Spotlight On: Al Fernandez, CEO & Principal, ANF Group

Key points:

• • South Florida multifamily projects are regaining momentum as delayed developments move forward.
• • Workforce and senior affordable housing continue driving strong construction demand.
• • Al Fernandez says retention, efficiency, and relationships are key to ANF’s long-term growth.

May 2026 — South Florida’s construction landscape continues to shift as developers navigate permitting delays, rising costs, and evolving demand across multifamily, senior housing, and institutional projects. In an interview with Invest:, Al Fernandez, CEO and principal of ANF Group, said market momentum is strengthening as delayed starts move toward 2026 and workforce and affordable housing remain essential priorities. “Market-rate activity is also picking up again after a slowdown in 2024 and 2025, and because ANF has always balanced both market-rate and affordable housing, we’ve maintained steady volume,” said Fernandez.

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What major shifts have shaped the construction landscape and ANF’s project activity over the past year?

This past year, we saw many projects that didn’t start as originally planned. Developers were slowed by permitting, approvals, or financing, and those delays pushed several starts into 2026. The positive news is that we didn’t lose any of those projects — they’ve simply shifted forward. Market-rate activity is also picking up again after a slowdown in 2024 and 2025, and because ANF has always balanced both market-rate and affordable housing, we’ve maintained steady volume. Our annual volume typically ranges between $350 million and $400 million, and that consistency reflects our disciplined portfolio strategy and deep experience across both market-rate and affordable sectors.

How has development sentiment changed compared to last year?

There’s definitely a movement back toward market-rate products. Over the past couple of years, higher interest rates made those projects difficult, but with recent rate decreases and the expectation of additional cuts, developers see more feasibility — what we call “the product pencils in.” For a period, many shifted toward condominium work rather than market-rate rentals, but I’m seeing a return to rental development. Even with that shift, workforce housing remains extremely strong for us. Today, more than 50% of our work is in the affordable and workforce housing space.

Where are you seeing the strongest opportunities across asset types?

Affordable housing and senior affordable housing continue to be very active. We completed Village View in Flagler Village about 18 months ago and recently started Rainbow Village in Miami, both senior affordable projects. I’m also seeing more activity in assisted living; we finished one at the end of last year and have another beginning with vertical construction in 2026. The reports consistently show that we’re still not meeting the region’s workforce and affordable housing needs, so demand remains significant. Beyond housing, we’re seeing new opportunities in institutional work and healthcare, including projects for the Seminole Tribe of Florida, a new YMCA in Fort Lauderdale, and freestanding ERs for Broward Health and Baptist Health.

How would you describe the current strength of the multifamily market?

Multifamily continues to dominate our business — about 70% to 75% of our work. Alongside that, we’re picking up more institutional projects like youth and recreational centers, and we’re active in healthcare construction across several hospitals. Overall, we’re seeing consistent demand across the sectors we focus on, which supports a strong pipeline for the next few years.

What regulatory hurdles remain most challenging from ANF’s perspective?

Most regulatory hurdles occur at the developer level, so by the time a project reaches us, much of that has been addressed. For ANF, the biggest challenge is still permitting. Cities are overwhelmed, and their infrastructure is limited, which means approvals and building permits take a long time. It continues to be the most significant hurdle we encounter before starting construction.

How is ANF addressing labor challenges and strengthening talent retention?

Retention is one of our top priorities, and we’ve made a significant investment in training. Last year we launched a strategic planning effort with The Table Group to train our executives and project leadership teams. People want to feel that they’re growing, and companies our size must provide those opportunities if we want to remain competitive. By focusing heavily on leadership development, we’re building a culture that supports career progression. That culture is critical because there are many opportunities in this industry, and we need to offer something meaningful beyond compensation — a place where people feel supported and able to advance.

What sets ANF Group apart from competitors in the region?

We’ve built ANF on the strength of being a family-led company with deeply hands-on leadership. Even as we’ve grown, we’ve maintained a level of accessibility and involvement that clients value. Owners know they can reach me directly if something requires attention beyond day-to-day operations, and I stay closely connected to what’s happening across our projects. That level of engagement is difficult to replicate at larger organizations where leadership is often further removed from the work. Our leadership team, including our president Al Gil, my brother Nelson, and myself, remains actively involved and closely connected to both our clients and our operations, and that continues to be one of our greatest strengths.

How do you maintain a culture of efficiency and innovation as the company grows?

It starts with executives who fully buy into the culture and can instill it throughout their teams. I can only speak to so many people in a day, so our leaders must be the example. That means acting consistently, communicating clearly, and reinforcing the culture from the top down. If we want people to behave a certain way, our leaders must demonstrate it. That approach helps us maintain efficiency while supporting continuous improvement across the organization.

How is ANF leveraging technology to enhance operations and profitability?

A couple of years ago, we hired a CIO, Sasha Alvarez, who previously spent 18 years with Moss. She has been instrumental in transforming our technology infrastructure. We moved from multiple software programs to one unified platform, CMiC, which now manages project management, accounting and several other functions under a single system. That integration is giving clients greater real-time visibility into their projects, improving decision-making, and driving more predictable project outcomes.

We expect the benefits to grow significantly over the next few years because these efficiencies translate directly into stronger execution and better net profits. Many firms focus heavily on gross revenue, but we believe long-term success comes from operational discipline, accuracy, and consistency, and Sasha’s work is helping strengthen all three.

Looking ahead, what are your top priorities over the next two to three years?

Our biggest priorities are retaining great employees and retaining great clients. Companies often focus heavily on winning new clients and fail to appreciate the ones they already have. We want to ensure our existing clients feel valued and receive the same or better service than new clients. Employee retention continues to be essential, and we’re investing in culture and training to support that.

Ultimately, our focus is on building a strong pipeline that allows us to grow intentionally while continuing to deliver the level of service our clients expect. If our target is around $400 million a year, we have to think years ahead, not months ahead. By continuing to build strong relationships and maintain consistency across the organization, we’re positioning the company for long-term, sustainable growth while staying true to the culture and service that got us here.

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