Brett Katz (left), Ed Ely (top right), Cécile Chalifour.
Brett Katz, Ed Ely and Cécile Chalifour
Executive director for Los Angeles; managing director and co-head of commercial term lending; managing director and division manager for the West region and community development banking at J.P. Morgan
Brett Katz joined J.P. Morgan Chase in July 2025 from Mack Real Estate Credit Strategies with the goal of expanding the investment bank’s loan activity in the Western U.S. Katz said the firm is focused on building a Los Angeles-based origination team that targets assets and geographic markets with “compelling long-term lending opportunities.”
In addition to expanding in the commercial mortgage-backed securities space, Katz said he also sees opportunities for more balance sheet lending with “flexible, business-plan-driven” bridge and construction loans to a variety of “top-tier” regional borrowers.
Despite elevated interest rates that cut down on acquisition activity, Katz still originated some notable deals throughout the region. One financing highlight involved a $225 million bridge loan for the Santa Monica Proper Hotel. Katz also led a $176 million construction loan to build Astra Tower, a luxury residential building that is now the tallest building in Salt Lake City.
While conduit CMBS volume has been constrained in Southern California due to more options for long-term financing from regional banks, Katz said J.P. Morgan’s new five-year loan offering could help boost its deal flow in the region.
“This structure appeals to borrowers who find current elevated 10-year fixed-rates unpalatable,” Katz said.
J.P. Morgan’s L.A.-area CRE finance presence also includes Ed Ely, who co-leads commercial term lending.
And the bank’s Southern California originations infrastructure is bolstered by Cécile Chalifour, who has financed affordable housing deals in the region since 2017. Under Chalifour, the team has generated $1.6 billion of commitments for SoCal affordable housing projects and had $1.2 billion of outstanding loans as of June 30.
Despite challenges facing affordable housing from interest rates and tariffs, Chalifour’s team facilitated notable deals such as a $47 million construction loan for Related California and Weingart Center Association’s permanent supportive housing development in L.A. The bank also provided $98 million of construction financing for Wakeland Housing to build a 190-unit affordable housing community called Riverwalk San Diego.
“Financing today is way more laser focused, not just on the project but on the health of the developer behind it and trying to navigate them through a very complex time,” Chalifour said.
