Our LEADERSHIP Team

Founder

William Connolly founded Connolly and Partners in 2005 and leads our affordable housing group. He has worked in real estate since 1972. Before creating the firm, William was an executive with WinnCompanies, Liberty Real Estate, Claremont Management, First Winthrop Corporation, and the John M. Corcoran Company.

Over the course of his career, he has been involved in the acquisition, management, and development of nearly 125,000 units of housing which if added together would be conservatively valued at approximately $10 billion. Larger individual assets within this group range from a currently owned 500-unit site in Somerville, MA to a 3,000-unit property that was sold by its syndicator in Springhill, Maryland. 

Through this experience, William has come to know that non-profit organizations make good partners. While working alongside housing authorities, service organizations, and resident groups his mission has always stayed the same - to preserve and create affordable housing wherever it is needed. Across the country, he has been a leader in forming successful public-private partnerships to bring about the physical and financial turnaround of HUD foreclosures, third-party assets, and other distressed properties.  

Having written and spoken widely in support of affordable housing, he values working with non-profits and governmental entities.  He is a long-time supporter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, CPM designee with the Institute of Real Estate Management, and licensed Real Estate Broker.

William is a graduate of the Economics program at Boston State College - now a part of the University of Massachusetts.

Managing Director

Andrew Comollo joined our affiliate, First Hartford Realty Corporation, in 2009. He has been in the field for more than 10 years, working in commercial real estate before transitioning to affordable housing and multi-family development.  Today, he oversees our daily operations, portfolio management, and business performance.

Prior to joining our team, Andrew served as the Vice President of Lisciotti Development Corporation where he worked to acquire, develop, and manage retail commercial properties.  

He has been directly involved in the development of projects that have created over $400 million of value during his career. 

His experiences range from strategic new market entry for national retailers to the full rehabilitation of our flagship 500-unit multi-family property. 

Working in affordable housing allows him to utilize his real estate skill set in a new way that positively impacts the lives of our residents and the communities we serve. 

Andrew graduated with degrees in Economics and Finance as well as Insurance Finance from the University of Hartford Barney School of Business. 

Director of Development

Jennifer Connolly joined Connolly and Partners in 2009. She has worked in the industry for over 20 years - including time in property management and sustainable design. She now oversees acquisitions and development for our team. Earlier in her career, Jennifer held positions with Equity Residential and the WinnCompanies. 

The ability to oversee complex tasks, lead high-performing teams, and effectively represent the interests of residents has been exhibited throughout her career. A graduate of Fairfield University with a degree in Politics, her experiences in the field are complemented by her credentials including the LEED Green Associate designation, license as a Real Estate Broker, and HUD Resident Services Coordination certification. 

Recognized as an affordable housing advocate, Jennifer was elected Vice President of New England Resident Service Coordinators.  She was also appointed by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials leadership team to serve the Community Revitalization and Development Committee as an extension of her extensive work with our housing authority and non-profit partners.

Jennifer is pursuing her Master’s Degree in Community and Economic Development at The Pennsylvania State University.

Director of Property Management

Linda Hamilton joined our affiliate, FHRC Management Corporation, in 2008 and now leads this division.  During her 35-plus-year career, she managed teams at WinnResidential, Cruz Management Company, and Maloney Properties which combined included overseeing 10,000 units of housing.

Specializing in working with resident-owned affordable developments, Linda has an extensive background in HUD multi-family affordable housing, Section 42 LIHTC programs, as well as state and federally funded initiatives.  

She has successfully managed the renovation of over 5,000 units of housing within her career and controlled development budgets that exceeded $100 million. 

Today, Linda oversees the daily operations of our management company and professional staff located in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. She connects with our residents as individuals, provides them with support, and works each day to better their communities. 

Linda attended the University of California Irvine studying World Languages.

Development Associate

Sven van den Dungen joined our affiliate, FHRC Management Corporation, in 2017. Earlier in his career at First Hartford, he focused on the management of multifamily assets.

Prior to joining the team, Sven was active in the management of senior housing in downtown Boston for Preservation of Affordable Housing. 

He has extensive experience with HUD multi-family affordable housing develpments, Section 42 LIHTC programs, as well as state and federally funded public housing intiatives.

As an Accredited Residential Manager designee with the Institute of Real Estate Management, Sven actively assisted in the daily operation and management of our largest multi-family property. 

In transitioning to development, Sven is now responsible for assisting in tasks related to acquisitions, underwriting, financing, and development of our multifamily portfolio.

Sven graduated with a degree in Marketing and Business Management from the University of Ghent in Belgium.