Sarah oversees Gorman’s property portfolio strategy, bringing 20+ years of affordable housing experience. She has worked with two of the nation’s largest real estate firms in Indianapolis, specializing in development, ownership, and property management. Sarah is passionate about affordable housing’s role in creating opportunities for individuals and families. She has led integrated services for nearly 20,000 low-income seniors and families, focusing on housing retention and self-sufficiency outcomes in financial literacy, health, and education.
Her expertise includes compliance, property management, acquisition, repositioning, and construction coordination across affordable housing programs like HUD, Section 8, RAD, and LIHTC. Sarah holds degrees in Criminal Justice and Psychology from Indiana University.
Brian Swanton transitioned into the role of President & Chief Executive Officer for Gorman & Company in 2018, after serving as the Arizona Market President since 2008. During his tenure as Arizona Market President, Brian led a multi-disciplinary team that designed and constructed over 1,000 units of new housing across the State with an emphasis on permanent supportive housing for families, seniors, veterans, and chronically homeless populations in both urban and rural locations. He also redeveloped some of the first public housing units in the country using HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program.
As President & CEO, Brian oversees all of Gorman’s business units, including design, construction, development, property & asset management, and administration. Prior to joining Gorman, he held various leadership positions in the non-profit sector, where he directed the preservation and construction of over 2,300 units of housing in 29 residential communities across Arizona and successfully refinanced and/or repositioned 1,702 units of existing affordable housing. Brian also spent eight years of his career in the public sector, serving as the Housing Development Manager for the City of Scottsdale, as well as other positions in housing and community development with the City of Glendale, AZ, the Arizona Department of Housing, and the City of Quincy, MA.
Brian holds a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning, both from Arizona State University where he has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in housing finance and neighborhood revitalization. He is also certified as a Housing Development Finance Professional by the National Development Council and is the past Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Arizona Housing Alliance, Arizona’s only statewide affordable housing advocacy organization, guiding that organization through a merger with the Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness in 2017. Brian continues to serve on the Board of the newly merged organization, the Arizona Housing Coalition. He is also an active member of Greater Phoenix Leadership, the Arizona Multihousing Association, the Housing Advisory Group (HAG), the Affordable Housing Developers Council (AHDC), and the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition where he advocates on the federal, state, and local levels to advance affordable housing resources across the U.S.
Imagine standing on the borderline of losing everything, including a place you call home. Individuals like Tiffany Noble and Dorothy Woodman of Arizona found themselves in unforeseeable and vulnerable positions, unable to pay rent with little housing assistance. Family Housing Resources (FHR) stepped in, offering a safe space to live at Taleravera Apartments with supportive and educational resources to help empower families like theirs to improve their financial stability.
“I was homeless. Nobody realizes what a room is until you have one.”
Tiffany Noble, Taleravera resident
Thanks to the work of FHR and its financial supporters, Talavera Apartments, a vital affordable housing community in the heart of Tucson, Arizona, is now rehabilitated.
“Sometimes people have negative ideas about living in affordable housing, and that is very unfair. Low rental rates do not mean low-class residents or low-quality apartments,” Dorothy Woodman, a Talavera resident, said.
Initially built in 1986 and renovated by FHR in 2002, a 4% re-syndication to 12 two-story residential buildings and one single-story community building concluded in the summer of 2024. The upgrades keep the property affordable and serve families earning up to 30%, 50%, and 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for the next 30 years. Additionally, 25 project-based vouchers will ensure long-term affordability for Tucson families in need, giving people like Noble and Woodman essential housing stability.
“We are so grateful to have engaged with Gorman & Company on this project, who helped with the development, architecture, and construction and has a long history of creating affordable housing in Arizona and beyond.”
Meghan Heddings, FHR Executive Director
Gorman & Company, in collaboration with its valued partnerships, has developed more than 2,000 units in affordable housing projects in Arizona, making it the largest affordable housing developer in the state.
With 96 units, collaborative partnerships, and shared commitments to create opportunities for financial independence, Talavera Apartments will continue transforming lives in the Tucson community for generations to come.
