Francisco Castañeda, a native of San Ysidro, California, brings six years of professional experience in the affordable housing sector across both nonprofit and for-profit sectors to Luskin’s Master of Real Estate Development (MRED) program.

Castañeda’s professional path was shaped by his personal experience dealing with housing instability. Those early experiences inspired him to pursue a graduate degree focused specifically on affordable housing.

“I was really interested in UCLA’s MRED program because it of its people-focused real estate development curriculum,” Francisco explained. “Many other programs treat affordable housing as an afterthought, but at Luskin, it’s a central focus.”

That focus is embedded throughout the MRED program and reinforced by the Jaeger Alter Standard Communities (JASC) Affordable Housing Program, launched in 2025 with a $2.5 million commitment from Standard Communities’ Jeffrey Jaeger and Scott Alter. Students who participate in the program earn a Certificate in Affordable Housing, gaining specialized training in development, capital solutions, and policy-informed approaches to equitable housing.

For Francisco, the certificate adds both depth and credibility to his professional toolkit.

“I believe the Affordable Housing Certificate gives extra credence to my skill set,” he said. “It signals to employers that I have focused, hands-on training in housing development and understand the complexities of the field.”

Launched in fall 2025, MRED is an accelerated, one-year program designed in collaboration with industry leaders, with 70% of courses taught by practitioners. The curriculum blends real estate fundamentals—finance, investment, land use law, site planning, design, and construction management—with a policy-oriented perspective that integrates urban development, sustainability, and equity.

Francisco emphasizes that it’s not just the curriculum that matters, but also the diverse cohort and the guidance from experienced industry leaders.

“The diversity of our peer group contributes to a robust classroom environment,” Francisco said. “We all bring different interests, skill sets, and experiences. Also, having industry leaders teach our classes allows us to learn firsthand from those who have succeeded in the field, and to understand what really works in practice.”

Through the JASC Affordable Housing Program, students engage with emerging capital market strategies and development models designed to expand housing production beyond traditional public subsidies.
“Housing affordability is a critical issue,” Francisco noted. “Many people spend more than 50% of their income on rent or a mortgage. My interest in affordable housing comes from my own experience with housing instability, and I hope to use the skills and knowledge I gain here to create housing solutions that are more equitable, affordable, and accessible to communities like mine.”