Mike Gonzales

About Michael

Michael is very familiar with the process surrounding CEQA compliance, including environmental impact reports, negative declarations and initial studies. He advises clients on state land use laws, including CEQA, the Subdivision Map Act, and the California Redevelopment Law. Michael has significant experience conducting due diligence review of complex land use issues, including local zoning ordinances, subdivision issues, specific plans, redevelopment plans and related matters. He has also drafted numerous redevelopment agreements for both commercial and residential transactions, loan agreements, ground leases, easement agreements, and development agreements for various development projects.

Michael has substantial land use and related development experience conducting due diligence review for lenders in connection with determinations to foreclose on troubled assets. Similarly, Michael has substantial experience conducting due diligence review in connection with the acquisition of real estate assets by investment funds, developers and other private entities.  Michael is extremely skilled at quickly identifying land use issues that could impact a client’s bottom line and finding solutions to achieve client goals.

Representative Projects:

• Acquisition due diligence and post-acquisition assistance with the modification of entitlements for a 146-unit multi-family residential project.
• Obtaining entitlements, including a zone change, height and setback variances, and tentative tract map for a 95-unit mixed multi-family and commercial project.
• Obtaining entitlements, including a zone change, a conditional use permit, and parking structure variances for a 182-room luxury boutique hotel with rooftop entertainment area.
• Obtaining a conditional use permit for an approximately 35,000 square foot multi-story entertainment and restaurant facility.
• Obtaining a conditional use permit for an approximately 13,000 square foot nightclub in Hollywood.
• Obtaining a master conditional use permit for up to five bars and restaurants, a multi-story parking structure with executive office uses.
• Due diligence analysis of a large master planned subdivision in connection with a lender’s decision to foreclose on the asset.
• Due diligence analysis of a 350-unit multiple structure multi-family asset in connection with a lender’s decision to foreclose on the asset.
• Due diligence analysis of a 180-unit subdivision in connection with a private party’s note acquisition.

Professional Activities/Memberships:

• Hollywood Chamber of Commerce – Board of Directors
• Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
• Los Angeles County Bar Association
• State Bar of California

Publications:

• “Getting Your Hands on EZ Money” California Real Estate Journal, April 6, 2009
• “Opportunity to Recover Excess L.A. Park Fees” California Real Estate Journal, May 5, 2008
• “The Fallout from Global Climate Change: Trickle Down Regulation in California” California Real Estate Journal, September 29, 2008

Speaking Engagements:

• “Fundamentals of Real Estate Development,” California Redevelopment Association,
  May 3, 2010
• “Dust Off Those Proformas: Finding Hidden Asset Value,“ Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP, November 18, 2009
• “Fundamentals of Commercial Real Property Practice,“ Continuing Education of the Bar,
  May 29, 2009

‍