Since 2003, Civic Enterprise Development LLC has built its reputation as one of Los Angeles’ premier mid-size developers through projects that capitalize on Southern California’s rich architectural history and create energized, community-oriented places.  We focus on emerging neighborhoods and innovative regulatory tools that facilitate better, more sustainable development

We work primarily in infill areas, developing projects that succeed economically and enhance the urban environment. We have developed in partnership with Fortune 500 and leading regional firms and as fee developers for private owner-users. We also have extensive experience as partners with government agencies on public-private deals.

We specialize in projects—both new construction and adaptive reuse—that add value to emerging neighborhoods and capitalize on innovative regulatory tools.

In particular, we were among the first developers in years to develop market-rate housing in Echo Park, and we brought the first Small Lot Subdivision project in Los Angeles County to market using a recently-created Los Angeles zoning pathway that enabled us to create single-family homes on compact urban parcels.

Our intimate familiarity with a full range of product types, conventional and tax-credit financing, planning, entitlements, design, community outreach and project delivery has helped us plan and implement successful deals even in the most challenging environments.

Our experience portfolio includes projects with total valuations over $200 million.

Civic Enterprise has won awards from the Urban Land Institute, Architectural Record Magazine, the Los Angeles Conservancy and others.

Civic Enterprise is run by its co-founders, Brian Albert and Mott Smith and is located in Los Angeles.

Mott Smith provides strategic planning and business advisory consulting services through Civic Enterprise Associates LLC, a separate legal entity. 

 

 
 

Leadership

 

Mott Smith
Principal

Mott Smith is co-founder and Principal of Civic Enterprise, He is a founding board member of the California Infill Builders Association and adjunct faculty in USC’s Master of Real Estate Development Program. Earlier, he was as Acting Director of Planning for the L.A. Unified School District after serving as founding Executive Director of New Schools-Better Neighborhoods. He also worked as editor/business manager of The Planning Report. Mott is past president the Westside Urban Forum. He received a Master of Real Estate Development from USC and a BA in Linguistics from UCLA.

 

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Brian Albert
Principal

Brian Albert is co-founder and Principal of Civic Enterprise. He has worked in non-profit affordable housing and managed complex financial transactions at a top-tier New York City law firm.  He was General Counsel for a networking technology firm in Santa Clara, overseeing the company’s expansion to over $20 million in annual revenue.  Brian is chairman of Proyecto Pastoral also and has served as principal outside counsel to the Mission Economic Development Association, a community-based non-profit organization promoting economic development in the Mission District of San Francisco. He received a JD from Harvard Law School and an AB from UC at Berkeley in Urban Anthropology.