Clear Capital executive Scarlett Jia won the National Multifamily Housing Council's annual competition among rising industry leaders who faced off in a mock investment contest.
Jia, the Los Angeles-based vice president of acquisitions at Clear Capital, earned the top prize for this year’s Emerging Leaders Young Guns Pitch Competition that took place last month at the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The contest called for participants to craft a proposed deal for a distressed multifamily asset in Austin, Texas.
This was the first time Jia entered the competition. "I reviewed different solutions like agency refinance, preferred equity, affordable conversion, master lease, etc., and ultimately landed on a 99-year ground lease flexible living strategy to refinance the asset out of distress and go forward," she said in a LinkedIn message.
Competitors presented to a panel of industry executives, including Continental Properties’ Chief Development & Construction Officer Kimberly Grimm, Comunidad Partners’ Principal & Managing Partner Antonio Marquez and CEO of AOG Living Ricardo Rivas.
Jia’s presentation, “stood out for its creative investment strategy, incorporating a ground lease structure and flexible living model to optimize investment performance,” according to NMHC. Other contestants included vice president of asset management at The BAM Cos. Ryan Thie and vice president at Eastdil Secured Tony Ensbury.
CoStar News staff writer Tony Wilbert contributed to this report.