In 2009, the real estate world was on its head. It was no time to start a company that focused on land-use entitlements—and yet, that is exactly what Jonathan Lonner chose to do.
That year, Jonathan opened the doors to Burns & Bouchard. Burns, after his grandparents’ last name, and Bouchard, for the last name of his wife’s grandparents. Kristen Lonner, Jonathan’s wife, was a successful land-use and community-outreach expert and a partner at a successful local lobbying firm; however, she too was experiencing the uncertainty of the market. But when Jonathan’s client list began to grow and Kristen began partnering with him on projects, it became clear that the two were meant to do this together.
Jonathan’s development experience from his years at Lee Homes and Kristen’s City Hall experience working for Councilmember Cindy Miscikowski were serving them well as a power duo. In 2010, Kristen would leave the security of a well-established 40-year firm to join Burns & Bouchard and grow their services to not only entitlements but lobbying and outreach as well.
Almost 10 years later, Burns & Bouchard represents development projects from Hollywood to Venice Beach, Woodland Hills to Glassell Park, and of course, Westchester/Playa del Rey—the same community where Jonathan and Kristen were starting their family when Burns & Bouchard was born.
