Storm Properties Taps New Expert to Tackle SoCal's Housing Crisis

TORRANCE, CA – March 23, 2026 – In a calculated move signaling a deeper commitment to residential development, Storm Properties, Inc. today announced the appointment of Chad Lonski as its new Acquisitions Manager. The hiring comes as the firm aims to aggressively expand its footprint in Southern California's notoriously challenging but lucrative housing market, a region grappling with a severe housing deficit and complex regulatory hurdles.

Lonski’s arrival is a direct reinforcement of the company’s strategy to source and develop residential land. He will be tasked with identifying, underwriting, and acquiring land opportunities to support Storm's long-term growth, a role that places him at the forefront of the company’s push to increase housing supply in one of the nation's most supply-constrained markets.

A Strategic Bet on a Complex Market

Storm Properties' decision to bolster its residential acquisitions team comes at a pivotal moment for Southern California. The region is a paradox of high demand and throttled supply. According to the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the area needs to add over 1.3 million new housing units by 2029 to adequately meet demand. Yet, developers face a gauntlet of challenges, from soaring land costs to a labyrinthine regulatory environment.

Median home prices reflect this tension. In late 2025, the median price in Los Angeles County hovered around $942,610, while the broader Southern California median sat at $855,000. While these figures create significant affordability challenges for residents, they also signal immense potential value for developers who can successfully bring new projects to fruition. However, the path to development is fraught with obstacles. Construction costs, cited by 59% of developers in 2025 as a top concern, coupled with high interest rates and labor shortages, create a high-risk environment.

It is within this high-stakes context that Storm Properties is making its move. By bringing in a specialist focused on the initial, most critical stage of development—land acquisition—the company is betting that deep expertise is the key to navigating the market's complexities and unlocking value where others might see only barriers.

The Entitlement Specialist

Chad Lonski is not a generalist. His background is tailored for the specific challenges of California development. With a track record that includes advancing acquisitions totaling over $231 million for sites representing more than 1,600 urban infill residential units, Lonski brings a seasoned and data-driven perspective to Storm.

His expertise lies in the critical, and often contentious, pre-development phases: financial underwriting, market analysis, and, most importantly, entitlement strategy. This involves navigating the intricate web of general plans, zoning codes, and environmental reviews that can make or break a project in California. His experience with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), environmental mitigation, and political risk assessment is particularly vital.

Alan Kwan, Vice President of Acquisitions at Storm Properties, highlighted the strategic importance of this skill set. “As we continue to expand the residential development side of our business, Chad’s combination of analytical discipline, entitlement knowledge and understanding of Southern California housing markets will help us pursue opportunities with both precision and creativity,” Kwan stated. “His background is especially well suited to the way we evaluate and unlock value in complex sites.”

Lonski, a graduate of the University of Southern California’s real estate development program, is deeply embedded in the industry's legislative and governmental affairs through his work with the Building Industry Association and NAIOP SoCal. This experience provides a ground-level understanding of the policy and political forces shaping the region's development landscape.

Navigating California's Regulatory Maze

For over 50 years, Storm Properties has cultivated a reputation for its value-add approach, transforming underperforming land parcels into community assets. This often means taking on complex projects that other developers might pass over. Lonski's hiring represents a doubling down on this strategy.

Developing in Southern California requires more than just capital; it demands a mastery of the regulatory environment. Developers face a “patchwork” of city, county, and state rules that can lead to significant delays and cost overruns. California’s development impact fees are reportedly three times the national average, adding another layer of financial pressure. Furthermore, CEQA, while essential for environmental protection, is often used as a tool to stall or block projects, creating uncertainty for developers.

Storm's approach has been to build partnerships with municipalities and leverage its deep expertise to navigate these entitlement challenges. The firm actively seeks unentitled land—parcels without existing development approvals—which carry higher risk but also offer greater potential returns. This is precisely where Lonski’s skills in due diligence and entitlement strategy become a competitive advantage, allowing the company to creatively reposition difficult sites and bring much-needed housing online.

“Storm Properties has built an impressive reputation for taking a thoughtful, entrepreneurial approach to acquiring and repositioning land,” Lonski said. “I’m excited to join the team and contribute to the company’s continued growth, while helping identify opportunities that can create long-term value for both the company and the communities it serves.”

With a diverse portfolio that already includes the development of over 60 residential projects, such as the 48-home Torrance Pointe subdivision and a 127-unit project in Santa Fe Springs, the company has a proven history. Now, with a reinforced acquisitions team, Storm Properties is actively seeking new residential land opportunities throughout Los Angeles County, Orange County, the Inland Empire, and San Diego County, signaling its readiness to tackle the next generation of development challenges.