Our Team

Chairman & CEO, Highridge Costa

Michael A. Costa

One of America’s most respected and honored affordable housing leaders, Michael A. Costa is President and Chief Executive Officer of Highridge Costa, one of the leading developers, owners, and managers of affordable and mixed-income multifamily workforce and senior apartment communities across the nation.

Mr. Costa is responsible for overseeing all activities of Highridge Costa, which specializes in the development, financing, construction, ownership, and asset management of affordable housing as well as mixed-income rental apartment communities for families and seniors throughout the United States. Over the past 30 years, Highridge Costa has been responsible for developing and growing a portfolio of over 30,000 affordable housing units consisting of 300+ communities throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, all 100% affordable and developed using Tax Exempt Bonds and/or low-income housing tax credit equity. The
company has often been ranked as one of the top five affordable multifamily developers and owners in the nation over the past twenty-nine years.

Throughout a career spanning nearly four decades, Mr. Costa has supervised the development and financing of over 40,000 units of multifamily affordable housing through such programs as Section 42 low-income housing tax credits, tax-exempt mortgage-backed revenue bonds, 501(c)3 tax exempt bonds, tax increment bonds, and numerous Federal, State and local financing programs such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development.

Mr. Costa was named the Freddie Mac Multifamily Builder of the Year in 2000 and previously was chosen the 1999 Builder of the Year by Multifamily Executive magazine for “his tireless efforts to educate people on the importance of affordable housing and his passion for building decent, safe, affordable housing.” In 2017 he was inducted into the Affordable Housing Hall of Fame by Affordable Housing Finance magazine and in 2018 the California Affordable Housing Hall of Fame by the California Housing Consortium.

Mr. Costa is also a charter board member of both the California Housing Consortium (CHC) and the BIA of Southern California’s 50+ Housing Council, the first such local chapter in the nation, and received the 50+ Housing Council’s coveted SAGE Award in 2000 for his professional contributions to the senior housing industry. He also holds the CAASH (Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing) designation from NAHB.

Costa earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, and also holds a General Contractor’s License from the State of California.

President, Highridge Costa Development

MOHANNAD M. MOHANNA

Mr. Mohanna is the co-founding Principal and President of Highridge Costa Development Company, LLC (“HCDC”), the development arm of Highridge Costa. Mr. Mohanna joined the firm and its predecessor companies in 1995.

Currently, Mr. Mohanna oversees all aspects of HCDC’s current project load, which consists of several affordable and workforce housing communities in stages ranging from feasibility analysis and entitlement to construction and stabilization. These new developments, located in several states including Hawai’i, will ultimately bring thousands of new affordable housing units to their respective communities.

In the State of Hawai’i, Mr. Mohanna is responsible for the development of several mixed-use, high-rise affordable housing communities which employ a condo property regime and include the creation of Homeowner’s Associations. Of the several different projects Mr. Mohanna has overseen in Hawai’i, all have included various RHRF Tier 1 and 2 loans totaling over $150 million.

In Utah, Mr. Mohanna and the Highridge Costa team oversaw a mixed-use residential/commercial development in partnership with a local developer to provide housing for the media covering the 2002 Winter Olympics. After the Olympics ended, the apartments, located above two levels of commercial space, were placed in service for 150 affordable and 150 market-rate units.

In Los Angeles, Mr. Mohanna and the Highridge Costa team are developing three different affordable housing communities to provide permanent supportive housing to previously homeless United States Veterans. He is working in tandem with the Housing Authority of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Housing Department, and the Los Angeles County Development Authority to utilize Project Based Vouchers from both the Veteran’s Administration and HUD with different rent calculations and qualification processes.

Previously, Mr. Mohanna was the Chief Executive Officer of Bonyan International Investment Group (Holding) LLC in Dubai, UAE. He oversaw a master-planned development in Abu Dhabi with nearly 240 million square feet of land, as well as the tallest hotel tower in Dubai at the time, and the tallest zig-zag building in Qatar.

Mr. Mohanna received his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the American University in Cairo, Egypt.

COO, Highridge Costa

THOMAS E. ERICKSON

Mr. Erickson is responsible for the day-to-day supervision of construction, financing and lease-up activities of the Highridge Costa portfolio, as well as leading new development projects.

He has over thirty years of national affordable housing development and investing experience utilizing federal, state, and historic tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, conventional/institutional financing, and a wide range of local, regional, state, and federal soft financing sources.

Specializing in the new development of most residential product types, rehabilitations, construction, leasing, and construction and permanent financing, Mr. Erickson’s efforts have resulted in the production of over 27,000 affordable housing units in 33 states and Puerto Rico.

Mr. Erickson joined Highridge Costa and its predecessor companies in 1994. Previously, he was Vice President with Thomas Brothers Development supervising the development, construction and operation of numerous Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC locations throughout Southern California. Mr. Erickson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from California State University, Long Beach.

