Jason Labate
Partner
Jason’s practice areas include real estate and community development, nonprofit formation and governance and real estate and project finance. He also provides legal expertise for the Joint Ownership Entity (JOE NYC), a “first-of-its-kind” nonprofit collaboration of New York City affordable housing community development corporations for which Jason and the Goldstein Hall team were awarded the prestigious NYU Grunin Prize for Law and Social Entrepreneurship. Jason also co-authored an article on JOE NYC, which was published in The Journal of Affordable Housing and Community Development Law. Recently, Jason closed on JOE NYC’s multi-building solar project, which is expected to create approximately 700,000 kW/h of clean energy per year and lower operating costs.
Jason has been integral in developing the Firm’s Faith-Based Practice Group, which works with faith-based organizations to protect assets, evaluate options, and maximize real property. He is a frequent panelist and guest speaker on faith-based and nonprofit issues, presenting at, among other venues, the Manhattan Borough President’s Religious Facilities Task Force and leading the Firm’s collaboration with the New York State Council of Churches’ (NYSCC) Who is My Neighbor seminars. Jason was also one of three recipients of this year’s NYSCC’s Community Development Award and serves as co-chair of Bricks and Mortals, an association, and soon to be incorporated nonprofit, that fosters education and collaboration among faith-based organizations, community stakeholders and real property experts. He led the Firm’s participation in the LISC NYLOP predevelopment grant program for Mission Driven Organizations and is working with the Interfaith Affordable Housing Collaborative to help establish its structure and predevelopment grant process and resources.
Jason oversees the New Rochelle office and led the Firm’s partnership with the Pace Land Use Law Center in offering the Hudson Valley Affordable Housing Summit, which has run since 2016. Jason has established relationships with new clients in the Hudson Valley and helped existing clients expand their work into Westchester County.
Prior to becoming an attorney, Jason spent 10 years serving nonprofits and public agencies in a non-legal capacity. He was a New York City Urban Fellow from 2004-05. He has a bachelor’s degree with honors in Public Policy from the University of Chicago, a Master of Public Administration from NYU’s Wagner School, and was a Sparer Public Interest Fellow at Brooklyn Law School, where he graduated cum laude.
As a partner, Jason will focus on the Firm’s nonprofit and faith-based matters, including the JOE NYC and the Faith-Based Practice Group. He will also lead the Firm’s real estate and project financing work. Jason will also continue to expand Goldstein Hall’s work throughout the Hudson Valley.
- Expertise
- Real Estate and Community Development
- Nonprofit Formation and Governance
- Banking and Finance
- Corporate Formation and Governance
- Special Initiatives
- Faith Based Community Development
- Joint Ownership Entity (JOE NYC)
- Bar Admissions
- State of New York
- Education
- Brooklyn Law School, J.D. cum laude, with Certificates in Real Estate Law and Business Law, 2012
- New York University, Wagner School of Public Service, M.P.A., Specialization in Financial Management, 2008
- University of Chicago, B.A. Public Policy, with Honors, 2002
- Awards
- NYU Law Grunin Prize for Law and Social Entrepreneurship 2020
- Brooklyn Law School Platinum Public Service Award 2012
- CALI Award for Academic Excellence in Property Law Colloquium 2012
- New York City Urban Fellow from 2004-2005
- Mayor’s Graduate Scholar from 2006-2008
- Sparer Public Interest Law Fellow from 2009-2012
- Community Support
- New York City Urban Fellow Alumni Association Board Member & Treasurer
- Memberships
- NYC Dance in Sacred Places Advisory Committee
- Bricks and Mortals Leadership Committee
- New York State Bar Association, Real Property Law Not-for-Profit Entities and Concerns Committee
- American Bar Association
- Legal Presentations
- Speaker, Faith Based Organizations and Opportunity – Collaborative Affordable Housing Development, NYC Bar Association, HUD Committee Meeting, March 2021
- Speaker, ULI Westchester/Fairfield WLI Webinar – The Affordable Housing Series: Red Light, Green Light Financial Tools & the Impact on Residential Development, February 2021
- Speaker, Community Board 10: Faith Based Development & Preservation in Central Harlem Conference, January 2018
- Participant, Episcopal Diocese of New York Wardens Meeting: Real Property Options and Process, June 2017
- Moderator, Faith-based community development event with ANHD and Manhattan Borough President, March 2017
- Presenter, New York Land Opportunity Program (NYLOP): Mission-driven Development, Queens, January 2017
- Presenter, NYLOP: Mission-driven Development, Bronx, December 2016
- Presenter, NYLOP: Mission-driven Development, Manhattan, November 2016
- Presenter, NYLOP: Mission-driven Development, Brooklyn, October 2016
- Presenter, Neighborhood Preservation Coalition, Non-Profit Governance: Issues of Capacity, October 2016
- Presenter, Brooklyn Borough President, October 2016
- Organizer, Hudson Valley Affordable Housing Summit, March 2016
- Presenter: Bridge Street Development, Faith-based Development, December 2015
- Presenter: Brooklyn Borough President, Building Brooklyn Right, October 2015
- Presenter: Neighborhood Preservation Coalition, Non-Profit Governance: Board Development, October 2015
- Publications
- “Changing the Paradigm: Creating Scale and Keeping Local Expertise in Nonprofit Affordable Housing Development – How to Stop Competing with Fellow CDCs and Embrace a Joint Ownership Structure,” 27 Journal of Affordable Housing and Community Development Law 3 (March 2019)