Alfred is owner and principal of the Somos Group. Alfred specializes in managing the design and permitting of complex development projects for government and private sector clients. Under his leadership, a team of planners and consultants have developed some of the most transformative planning and research projects in urban communities spanning the commercial, residential, hospitality, and healthcare sectors. Alfred was recognized as one of the top 100 legal minds in California by the Daily Journal.
In addition to building a legal practice of renown, Alfred founded Somos Group to spearhead innovative projects for his clients that depend on partnerships and a broad-range of disciplines to reimagine urban placemaking. Alfred was born and raised in Los Angeles and is passionate about community service and serves on prominent real estate associations and organizations advancing urban redevelopment and social equity. Among his notable community work, Alfred serves on the Board of the California Community Foundation and is the founder of Inclusive Action for the City Inc., a multi-disciplinary nonprofit organization advocating for equitable land use and sustainable development policies.
Areas of Practice
Mr. Fraijo grows his expertise on cutting edge real estate transactions for public, private and nonprofit developers and multinational corporations in the United States and abroad. He recently was featured in "Newsmakers" by the Los Angeles Business Journal.
Mr. Fraijo has significant experience in obtaining and negotiating land use entitlements for complex housing and mixed use development projects throughout California, including advising clients with innovative, urban renewal projects in the inner-city and other sectors with emerging markets. His real estate and land use expertise extends to transmission towers permitting, green energy facilities development and permitting educational campuses for charter schools.
Mr. Fraijo advises public and private sector clients on state and federal land use and environmental laws, including the Subdivision Map Act, California Community Redevelopment Law, California Environmental Quality Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, CERCLA, RCRA, California Superfund Law and the Polanco Redevelopment Act. Mr. Fraijo also has significant experience in working closely with clients and consultants on due diligence review of land use issues, which includes local zoning ordinances, general plans, redevelopment agency plans, and related land use restrictions.
Education
- J.D., Loyola Law School, 2002
- B.A., Harvard University, 1999, cum laude
Languages
- Spanish
Mr. Fraijo's recent representative matters include:
- Negotiated all aspects of public financing, including the owner participation agreement, and construction agreements for the development of 21 single-family detached affordable homes in the Central Valley to be LEEDcertified;
- Negotiated conservation easements and property transfer agreements on behalf of a multinational renewable-energy company in California;
- Completed due diligence acquisition and entitlements for 1.2-million square feet of condominiums, office, commercial and entertainment uses in Los Angeles;
- Represented developer in the construction and financing of a mixed-used project, including 100-units of affordable rental housing. Also drafted and negotiated easement agreements allocating rights and responsibilities for long-term property use and maintenance;
- Completed entitlements and negotiated redevelopment agency financing for a transit-oriented development project, including 269 condominiums, 40,000 square feet of retail and 185 space City-owned transit parking structure;
- Represented developer in connection with the entitlement and environmental review of over 1-million square feet of residential, office and entertainment uses in Los Angeles, including the preservation and rehabilitation of a historic theatre and recording studio;
- Negotiated a prevailing wage dispute arising out of a multi-million housing and commercial development project in California;
- Negotiated the sale of a 21-acre industrial site, including securing environmental indemnification and insurance for seller;
- Represented redevelopment agencies and developers in condemnation actions and environmental cleanup proceedings in connection with the Polanco Redevelopment Act;
- Negotiated environmental indemnity, remediation and easement agreements for major developers in connection with the purchase and sale of contaminated properties; and
- Represented developers and purchasers of contaminated properties in negotiations with governmental agencies in order to obtain Prospective Purchaser Agreements, Comfort Letters and No Further Action Letters for protection from environmental liability.
Mr. Fraijo has served on numerous real estate associations and organizations focused on urban renewal issues and civic empowerment. Mr. Fraijo is the founder and Chairman of the Los Angeles Urban Renewal Network, Inc., a multi-disciplinary collaborative of young professionals engaged in policy and sustainable development to improve the quality of housing in Southern California. He serves as Vice President on the Board of Directors for the Friends of the Hollywood Freeway Central Park, Inc. Mr. Fraijo also advises several non-profit housing development corporations, including as Board member of California Community Builders, Inc. and Chairman of the East LA Community Corporation. Mr. Fraijo is a Founding Board member of Honor PAC and For People of Color, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to growing diversity in the legal profession.
Mr. Fraijo continues to speak for professional associations and continuing education symposia and has published articles on emerging trends in state and federal land use and environmental law as well as on environmental justice issues. Mr. Fraijo is admitted to practice in California and the District of Columbia. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of California, the State Bar of Washington, D.C., the San Francisco Bar Association, the Los Angeles Bar Association, and the Mexican American Bar Association. Mr. Fraijo received his J.D. from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles in 2002, where he was a full tuition scholarship recipient and member of the nationally ranked National Hispanic Moot Court Team from 2001 to 2002. In 1999, he graduated cum laude from Harvard University and received a B.A. in Government. Prior to Loyola and Harvard, Mr. Fraijo participated in an accelerated engineering program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and traveled as a student ambassador to Japan and South Korea.