Howard Levine, ARCS Commercial Mortgage Founder and Industry Leader, Passes Away

Howard Levine, founder, president and CEO of ARCS Commercial Mortgage Co. LP, passed away on Oct. 11. He was known both for his business accomplishments and his commitment to causes that mattered deeply to him.
 
Under Levine’s leadership, Calabasas-based ARCS became one of the largest providers of multifamily and commercial mortgage financing, ultimately growing to the No. 1 multifamily lender in America. With offices nationwide, ARCS was considered the leading Fannie Mae apartment lender in the U.S. as well as one of the top affordable housing lenders.
 
Throughout his career, Levine played a meaningful role in the leadership of the mortgage industry. He served on the executive board of the Mortgage Bankers Association, the commercial board of governors for the MBA and the Multifamily Council of the Urban Land Institute. In addition, he served on the board of directors of the National Multifamily Housing Council, the Multifamily Division of the National Association of Home Builders and the Leadership Council of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate.
 
An alumnus of UCLA, Levine was a founding board member of the UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate and he also served on the advisory board of Ziman’s Real Estate Alumni Group. The generosity of Levine and his wife Irene aided in the creation of UCLA Anderson’s Howard and Irene Levine Program in Housing and Social Responsibility. The Levine Program addresses critical issues related to urban and rural housing markets, housing policy, sustainability and redevelopment, particularly the housing needs and outcomes of lower-income and workforce households.

Levine frequently shared his expertise in lectures for UCLA’s graduate real estate and MBA programs. In 2011, he was recognized as one of UCLA Anderson’s 100 Inspirational Alumni as part of the school’s 75th anniversary celebration.