Hudson Housing Lifestyle advances community-focused development through strategic partnerships, financial structure, and implementation planning. Built around the understanding that strong communities require more than housing alone, our approach considers the connection between housing, infrastructure, workforce opportunity, and long-term growth.
Working alongside experienced partners, we focus on redevelopment opportunities, adaptive reuse, and integrated environments designed to strengthen communities and create lasting impact.
Most affordable housing developments don’t fail because the demand isn’t there. They fail because the project was never structured in a way that gives municipalities, lenders, and capital partners the confidence to move forward.
Rising construction costs, land basis, and entitlement timelines are often cited as the primary obstacles — but the more fundamental challenge is establishing a capital structure that allocates risk clearly across acquisition, predevelopment, construction, and permanent financing, holding up under scrutiny at every stage is how each project strengthens local ties or builds long-term affordability.
Nick Khamsopa
- CEO/PRESIDENT
After completing his Union Apprenticeship in 1996, Nick launched a subcontracting firm that quickly turned over a million dollars in profit. He then established a general contracting company, delivering numerous restaurants and daycare centers — including TGI Fridays, Longhorn Steakhouse, Ruby Tuesday, Chili’s, Outback Steakhouse, Tutor Time Learning Centers, and Goddard Schools — across the Tri-State New York region. A few years later, he founded Hudson Valley Construction Development Corp., serving as a custom home advisor and partnering on upscale homes in the Manhattan suburbs. Nick also played a pivotal role in South Florida land entitlements through strategic joint ventures. In 2007, he pioneered market-rate rentals utilizing the HUD 221(d)(4) program, implementing them in national real estate developments through joint ventures and leveraging private equity for predevelopment. In 2015, he was chosen to lead high-speed rail development in the U.S., founding US Rail Development (USRD). As an equity funder, he secured critical capital and SCOPE partnerships, ensuring successful turnkey project delivery for the U.S. Congress, supported by white papers. Today, he leads Hudson Housing Lifestyle in developing 5,000 affordable housing units across the Hudson Valley and greater New York, advancing New York State’s goal of 800,000 affordable units statewide, following the legislation passed in April 2025.
James Fitzpatrick
- COO
James Fitzpatrick is a real estate executive and development professional whose career uniquely spans the skilled trades and real estate investment. After 16 years as a journeyman with Local 1 of the International Union of Elevator Constructors, James built a deep, hands-on understanding of construction systems and the building trades that continues to distinguish his approach to development.
James went on to found JMJ Family Real Estate LLC, where he built a full-cycle real estate operation — acquiring, rehabbing, and developing properties while helping homeowners navigate pre-foreclosure across the Hudson Valley.
As Chief Operating Officer, James brings a builder’s discipline and entrepreneurial drive to every facet of operations — ensuring projects are executed with precision, integrity, and a genuine commitment to the communities they serve.
Edward DeLaPaz
- CIO
Edward DeLaPaz brings more than 40 years of experience across the private sector, government service, and global initiatives. A former Design Director at an ENR Top 200 Architecture and Engineering firm, Ed has led major public-private partnerships, transit-oriented development projects, and sustainable infrastructure programs. He is a co-architect of the HHL founding vision and leads long-term sustainability and infrastructure strategy.
James Colgan
- DIRECTOR, REAL ESTATE
James Colgan is a licensed real estate advisor in New York and New Jersey with over 10 years of experience in the Hudson Valley market. He understands the technical realities that shape a site’s potential — water and sewer capacity, ingress/egress conditions, and environmental factors — and how each one plays a role in what a property can ultimately become.
As Director of Real Estate at HHL, James drives site acquisition and market strategy across the company’s active pipeline. He has a strong grasp of how zoning, entitlement, and environmental review — including Phase I and II assessments — factor into a site’s development potential, allowing him to identify the highest and best use for every parcel. This understanding of how the pieces fit together makes him a driving force behind HHL’s growth in the region.
James Colgan
- DIRECTOR, REAL ESTATE
James Colgan is a licensed real estate broker in New York and New Jersey with deep expertise in the Hudson Valley market. He leads HHL’s site acquisition, market intelligence, and municipal relationship efforts across the active pipeline.