Rochelle Mills
President & CEO
IHO
As President and CEO of IHO, Rochelle Mills is responsible for implementing the non-profit’s vision and expanding its portfolio of high-quality affordable housing. Since joining IHO in 2006, IHO’s reputation, impact, and footprint as an award-winning developer has expanded across California. She has guided the organization to living its values and positioned IHO’s culturally diverse team to compete, and win, with peers many times their size.
Prior to joining IHO, Mills and her husband founded mills studio, where their high-end designs were featured on FineLiving, Homes Across America, and in national television and print media. Mills also founded architours, a boutique art and architecture tour and symposia company that was recognized internationally. A former instructor at UCLA and Otis College of Art & Design Extension programs, and past editor of LA Architect (journal of the AIA Los Angeles), she is a proud graduate of Crenshaw High School in South Los Angeles and the School of Architecture at Washington University in St. Louis.
Mills believes her diverse background in architecture, construction administration, cultural tourism, community planning, and creative placemaking has uniquely prepared her to lead this organization at this moment. She served two terms on the South Los Angeles Area Planning Commission and the Crenshaw Community Design Review Board.
Past leadership roles include the California Cultural Tourism Advisory Committee, the Kennedy Commission, the SoCal Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects, the Association of Women in Architecture, Fellows of Contemporary Art, Arts for LA, and Southern California Association of NonProfit Housing (SCANPH). She currently serves on the boards of the California Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies (Cal-ALHFA) and Housing California. She is an active member of California Association of Local Economic Development (CALED), Real Estate Executive Council (REEC), and African America Real Estate Professionals (AAREPLA). She is a Senior Fellow at UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, a Merritt Scholar Mentor, a founding member of the Black Developers Forum (BDF), and founder of Strong Black Tea. Mills was recognized on the California State Senate floor for her work in affordable housing and received awards as one of Congressman Lou Correa’s 2020 Women of the Year, CREW OC 2019 Spire Top Woman in CRE, and a Bisnow 2022 SoCal Power Woman.
Justin Llata
COO, Vice President Real Estate Development
IHO
Justin Llata brings more than 20 years of experience in affordable housing to his dual roles as Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Real Estate Development (RED). He leads the RED department overseeing acquisitions, business development, and real estate finance. As Chief Operating Officer, he is an executive team member who oversees day-to-day operations and implements the corporate business strategy in collaboration with the President and CEO.
Llata was attracted to IHO’s entrepreneurial mindset and the opportunity to participate in many roles within the organization. Based in Sacramento, Llata looks forward to helping IHO continue to expand its impact across the state.
Prior to joining IHO, Llata was a Principal Consultant with Be One Housing Group where he managed and maintained client development pipelines. He also spent 20 years with Visionary Home Builders of California where he served in many positions, eventually elevating to the roles of Chief Real Estate Development Officer, interim Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. He was highly involved in building out the agency’s pipeline of major development projects, including the oversight of $350 million in past projects utilizing private and public funding including tax credits, HUD, USDA, state, and local sources. Over the course of his tenure with the organization, his leadership of acquisitions, rehabilitations, as well as the new construction of multifamily housing, he played a pivotal role in the growth and success of the firm.
Llata holds a bachelor’s degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
He holds a California Broker’s License, graduated from LISC HDTI’s fourth cohort, and was recipient of the J Tommy Espinosa Growing Diverse Housing Development Fellowship.
Llata has been active in Housing CA, California Coalition for Rural Housing, Sacramento Housing Alliance, REAL, and CHC.