I provide guidance to clients seeking zoning approvals and other development entitlements. I counsel them on the impact of proposed or recently enacted land use legislation, as well as on land use trends across the country. I also serve on my local zoning board of appeals.
I perform due diligence work for real estate transactions prior to acquisition and financing. I assess environmental risk of properties and determine what mitigation measures are needed to help clients make the best business decisions and avoid potential liability. Finding appropriate mitigation measures has given me the opportunity to negotiate the terms of purchase and sale agreements, liability transfer documents, and insurance policies. I work with sellers, buyers, and lenders to ensure a successful transaction.
Land Use LitigationI handle complex federal litigation involving the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), First Amendment, and Equal Protection Clause. I also handle environmental litigation and defend claims brought under state and federal law, such as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
I am skilled at negotiating dispute settlements and achieving success for my clients in court if their case goes to trial. My successes include negotiating a favorable resolution for a national public utility company that faced environmental claims.
The prevalence of online retail has changed our day-to-day lives in many ways. It has also influenced land use patterns and transformed the market for warehouse and industrial space across the country. The opportunities for development in these sectors vary significantly by region and clients will need to understand how the prevalence of e-commerce has impacted local market and regulatory conditions.
Locally, the lack of adequate housing supply in Massachusetts is at crisis levels. Recent changes to the Massachusetts Zoning Enabling Act have lowered the voting thresholds for projects and zoning amendments that encourage market-rate and affordable housing development. The MA Housing Choice initiative has given developers and housing advocates a new opportunity to work with community leaders to produce sorely needed housing stock.
Connect Commercial Real Estate | August 09, 2022
The following article covering Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners and Nuveen Real Estate’s recent acquisition of two multifamily communities in the Atlanta area mention NP as transaction counsel. The deal team, led by Washington, DC Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Colette Dafoe, includes AHRE partner Dara Newman Histed and Construction & Real Estate Litigation partner Le Dolan, both from the Washington, DC office. The deal team also includes Boston counsel Karla Chaffee, Washington, DC associates Jamie Flesch and Jamal Magee, Rochester senior paralegal Stephanie Navarro-Smith, all from the AHRE group, and Washington, DC Complex Disputes paralegal Caroline Taylor.
Washington Business Journal | August 08, 2022
The following article covering Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners and Nuveen Real Estate’s recent acquisition of two multifamily communities in the Atlanta area mention NP as transaction counsel. The deal team, led by Washington, DC Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Colette Dafoe, includes AHRE partner Dara Newman Histed and Construction & Real Estate Litigation partner Le Dolan, both from the Washington, DC office. The deal team also includes Boston counsel Karla Chaffee, Washington, DC associates Jamie Flesch and Jamal Magee, Rochester senior paralegal Stephanie Navarro-Smith, all from the AHRE group, and Washington, DC Complex Disputes paralegal Caroline Taylor.
Boston Business Journal | July 14, 2022
This article covers potential implications of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling that sends Boston’s municipal harbor plan back to the drawing board. Boston Affordable Housing & Real Estate counsel Karla Chaffee is quoted in this article, explaining how the Department of Environmental Protection still needs to work out how to handle future harbor plans, noting that it could leave current plans in a state of limbo until the DEP releases related regulations.
Seniors Housing Business | March 03, 2022
This article on client Hebrew SeniorLife closing financing to build 45 new units of affordable senior housing in metro Boston mentions NP for advising on the project. Boston Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Jeff Sacks led the NP team, which also included Community Development Finance partner Forrest Milder, and AHRE senior counsel Don Cooper, counsel Karla Chaffee, associate Ali Sisson, and paralegal Vienna Kim, all of the Boston office.
Law360 | January 19, 2022
This column on notable industry moves features the arrival of Chaundi Randolph in Washington, DC, Karla Chaffee in Boston, and Daniel Perlin in Chicago as counsel in NP’s Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice
Affordable Housing Finance | December 15, 2021
This column on notable industry moves features the arrival of Chaundi Randolph in Washington, DC, Karla Chaffee in Boston, and Daniel Perlin in Chicago as counsel in NP’s Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice. The article also includes a brief description of each attorney’s practice.
McKnights Senior Living | December 14, 2021
The following roundup article on notable industry moves feature the arrival of Chaundi Randolph in Washington, DC, Karla Chaffee in Boston, and Daniel Perlin in Chicago as counsel in NP’s Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice. The article also features a brief description on each of their practices.
Chicago Daily Law Bulletin | December 13, 2021
The following roundup article on notable industry moves feature the arrival of Chaundi Randolph in Washington, DC, Karla Chaffee in Boston, and Daniel Perlin in Chicago as counsel in NP’s Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice. The article also features a brief description on each of their practices.
The American Lawyer | December 09, 2021
This article features the arrival of Chaundi Randolph in Washington, DC, Karla Chaffee in Boston, and Daniel Perlin in Chicago as counsel in NP’s Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice. The article also quotes AHRE practice group leader Denise Pursley on recent growth across the practice and the increased demand for legal services.
Vermont Law School, J.D., summa cum laude
University of Massachusetts, B.S., summa cum laude
Massachusetts
U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
