The Dealmakers’ Edge with A.Y. Strauss
The Dealmakers’ Edge with A.Y. Strauss dives deep into the world of commercial real estate, bringing you exclusive stories, insights, and strategies from the industry’s top investors, developers, and dealmakers.
Hosted by Aaron Strauss, founder and managing partner of A.Y. Strauss, a leading real estate law firm, this podcast offers a behind-the-scenes look at what drives success in commercial real estate. From uncovering the unique edge of industry leaders to exploring the challenges and triumphs they’ve faced, this podcast is a must-listen for commercial real estate investors, developers, brokers, and professionals looking to sharpen their skills and stay ahead in the competitive market.
Whether you’re navigating real estate law, structuring deals, or scaling your portfolio, The Dealmakers’ Edge delivers actionable insights and inspiring stories to help you take your career to the next level. Tune in to gain valuable knowledge and discover what it takes to thrive in commercial real estate today.
The Dealmakers’ Edge with A.Y. Strauss
Leading the Future of Affordable Housing with Jason Bordainick
Jason Bordainick started his first company from a dorm room at the University of Virginia. Off Campus Partners became the nation's largest online marketplace for student housing and was eventually acquired by CoStar. That success gave him credibility, momentum, and the confidence to take on something harder.
In 2010, he and his childhood friend Andy Cavaluzzi decided to build a business in affordable housing preservation. Expertise, relationships, and regulatory fluency created steep barriers to entry in the space. They had vision but no track record in the asset class, no institutional backing, and no family real estate firm to lean on. For three and a half years, they submitted proposals, chased deals, and came up just short. That grind built the discipline and partnership that would eventually shape Hudson Valley Property Group into one of the leading platforms in the space.
In this episode of The Dealmakers' Edge, Aaron and Jason discuss what it takes to break into a market with high barriers to entry, how to build institutional trust from scratch, and why consistency and execution matter more than having all the answers upfront. Jason shares lessons from proving out a model, earning credibility deal by deal, and leading a business that does well by doing good.
2:57 - Starting Off Campus Partners from a dorm room and winning a business plan competition
4:57 -Teaming up with childhood friend Andy Cavaluzzi to start Hudson Valley Property Group in 2010
6:48 - Understanding capital-A Affordable housing and the role of Section 8 and LIHTC programs
11:49 - Starting with $5,000 and $10,000 checks and compounding investor trust
14:52 - Values-first leadership and how you do anything is how you do everything
16:21 - Using discipline and AI to screen projects and deploy capital at scale
18:16 - Managing adversity and the mental challenges of entrepreneurship
21:14 - How adversity strengthens partnerships and builds equal commitment
23:35 - Career advice for the next generation and the value of specialization
Mentioned In Leading the Future of Affordable Housing with Jason Bordainick
Hudson Valley Property Group | LinkedIn
Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind? Email us at podcast@aystrauss.com to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode.
Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team:
- Our website (www.AYStrauss.com)
- Aaron's website bio page (Aaron's bio page)
- Aaron's LinkedIn account (LinkedIn)
- Our Twitter account (@AYStrauss)
