About

Ambient Communities is a real estate development company specializing in the planning, development and construction of new homes, multifamily and mixed-use communities as well as commercial destinations and sustainability projects. Founded in 2011 with decades of collective experience, their approach to determining the best land use, resolving property issues, addressing complex environmental concerns and enhancing neighborhoods result in the creation of exceptional places.

Each project is planned with a sense of place and purpose reflective of the local area. Home and building designs integrate within the landscape, are respectful of the environment and are thoughtfully laid out.

Imagination, creative problem-solving and meticulous oversight set Ambient Communities apart. They are respected and recognized for their work in residential and commercial developments. Their relationships with industry experts who share their core values of integrity, innovation and community assures the highest level of quality from concept through construction.


Vision

We are focused on resolving property issues, honoring the environment in sensitive and meaningful ways, serving others above ourselves and enhancing communities. We accomplish this by:

  • Embracing each project’s unique circumstances
  • Delivering a quality product
  • Encouraging people
  • Building credible and trustworthy relationships


Inspiration

The Southwest is our home and it is where we do business. Its scenery changes from mountains, farmland, desert to the ocean; each varied, distinctive and beautiful in its own way. We choose our projects carefully. We are not interested in recreating what we have built before, rather, we take our inspiration from the land, the surrounding community and the intended purpose.


Strengths

In addition to our vision and inspiration, our strengths build upon each other, resulting in the thoughtful development, community engagement and collaboration:

  • Create mutually beneficial projects
  • Employ flexible and creative approaches
  • Form strategic financing solutions
  • Develop extensive relationship network

The Team

Robert Anselmo | Principal

Robert A

Robert Anselmo | Principal
Robert Anselmo is a principal with Ambient Communities, LLC. Prior to joining the Ambient Communities, Robert was an Executive Vice President with The Corky McMillin Companies and was a member of the Executive Committee which was responsible for management of the company. Since 1960, The Corky McMillan Companies have built nearly 30,000 residences, created 16 mixed-use master planned communities, more than 20 community parks, thousands of miles of new roads, schools, shopping centers, commercial office and industrial parks, college dormitories and 2,000 military residences on seven bases.

Robert was also held positions as

    • Vice President of Business Development with Leap Wireless International, a global wireless telecommunications company based in San Diego, California,
    • Vice President of Strategic Marketing with QUALCOMM Incorporated, a wireless telecommunications company that develops and licenses its proprietary technology Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), as well manufactures and operates digital wireless communications systems, and
    • Transactional attorney, specializing in real estate and mergers & acquisitions with the law firm of Gray, Cary, Ware and Freidenrich (DLA Piper).

Robert received a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Nevada and a Juris Doctorate Degree from Hastings College of the Law.

Robert Honer | Principal

Robert H

Robert Honer | Principal
Rob has gained a diverse background in real estate development over his career. Besides managing the business affairs of Ambient Communities with the other Principals, Rob is involved with new acquisitions, equity & debt financing, project management and disposition activities. Ambient’s corporate objective is to create thoughtful and creative places while assisting and encouraging the people we interact with. Rob strives to use his broad base of experience and relationships to implement this endeavor.

Since starting Ambient Communities in 2011, Rob has project managed the entitlements for over 1,900 residential homes/units in Southern California as well as land development and homebuilding activities in San Diego. To execute these projects and others, Rob and his fellow Principals have developed trusted relationships with a number of investors and lenders. Through 2019, Ambient Communities has obtained over $250M of capital to finance its projects.

Prior to joining Ambient Communities, Rob was a VP of Land Acquisitions & Planning with The Corky McMillin Real Estate Group where he was responsible for the sourcing, underwriting, due diligence, funding, acquisition and disposition of projects for the company and its affiliates. Between Ambient and McMillin, Rob has been involved in acquiring, capitalizing (primarily with private JV equity), entitling and developing over a billion dollars of real estate assets.

Rob and his wife Mary reside with their three children in Encinitas, CA. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a concentration in finance and entrepreneurship from Point Loma Nazarene University in 2005 where he is still an active alumni. Rob is also a licensed real estate broker in the State of California and participates with several non-profit organizations.

Wade Hall | Principal

Wade

Wade Hall | Principal
Wade began his real estate development career in 1983 and his exposure to all aspects of the business has given him trained and experienced insight. His resume primary includes acquisitions, planning, entitlement, land development and home building. Wade also has unique experience in acquiring, managing and completing several master planned communities throughout Southern California. In addition to management, Wade is familiar with private and public financing as he traditionally works directly with equity partners and was responsible for the execution of projects and their financial reporting and outcomes.

Prior to forming Ambient Communities, Wade enjoyed working for the Corky McMillin Companies for 22 years where he ended as the President and CEO of McMillin Capital and Executive Vice President for the Corky McMillin Real Estate Group. At the real estate group he was responsible for acquiring new projects by connecting troubled assets with equity coming out of the 2008 recession.

Being involved in raising equity for all the projects he has worked on, Wade has had the good fortune of working with a number of investors from Asia and has been responsible for operating an office and staff in Korea. In the early 2000’s, after having arranged equity and debt for a number of investments, The Corky McMillin Companies decided to form a capital company named McMillin Capital. As CEO of McMillin Capital, Wade was responsible for directing all aspects of the company’s growth and operations. McMillin Capital raised $100 million in equity to invest in $400 million in real estate activities including commercial, homebuilding, land entitlement and land development projects. In working with the team at Ambient Communities Wade is excited to work to continue the business experience he gained while working with Corky McMillin.

