Team

Michael Simmons – Project Management

Beginning his career in real estate development in 1990, Michael worked with developer Robert Mendelsohn on the master planning of Gateway 101 in East Palo Alto. He went on to work with Tsen and Associates, a development consulting firm specializing in affordable housing development and financing. Having a deep interest in community revitalization and affordable housing, he joined the San Francisco Development Corporation as Executive Director where he lead a development and counseling staff focused on developing projects that met community needs including home ownership, service-enriched, and senior housing.

In 1997, Michael founded MSPDI where his focus has been on developing affordable housing and community facilities. He has a deep interest in building design and programming and how space can change and contribute to service and program delivery. Michael believes strongly in a team approach to building with team member accountability to ensure projects complete on time and on budget.

A native of Providence, Rhode Island, Michael holds a BS from Boston University and a MBA from the University of California at Berkeley with a focus on real estate. Michael has served on the boards of Episcopal Community Services, the NAMES Project Foundation and the Market Octavia Citizens Advisory Committee.

DeWitt Brock – Construction Management

For over 30 years, DeWitt has worked in the field of architecture with an emphasis on multifamily housing, both affordable and market-rate, as well as institutional facilities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since 1995, DeWitt has worked as a consultant providing construction management services to developers and quality control consulting for general contractors and architects. DeWitt’s experience spans both renovation and new construction. He has worked closely with MSPDI on numerous projects including College Track, LGBT Community Center, Britton Courts, 1075 Le Conte and most recently on the Kapor Center for Social Impact and Midtown Park Apartments.

A native of New Orleans, DeWitt holds a degree in philosophy from Millsaps College and a degree in architecture from Boston Architectural Center. Prior to staring his own firm, DeWitt worked for nearly 10 years with David Baker + Partners as a project manager overseeing the design and renovation of the Clock Tower Lofts as well as a number of other projects.

Lisa D. Fitts – Financing

MSPDI works closely with Lisa Fitts of Borrowers Best on end-user financing for homeownership developments and on financing applications for large multifamily projects. On home ownership developments, Lisa guides first-time homebuyers through the very complicated process of purchasing below-market-rate housing.

Borrower’s Best, Inc. was founded by Lisa D. Fitts in 2003. Prior to creating Borrower’s Best, Inc., Lisa worked with two non-profits that are dedicated to increasing the supply of affordable housing. At The Development Fund, she worked with banks to increase the amount of funds available for financing affordable housing. At the San Francisco Housing Development Agency, Lisa worked as a project manager and was responsible for the development, marketing and sales of new homes for first-time homebuyers.

Lisa holds a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business.