John C. Ungar
Commercial Real Estate Law
Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC)
Affordable Housing Development

John C. Ungar is a real estate and transactional attorney at High Swartz LLP. He concentrates his practice on affordable housing development, low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) financing, and commercial real estate transactions in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania. John is particularly skilled at guiding developers through complex projects from concept to completion. This includes the entitlements process, construction administration, and government and investor compliance reporting.

At High Swartz, John advises clients on:

• Affordable housing development and LIHTC transactions
• Commercial real estate and leasing
• Real estate financing and construction matters
• Nonprofit formation and corporate governance
• Transit-oriented development
• HUD regulatory compliance, zoning, and land use

Background

John's perspective is shaped by firsthand experience. He has spent much of his career as both a nonprofit real estate developer and a commercial real estate landlord.

John brings more than two decades of legal and executive leadership in affordable housing and community development. He previously served as in-house counsel and director of planning for Philadelphia-based nonprofit, NewCourtland. The organization manages a portfolio of more than 800 units of affordable senior housing and market rate units John led all legal and transactional aspects of development projects totaling more than $190 million. His work included acquisitions, financing construction contracts, joint venture agreements, and commercial lease negotiations.

John understands the client's experience because he has been the client and the counsel.

Earlier in his career, John served as chief executive of a Philadelphia 501(c)(3) community development corporation. The organization held more than $45 million in real estate. He directed leasing and management of more than 400,000 square feet of commercial, residential, and institutional space. He also oversaw rehabilitation of more than $25 million in mixed-use and residential real estate throughout Philadelphia. John additionally founded and led a neighborhood revitalization corporation focused on economic development and business district programming.

John is a licensed Pennsylvania real estate broker and a member of the Pennsylvania Bar. His hands-on development experience combined with transactional legal knowledge gives him a practical, business-minded approach to complex real estate matters.

Representative Matters

• Served as transactional counsel and developer for the adaptive reuse of The Tower at Henry, an 11-story building developed as a combination of market-rate and affordable housing. The project has been awarded an operating subsidy from the Philadelphia Housing Authority for the affordable units. The Philadelphia Business Journal recognized it with First Place in Environmental, Social and Governance Development as part of its Best Real Estate Deals of 2025. Governor Shapiro selected it as the site to unveil Pennsylvania's Housing Action Plan.
• Led all transactional legal work on affordable housing development projects totaling more than $190 million, including acquisitions, joint venture agreements, AIA construction contracts, and development finance documents
• Ensured HUD and PHFA regulatory and investor compliance across a large portfolio of affordable senior housing assets
• Managed compliance across a $385 million portfolio of assets under management
• Directed leasing and management of more than 400,000 square feet of commercial, residential, and institutional space
• Negotiated lease and license agreements between municipal agencies and private businesses for a Philadelphia transit station project
• Structured and negotiated several property management agreements for nonprofit affordable housing organizations0
• Drafted and negotiated commercial and residential leases for both landlords and tenants
• Prepared corporate formation documents and provided legal guidance for multiple nonprofit organizations

John has served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, including as Board Chair of Montgomery Early Learning Centers and Those Nerdy Girls. He was also an active member of the Association of Corporate Counsel, where he has participated in the local and national Real Estate Network. Outside the office, John enjoys hiking, biking, and kayaking.