Senior Vice President | General & Counsel

Jeffery Sussman

Mr. Sussman is responsible for legal affairs of the Highridge Costa Companies, including transactional activity, asset and portfolio management issues, investor reporting and compliance, litigation and dispute resolution.

Mr. Sussman joined Highridge Costa in 2012. Previous to this, he served as Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at Apartment Investment and Management Company (AIMCO), Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at National Partnership Investments Corp., and an associate at the law firm of Rus, Miliband, Williams & Smith.

Mr. Sussman earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and both his Juris Doctorate and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of Southern California. He is a member of the State Bar of California and holds several licenses issued by the National Assn. of Securities Dealers, Inc.

CFO & COO, Highridge Costa

ROBERT W. TETRAULT

Mr. Tetrault is responsible for all accounting and financial reporting activities, as well as risk management and quarterly business plan preparation.

Mr. Tetrault joined Highridge Costa in 1999. Previously, he was Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer with ARV Assisted Living, Inc, and also served as an Audit Manager at Arthur Andersen, LLP.

Mr. Tetrault earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in accounting, from California State University, Long Beach. He is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of California.

Vice President | Information Technology

Andy Baerst

Mr. Baerst is responsible for IT operations including security, software, data, user, hardware deployment and management.

Mr. Baerst joined Highridge Costa as a Development Engineer in 2003 and was subsequently promoted to Business Applications Manager and then Vice President. Previously, he spent fifteen years as a technology consultant for clients including AOL/Time Warner, IKON Office Solutions, ARCO Products Company, Edwards Life Sciences, Certified Grocers and Aero Jet Electronics.

Mr. Baerst earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in finance, from California State University, Long Beach.

Vice President | Construction, Highridge Costa

PIERRE HARISPURU

Mr. Harispuru is responsible for overseeing construction operations, including management of contractors, project superintendents, budgets, cost controls, design and implementation of construction schedules, relationships with consultants, government agencies and the firm’s development partners.

Mr. Harispuru joined Highridge Costa in 1994, and during his tenure with its various subsidiaries has overseen the development and rehabilitation of over 30,000 housing units in over 300 communities throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. All of these units have been 100% affordable and developed using tax-exempt bonds and/or Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LITHC) equity.

Previously, he was Vice President, Construction with U.S. Home Corporation, a publicly traded home builder which was acquired by Lennar in 2000. Prior to his tenure with U.S. Home he was a Construction Manager with SPE Corporation, which built both single-family and multi-family homes.

Mr. Harispuru attended Fresno City College, where he studied business management, architecture, real estate and estimating. He holds a general contractor’s license from the State of California.

Vice President | Business Planning

Nicole Farmer

Ms. Farmer is responsible for all corporate budgeting, forecasting and quarterly business planning. Ms. Farmer joined Highridge Costa as a Senior Financial Analyst in 1999, and was subsequently promoted to Director of Business Planning and then Vice President.

Previously, she served as a Financial Analyst and Assistant Controller with ARV Assisted Living, Inc.

Ms. Farmer earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Southern California.

Senior Vice President | Capital Markets, Highridge Costa

BRIAN SUESS

Mr. Suess directs and manages all aspects of structuring and securing a wide variety of layered project financing for affordable, workforce and mixed-use developments. This includes federal, state, local sources, as well Rental Housing Revolving Fund, FHLB/AHP, HUD/FHA and 501(c)3 tax-exempt bond financing. Additionally, he manages the syndication of federal and state tax credits, including investor relationship management, financial modeling, project due diligence, and the negotiation of partnership agreements.

Mr. Suess joined Highridge Costa in 2002 after starting his career with Novogradac & Company LLP.

Mr. Suess earned his Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Business Economics with an emphasis in Accounting from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Senior Vice President | Asset Management, Highridge Costa

BRENDON BERGEN

Mr. Bergen joined Highridge Costa in 2022. He is responsible for the investment management and oversight of the company’s multifamily assets, and ultimately responsible for the overall quality of property operations through the oversight of third-party property management service providers. Mr. Bergen oversees all aspects of asset management, and provides strategic direction and guidance to drive net operating income and property valuations to support all of Highridge Costa’s operations.

Previously, Mr. Bergen was Vice President of Asset Management and Compliance at EAH Housing, a prominent, non-profit affordable housing developer in the San Francisco Bay Area with over 8,000 units in 100 properties. From 2011 to 2020, Mr. Bergen was Vice President of Asset Management and Dispositions at Affirmed Housing Group in San Diego, where he oversaw a portfolio of approximately 40 properties with 4,000 units,as well as the sale or repositioning of almost 20 properties.

Mr. Bergen’s experience includes the oversight of affordable family and senior housing,mixed-income, mixed-use,and permanent supportive housingcommunities throughout the Nation with a concentration in the West.

Prior to working in affordable housing, Mr. Bergen was a Financial Analyst for California Bank & Trust, The Garrett Group, The Midland Group in Cleveland Ohio, and Bank of America. Mr. Bergen earned a Master of Business Administration degree from John Carroll University in Ohio, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Miami University of Ohio.