. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Community Development from Rutgers University and a Master's degree in City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. He attended New York University's Real Estate Institute. He is a member of the American Planning Association and the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey. Mr. Portney is a frequent lecturer on planning, housing and development matters.