Travis Fuentez | Principal, Central Coast Division

Travis Fuentez | Principal, Central Coast Division
Travis Fuentez is a Principal with Ambient Communities Central Coast. He has over twenty years of professional experience in real estate investment, large scale residential land development and homebuilding as well as an extensive expertise in managing a varied portfolio of development projects, business ventures and income properties. Mr. Fuentez has overseen the development and implementation of investment strategies creating enrichment between clients and business partners. He began his career at Centex Homes, a national public home builder and Fortune 300 Company in 1990 following his graduation from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management. At Centex, Mr. Fuentez served as Division President for multiple operating divisions in California. A licensed general contractor, Travis served as President of the Home Builders Association of the Central Coast in 2005 and currently sits on its Board of Directors. As a Principal of Ambient Communities’ Central Coast Division, Mr. Fuentez is instrumental in managing the operation of the division in addition to business development for strategic growth.

Dante Anselmo | Principal, Central Coast Division

Dante

Dante Anselmo | Principal, Central Coast Division
Dante Anselmo is a Principal with Ambient Communities Central Coast. Prior to joining Ambient, Dante was an independent home builder in the San Luis Obispo area. Prior to moving to San Luis Obispo, Dante was the development manager at Bruno Homes in St. Louis, Missouri. At Bruno Homes Dante directed the professional consultants and contractors through the project design, entitlement process, and construction of mid-rise condominiums and high-end custom homes. Immediately after graduating from engineering school, Dante joined the consulting firm of Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH). At SGH, Dante primarily focused on analysis and retrofit design of multi-family developments that were in the process of litigation. Through his five years of experience at SGH, Dante learned what to look for, and more importantly what to look out for, in the design and construction of multi-family projects.

Dante received his bachelors of science in civil engineering from Arizona State University, his Master of Science in Structural Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and His Master of Science in Real Estate Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also holds the licenses of Civil and Structural Engineer and a General Contractor.

Duncan Budinger | Director of Retail Development

Duncan

Duncan Budinger | Director of Retail Development
A veteran of the commercial real estate industry since 1980, Duncan has been developing major assets for large institutional developers as well as smaller partnership development companies. Directed over 25 million square feet of retail / commercial space made up of nationally known Entertainment / Destination projects, Historical projects, Redevelopment projects, Regional Malls, Outlets Centers, Mixed Use and Community / Grocery Anchored developments creating a value of well over a billion dollars in real estate assets.

Some recent noted projects are: Outlets at the Border / Las Americas Premium Outlets ( San Diego), Liberty Station Retail (San Diego),Hollywood and Highland (Los Angeles-Home to the Academy Awards), Park Meadows Retail Resort (Colorado)
Prior to joining Ambient Communities Duncan was:

      • Vice President of Development for Trizec Hahn Company (Premier Developer of Regional Malls for 24 years),
      • Director / Vice President of Development for LandGrant Development,
      • Vice President / Director of Retail Development for Corky McMillin Commercial and
      • Director of Retail Acquisitions & Development for The Shamrock Group.

Duncan received a Bachelor of Science / Business Administration Degree from the University Southern California (USC), Member of International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), past member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), past Vice President of San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce.

Recent Recognitions:

      • Certificate of Appreciation from San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer (2015)
      • California Legislature Assembly Certification of Recognition for leadership and service by Lorena Gonzalez Assembly Woman, 80th District (2015)
      • County of San Diego District Attorney Certification of Recognition by Bonnie Dummanis (2015)
      • Casa Familiar Abrazo Award (2014)

Tara Richards | Chief Financial Officer

Tara Richards | Chief Financial Officer
Tara began her professional career in 1998 as a financial statement auditor for Arthur Andersen, then serving as the controller for an investment advisor with approximately $5 billion in assets under management.    She has worked in the real estate investment and development industry since 2005, first serving as Chief Financial Officer for McMillin Capital then as Vice President of Finance for McMillin Commercial, responsible for the reporting and financial analysis functions of the private equity and commercial real estate arms of The Corky McMillin Companies.  Since 2015, she has worked as a consultant with various development teams providing expertise and resource in financial reporting and analysis, financial modeling, acquisition underwriting, procurement of debt and equity, debt restructuring, business process and ongoing asset management.

Tara has a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Professional Accounting from The University of Texas at Austin and is a Certified Public Accountant, licensed in Texas.  Outside of the office, she volunteers with Voices for Children as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in the foster care system and serves of the Board of Trustees of Arts for Learning San Diego, a non-profit focused on providing arts education to children.


Awards

2019 Urban Development of the Year – Righetti

Association of Civil Engineers Los Angeles Chapter recognized Righetti as the Urban Development of the Year.
This award recognizes projects whose primary focus is on urban or land development or redevelopment design / construction, including infill projects and brownfields, which showcases advances and/or innovation in design and that provide value and benefit to the community.  This includes implementation of new methods, sustainable development designs / methods and materials, improvements on existing methods and materials, and/or incorporation of emerging technology.


Careers

We are always looking for talent. Ambient Communities is a value-based organization focused on entitlements, land development and residential housing solutions. If you are interested in joining our firm, please complete this form. As positions become available, we will contact you.