About Us - Octagon Finance

Driving progress in HTC development

With broad structured finance and real estate backgrounds, our executive team brings decades of experience, representing the creation of over 9,500 residential units and 2 million square feet of commercial projects across the United States. Our team of seasoned professionals provides comprehensive expertise in:

Structured Finance
HTC Rehabilitation
Credit markets and HTC Syndication
Development and Construction

As a private lender, Octagon Finance focuses exclusively on providing financing to developers rehabilitating qualified properties. After years of completing historic tax credit (HTC) rehabilitation work as developer, Octagon Finance was founded to bridge an HTC rehabilitation funding gap. Drawing on this first-hand experience, we skillfully process each loan application by leveraging the individual strengths of our underwriting team in a collaborative environment.

Our Business Development Team is your resolute partner, working closely with developers to identify optimal financing solutions, and serving as the primary point of contact throughout the entire loan process. Our Finance and Risk Management professionals provide rigorous oversight of project financials, HTC-qualified expenses, and the meticulous monitoring of loan disbursement and accounting. Our Construction and Monitoring Group delivers a thorough review of each project’s construction documents, budget, and HTC treatment requirements, as well as monitoring during construction.

Executive Team

Our team is composed of seasoned professionals with expertise in historic tax credit redevelopment, credit markets, project management, and finance

Steve Scioscia

Partner

Steve Scioscia is a Partner at Octagon Finance and a member of the Credit Committee. He oversees investment evaluation, risk management, fund structuring, Historic Tax Credit agreements, loan structuring, and legal matters.

Mr. Scioscia brings over 24 years of experience in finance, real estate, private equity, and fund management. He has co-founded and managed investment platforms focused on middle-market multifamily housing in the New York metropolitan area, overseeing legal structuring, investment execution, and asset management activities. Prior roles included executive positions at Phoenix Realty Group, where he led acquisitions, joint venture structuring, and debt financing for multifamily and mixed-use projects. He has also led regional northeast acquisitions at K. Hovnanian, where he directed the development of several thousand residential units.

Mr. Scioscia earned his Master of Science in Real Estate Development and Finance from New York University and his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Lafayette College.

Udi Kore

Partner

Udi Kore is a Partner at Octagon Finance and a member of the Credit Committee. He leads capital raising and investor relations, cultivating relationships with domestic and international investors and structuring financing solutions.

Mr. Kore has more than 21 years of experience in finance, real estate, and private equity fund management. He has co-founded and managed investment platforms focused on middle-market multifamily housing in the New York metropolitan area, where he overseeing originations, fundraising, and investor relations. Prior roles included investment origination positions at Phoenix Realty Group, where he managed acquisitions and joint ventures, as well as leadership positions at Colgate Development and Ernst & Young’s Transaction Advisory Services group.

Mr. Kore holds a Master of Science in Real Estate Development and Finance from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Baruch College. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in New York State.

Seth Freeman

Partner

Seth Freeman is a Partner at Octagon Finance and a member of the Credit Committee. He oversees company operations, reporting, and credit facilities, ensuring the firm’s financial infrastructure, underwriting processes, and reporting systems support Octagon’s lending activities.

Mr. Freeman has 15 years of experience in finance, real estate, and private equity. He has co-founded and managed investment New York metropolitan area, where he directed operations, investment underwriting, fund administration, and reporting. Prior roles included investment origination positions at Phoenix Realty Group, where he managed underwriting, due diligence, and business plan execution for multifamily and mixed use projects. Earlier in his career, Mr. Freeman oversaw reporting for more than $5 billion in assets at Private Client Resources.

Mr. Freeman earned his Master of Business Administration from Yale University and his Bachelor of Science in Business from the University of Connecticut.

JP Williamson

Partner

JP Williamson is a Partner at Octagon Finance and a member of the Credit Committee. He shares responsibility for overseeing Historic Tax Credit agreements, loan structuring, and strategic lending initiatives.

Mr. Williamson brings more than 25 years of experience in real management, and HTC execution. He founded Octagon Finance, a value-oriented investment and development firm rehabilitation. In 2013, he expanded the platform to provide financing solutions for developers of historic properties, establishing Octagon Finance as a specialized private lender. Earlier experience included roles at First Union Corporation and Enterprise Mortgage.

Mr. Williamson holds a Master of Science in Land Development from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Brown University.

Senior Team

Our team is composed of seasoned professionals with expertise in historic tax credit redevelopment, credit markets, project management, and finance

Ashley Smith

CFO & CCO

Ashley Smith serves as CFO and CCO of Octagon Finance, where she oversees all aspects of financial management, compliance, and audit. She is responsible for ensuring accurate reporting, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency across the firm.

Ms. Smith began her career in small business development, where she successfully structured funding for two wineries in Northern Virginia. She then served as Senior Auditor at James Moore & Company, a regional CPA firm in Gainesville, Florida, specializing in audits of nonprofits, local governments, and construction companies. She later assumed the role of Controller at a Charlottesville-based firm, further strengthening her financial oversight and compliance expertise.

Ms. Smith earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences with honors from James Madison University and her Master of Business Administration from Old Dominion University.

Zach Bubrosky

Originations

Zach Bubrosky is Head of Originations at Octagon Finance, where he is responsible for sourcing, underwriting, and executing structured credit investments across real estate asset classes.

Mr. Bubrosky brings experience in investment originations and asset management across both multifamily and retail properties. Prior experience includes roles at Heidenberg Properties, where he focused on the acquisition and management of grocery-anchored retail assets throughout the Northeast. He has also been involved in the evaluation and execution of opportunistic multifamily investment assets in the New York metropolitan area, contributing to the growth of middle-market real estate platforms.

Mr. Bubrosky holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics, with a minor in Computer Science, from
Southern Methodist University.

Hugh Ewing

Head of Asset Management

Hugh Ewing is Head of Asset Management at Octagon Finance, where he oversees construction loan underwriting, portfolio monitoring, reporting, and servicing. He also participates in several internal committees and plays a key role in operational processes.

Mr. Ewing was the first employee of Octagon Partners, Octagon Finance’s predecessor, and has been with the platform since its inception. He brings more than 35 years of experience in facilities management, construction, and real estate development. His background includes serving as Vice President of Operations at CFA Institute, where he managed global facilities and project management, and as Founder/CEO of Sunrise Development LLC, a construction company specializing in residential and historic renovation projects. He has underwritten over $2.9 billion in construction budgets and managed more than 500,000 square feet of projects worldwide.

Mr. Ewing holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from James Madison University and maintains a Class A General Contractor license in Virginia.

Sean Dougherty

HTC Specialist

Sean Dougherty is an HTC Specialist at Octagon Finance, where he focuses on underwriting and monitoring construction projects, ensuring compliance with Historic Tax Credit requirements throughout the loan process.

Mr. Dougherty has deep expertise in historic preservation and urban planning. Before joining Octagon, he was Senior Planner for Albemarle County, Virginia, where he contributed to long-range planning and land-use initiatives. He also served as an Associate at Ayers Saint Gross Architects and Planners, where he developed urban revitalization master plans for municipalities and universities. He has also been appointed to the Albemarle County Historic Preservation Committee.

Mr. Dougherty earned a Master’s in Urban and Environmental Planning, with a concentration in historic preservation and American urbanism, from the University of Virginia School of Architecture, and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Pennsylvania State University.

Driving progress in HTC development

Executive Team

Senior Team

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