Emile Haddad, chief executive of developer FivePoint Holdings, has been named the new chairman of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate advisory board. Bill Witte, chief executive of developer Related California, was named vice-chairman.

The appointments come as Chairman Stan Ross retires after 18 years in the role.

Haddad and Witte, longtime members of the advisory board, assumed their leadership positions June 1.

“Working together, we hope to facilitate conversations to address the many challenges facing California real estate, whether it be smart land use planning, responsible urban development, or effective policies to increase the availability of critically important affordable housing,” Witte said in a statement.

Headquartered in Aliso Viejo, FivePoint Holdings is developing several large mixed-use communities in California, including Newhall Ranch in Los Angeles County, Great Park Neighborhoods in Irvine, and the San Francisco Shipyard and Candlestick Point in San Francisco.

Related California’s portfolio includes more than 10,000 units of affordable and mixed income housing with another 5,000 units under development. Previously, Witte was San Francisco’s deputy mayor for housing and neighborhoods and director of housing and economic development.

Ross became chairman of the Lusk Center advisory board in 1999 after retiring as vice chairman of Ernst & Young’s Kenneth Leventhal Real Estate Group.

Residential real estate reporter Helen Zhao can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @zhaomeow.