Jeff Sacks is a leading community development attorney. His clients include large community development corporations, senior housing providers and housing authorities as well as a variety of large institutional service providers. He often represents nonprofit organizations that are embarking on major real estate projects that allow their organizations to deliver their services in new and innovative ways.
I assist my clients in using federal low-income housing and historic tax credits to develop affordable housing and mixed-use developments. Given the multiple funding sources necessary to complete any project today including federal resources from HUD as well as state and local funds, I work with our developer clients to assure that all of these funders work together to allow for the successful completion of these projects with the most efficient deal structure.
Some of my largest and most complex projects have involved substantial investments in very poor communities utilizing the new markets tax credit program. These projects, which have included major new urban medical centers, a supercomputing project as well as smaller educational facilities, can be the catalyst for additional neighborhood investment and substantial job creation.
I have worked with a range of public housing authorities in the transformation of some of the most outdated public housing projects in the Commonwealth into new and vital communities that continue to serve their low-income residents. I served as a public housing authority commissioner for more than twenty years, and in 2013 worked on new legislation in Massachusetts to modernize and reform the Commonwealth’s public housing system.
Much of my work involves advising nonprofit boards of directors about the most efficient and effective legal and financial approaches to fulfilling their corporate missions. A central part of my work is framing the legal options and documentation to boards of directors.
I served as the first chair of the Newton Community Preservation Committee and have worked with that program for more than ten years. This unique state and local partnership provides funding exclusively for community housing, open space preservation, historic preservation and recreation facilities in cities and towns across the Commonwealth.
I am working on new types of joint ventures among nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies to improve the delivery of housing and other community services. In a period of dwindling direct government support for community development activities, consolidation of services and the creation of new service delivery models are crucial with organizations working together in new ways.
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.
WBUR | June 22, 2021
This article quotes Boston Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Jeff Sacks related to Jamaica Plain’s Forbes building, where the owners are trying to keep the development affordable and prevent current residents from being displaced.
Banker & Tradesman | February 01, 2021
This roundup of appointments and executive moves across the Massachusetts real estate and banking sectors covers Boston Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Jeff Sacks’ appointment as chairman of the board for Boston-based developer, owner, and operator 2Life Communities.
Seniors Housing Business | January 28, 2021
This article covers Boston Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Jeff Sacks for being named chairman of the board for Boston-based developer, owner, and operator 2Life Communities. The article highlights Jeff’s work in Massachusetts to transform outdated public housing projects into vital communities for low-income residents.
Multi-Housing News | November 03, 2020
The following article covers client Avanath Capital Management’s acquisition of a 207-unit apartment community in Boston, a complex transaction that will preserve Morton Village as an affordable housing property for many years to come. The stories mention NP for the firm’s work as legal counsel and name members of the deal team, New York City partner Tatiana Gutierrez, Boston partners Jeff Sacks and Ruth Silman, and associate Ali Walendziak, all of the Affordable Housing & Real Estate group.
Yield PRO | November 02, 2020
The following article covers client Avanath Capital Management’s acquisition of a 207-unit apartment community in Boston, a complex transaction that will preserve Morton Village as an affordable housing property for many years to come. The stories mention NP for the firm’s work as legal counsel and name members of the deal team, New York City partner Tatiana Gutierrez, Boston partners Jeff Sacks and Ruth Silman, and associate Ali Walendziak, all of the Affordable Housing & Real Estate group.
Seniors Housing Business | October 06, 2020
The following article cover NP’s role in securing financing deals for client Wollaston Lutheran Housing, allowing the affordable-housing provider to substantially upgrade two properties in Quincy, MA. Boston Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Jeff Sacks led the deal team, which also included Boston associates Ali Walendziak and Alexander Rosso, and Washington, DC counsel Anthony Ruvolo, all of the Affordable Housing & Real Estate group.
REBusinessOnline | October 05, 2020
The following article cover NP’s role in securing financing deals for client Wollaston Lutheran Housing, allowing the affordable-housing provider to substantially upgrade two properties in Quincy, MA. Boston Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Jeff Sacks led the deal team, which also included Boston associates Ali Walendziak and Alexander Rosso, and Washington, DC counsel Anthony Ruvolo, all of the Affordable Housing & Real Estate group.
Connect Media CRE | October 05, 2020
The following article cover NP’s role in securing financing deals for client Wollaston Lutheran Housing, allowing the affordable-housing provider to substantially upgrade two properties in Quincy, MA. Boston Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Jeff Sacks led the deal team, which also included Boston associates Ali Walendziak and Alexander Rosso, and Washington, DC counsel Anthony Ruvolo, all of the Affordable Housing & Real Estate group.
Senior Housing News | July 22, 2020
Nixon Peabody client Hebrew SeniorLife (HSL) was included in this roundup of notable deals for closing on the financing of two Boston-area properties that will help the organization with its post-pandemic future. Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Jeff Sacks, and associates Ali Walendziak and Alexander Rosso were mentioned for representing HSL in the Randolph financing. Jeff Sacks and Affordable Housing & Real Estate associate Julie Hancock Stande were noted for representing HSL in the Brookline transaction. All the attorneys are based in Boston.
Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly | August 22, 2019
Boston Affordable Housing and Real Estate partner Jeff Sacks wrote this contributed article analyzing a ruling by the Appellate Tax Board on the proper method of determining real estate taxes for senior living facilities that use an entry fee model. Boston law clerk Thomas Jackson contributed to the article.
Yale Law School, J.D.
Brown University, B.A.
Massachusetts
Jeffrey was selected, through a peer-review survey, for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2022 in the field of Real Estate Law. He has been listed in Best Lawyers since 2012. Jeffrey has also been recognized for exceptional standing in the legal community in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2022 for Real Estate (Massachusetts).
Additionally, Jeff has been recognized as a “New England Super Lawyer” in Real Estate based on a peer-review survey by Boston Magazine (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, and 2012).
Jeff Sacks served as a commissioner of the Newton Housing Authority from 1992 to 2014, and also served on Governor Deval Patrick’s Public Housing Reform Commission and on DHCD’s Public Housing Advisory Committee. Jeff serves as the Board Chair at 2Life Communities. He is also a director of the Lawyers Clearinghouse on Affordable Housing and Homelessness and the statewide Massachusetts Community Preservation Coalition.
