Russell E.
Morse

Representative Experience

• Riverside County University Health Systems (RUHS) — Mead Valley Wellness Village Project. Represented RUHS as outside real estate, land use, and environmental counsel for the Mead Valley Wellness Village Project, a $580 million healthcare campus that integrates behavioral health services, medical care, and social support in one centralized location, developed with a public-private partnership partner. The engagement included ground lease, facilities lease, project funding, and property management agreements, public utility easements, and CEQA review and processing of the project.
• Riverside County University Health Systems (RUHS) — Medical Center Expansion Program. Serves as outside real estate and land use counsel to RUHS on the future expansion of the 80-acre RUHS Medical Center in Moreno Valley, a 30-year multi-phased program guiding the Medical Center’s growth. Leads environmental review for the program, including preparation of a Program EIR, and provides the associated real estate services, including the ground lease, facilities lease, and public-private partnership agreement.
• Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) — Ground Leases, Leases, and Licenses at Van Nuys Airport. Represents LAWA with negotiation and preparation of a ground lease for a ground-mount photovoltaic solar system on LAWA property and rooftop leases and licenses for installation of photovoltaic solar panels at Van Nuys Airport buildings as part of LAWA’s Sustainability Action Plan. Upon completion, the ground-mount unit will become one of the largest ground-mount solar electric systems in LADWP’s service territory in the L.A. Basin.
• Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) — LAX EV Charging Station Lease. Negotiated a lease for the development and operation of vehicle EV charging stations at LAX.
• Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) — Multimodal Station Concept. Advises VTA on governance, property acquisition, and development issues associated with the Diridon Integrated Station Concept. The Diridon Station is the central rail passenger station in San Jose and is currently served by Caltrain, ACE, VTA Light Rail, and Amtrak as well as multiple bus service agencies and providers. The Diridon Integrated Concept Plan is being conducted through a cooperative agreement among VTA, Caltrain, the City of San Jose, and California HSR.
• City of Anaheim — Angel Stadium. Served the City of Anaheim as outside real estate litigation counsel related to the proposed sale of the Angel Stadium property, successfully resolving complex contractual issues with the former purchaser in the transaction. Also served as lead real estate transaction counsel for the City related to the sale of its air space subdivision interest in real property owned jointly with a private party, successfully completing a sale the City had been trying to accomplish for many years.
• Tongva and Acjachemen Communities — Orange County Land Return. Represented the communities in the first Native American land return in Orange County’s history.
• Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy — Altadena Ancestral Land Return. Represented the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy in one of the first private land returns to Native Americans in the Los Angeles area, the first time in nearly two hundred years since the California mission system ended that land had been returned to the Tongva people. Because the tribe lacks federal tribal status and was not equipped to process the bequest, provided the legal support that resulted in the successful donation of the Altadena property.
• Morgan Hill Builder’s Remedy Project — 250-Unit Residential Development. Represented the developer of a 250-unit luxury residential project, with both market-rate and affordable units, in asserting the Builder’s Remedy under the State’s Housing Accountability Act. Negotiated a favorable settlement with the City of Morgan Hill that advanced the project’s entitlements without drawn-out litigation.
• Park 315 Builder’s Remedy Development — Gilroy 530-Unit Residential Project. Applying the Builder’s Remedy under the State’s Housing Accountability Act, negotiated a favorable settlement with the City of Gilroy to entitle a 530-unit luxury rental residential project that includes both market-rate and a significant number of affordable units.
• Colorado Crest Affordable Housing Project — Quiet Title Defense and Settlement. Successfully defended and negotiated a settlement agreement resolving a quiet title action brought against the client’s 100% affordable housing project. The settlement allowed this much-needed project to obtain timely financing without drawn-out litigation.
• City of Pasadena — Pasadena Retail Property Acquisition ($13,000,000). Property acquisition with simultaneous negotiation and preparation of retail leases, on a $13,000,000 commercial purchase in the City of Pasadena.
• City of Burbank — Office Building Acquisition and Tenant Leasing Program ($9,000,000). Facilitated the $9,000,000 purchase of a commercial office building in the City of Burbank and prepared commercial office leases for more than fifteen tenants at the property.
• Los Angeles Office Building Acquisition ($10,000,000). Facilitated purchase of a commercial office building in the City of Los Angeles for $10,000,000.
• Los Angeles County Commercial Lease Portfolio for REIT Client. Represents a Los Angeles-based real estate investment firm in negotiation and preparation of dozens of commercial lease agreements for tens of thousands of square feet throughout Los Angeles County.
• State Farm Franchisees. Negotiation and preparation of commercial office leases for State Farm franchisees in the City of Los Angeles.
• Housing Law and Legislative Counsel — Eviction Moratoria and Tenant Protections. Counsel and published analysis through the COVID-19 period on statewide and local eviction moratoria, rental assistance, AB 3088, and SB 91, for landlords, tenants, and public agencies.
• Housing Law and Legislative Counsel — Wildfire Recovery and Rebuilding. Published analysis of the Governor’s emergency proclamation fast-tracking wildfire prevention projects, the executive order on wildfire recovery and its CEQA suspension, and the Los Angeles mayoral executive order expediting home rebuilding after the fires.