Cisneros said in a prepared statement that CityView "has enjoyed strong relationships with several highly regarded institutional investors and invested capital for them with great results" since its inception. However, the firm believes that now is an ideal time to expand the scope and breadth of its relationships throughout the institutional capital markets, Cisneros said.

Barsily will have primary responsibility for identifying capital partners to invest alongside CityView in connection with several of its various urban-based investment strategies, including those focused on value-add multifamily acquisitions, distressed for-sale housing, and sourcing, structuring and marketing uniquely structured mezzanine debt associated with financing urban infrastructure investments. He will also lead CityView's effort to establishing a co-investment joint venture that will allow investors the opportunity to invest alongside CityView in funding sponsor equity in carefully selected real estate transactions while paying no fees on committed capital and retaining discretion on investments. Additionally, Barsily will establish the company's initial presence in New York City, expanding the Los Angeles-based company's national footprint.

Crane will have primary responsibility for development and implementation of the multifamily group functions in targeted markets on a national basis, including investment and portfolio expansion of class A, B and C assets, purchasing distressed notes and providing equity solutions to distressed multifamily operators. The CityView multifamily division looks to acquire apartment complexes and/or portfolios in major US metropolitan markets, in urban in-fill sites, at prices below replacement cost and where value-add opportunities exist through a new strategy, new improvements, new management and/or a revised capital structure. The strategy targets above-market returns by improving the class of the asset, not through cap rate compression, CityView says.

Crane joins CityView with over 24 years of experience and has been involved in the acquisition and disposition of more than 8,000 multi-family units on a national basis. Before joining CityView, he was responsible for sourcing just under $1 billion in multifamily acquisitions/dispositions with Klingbeil Capital Management and General Motors pension funds from 2001 to 2008. Before joining Klingbeil Capital, he was director of acquisitions for Western National Properties and was charged with the financial modeling and acquisition of multifamily assets throughout California, Washington State and Colorado.