Damian Gancman

Damian Gancman oversees the operations of Cityview and its investments while supporting the strategic growth of its finance, acquisition, asset management and property management functions. An 18-year veteran of the firm, he is also a partner at Cityview and a member of its investment committee. As CFO, he helped build out Cityview’s finance department, including the implementation of strategic process, accounting, reporting and technology improvements.

Gancman also is a guest lecturer for the University of Southern California’s Master of Real Estate Development program and is a key contributor to the Cityview Leadership Academy. He earned a master’s degree in real estate development from the University of Southern California and a dual bachelor’s degree in business administration and psychology from the University of California, Berkeley.

How

long have you been in the industry?

I’ve been in the industry 21 years, 18 of which have been at Cityview.

What brought you to the industry?

I was drawn to multifamily because housing is something that everybody needs. It’s powerful to work together every day on something that we can feel strongly about and have an emotional connection with. It’s why I’ve stayed in this industry, and at Cityview, this long. I love being able to drive around my city and see the things that we have built and improved and the meaningful changes we have made throughout the Western U.S. markets we target.

Who inspires you?

I’m inspired by our team every day. Whether it’s navigating economic uncertainty, brainstorming solutions for our next project or solving a complex problem, [we have] smart, passionate, caring people who feel strongly about our product and have a clear point of view, and I’m continually learning from them.

What do you see as the challenges in financing in the current market?

As investors and developers, we always deal with uncertainty. When you layer on global and geopolitical uncertainty, along with increased costs, interest rates and other outside factors, it adds additional complexities to the market.

Where do you anticipate expansion?

I believe uncertainty generates opportunity, and the current market is no exception. The Great Financial Crisis (GFC) and the pandemic were difficult for everyone, but they also presented opportunities that led to growth both

Damian Gancman Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer Cityview

for me personally and the firm. Coming out of the GFC, we were able to grow significantly, vertically integrate to expand our platform and bring development, construction management and ultimately property management inhouse. We still have strong conviction in the underlying drivers of multifamily investment in our key markets. Although there will be challenges, it’s also an exciting time filled with growth at Cityview, and I am looking forward to supporting the firm as we continue to scale our presence across the Western U.S. and further demonstrate the value Cityview can add for investors, residents and communities.

What keeps you up at night?

I’m always striving to keep a pulse on what’s happening in the market, ensure our projects are resilient at all levels and identify what opportunities lie ahead. I think a lot about ways we can be agile and resilient. I want to make sure we are staying ahead of issues as much as possible and thinking about ways we can proactively implement solutions before problems arise, whether that is incorporating lessons learned from prior downturns, developing recession contingency plans or staying ahead of the latest technology. I never like to be on the defensive, so I spend a lot of time with the team working on how we can stay ahead of the game.