Active in the field of Low Income Housing Tax Credit-financed development, Aubré Dickson brings more than a decade of experience in lending and finance to his new role as HDC board member.

“We’re extremely pleased that Aubré has joined our team,” says HDC Executive Director Robin Boyce. “He knows the industry, he knows the community, and he brings expertise to the board in an area where HDC is very active: tax-credit financing.”

Dickson is acquisitions officer at National Equity Fund (NEF), a leading national syndicator of low-income housing tax credits with a large portfolio of projects across the Northwest. At NEF and formerly at Homestead Capital, he has closed nearly $50 million in equity, generating 484 units of affordable housing. Previously he held positions at First Independent Bank, US Bancorp and Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, working in commercial lending and business financial planning. Dickson is a graduate of Portland State University, with a B.S. in Finance and Management. He earned his MBA in 2005.

Dickson is active in the Portland community: he serves on the African American Advisory Committee and board of the Portland Housing Center; the African American Mentorship Council and advisory board of Big Brother Big Sister of Columbia Northwest (he is also a Big Brother); and the boards of the Black Parent Initiative and the Portland State University Alumni Association.

Boyce emphasizes that in addition to expertise in LIHTC financing, Dickson will contribute valuable knowledge of affordable housing partners and policies across the Northwest to HDC’s board. “Aubré is familiar with housing sponsors and funders in Washington, Idaho and other areas where our Asset Management Services program, in particular, is active,” Boyce says.

Other significant assets: Dickson’s strong understanding of complex financial transactions and his experience in predevelopment lending while at Homestead Capital, which, like HDC’s affiliated HDC Community Fund, was certified as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).

"Aubré adds exceptional value to HDC's board," Boyce says. "We look forward to working with him in the coming months."

Closing eight years of service on HDC’s board, Freddy Lunt attended her final board meeting on December 12, 2011.

“Freddy cares deeply about affordable housing; but just as important, she’s a great businesswoman,” says HDC Executive Director Robin Boyce. “We greatly value the sharp perspective she brought to problem solving around housing and real estate issues, and we’ll miss her dearly.”

Owner and CEO of Princeton Property Management, Lunt grew her Portland-based business into a market leader that manages more than 8,300 units of market rate and affordable housing. Past president of the Multifamily Housing Council and the Metro Multifamily Housing Association, Lunt was awarded the Ross Dey Award for Lifetime Achievement in the field of multifamily housing in 2009.  

At the December board meeting, Boyce and HDC Board President Bruce Whiting acknowledged Lunt’s extraordinary contributions to HDC. Since joining the board in 2003, Lunt served as board chair, vice chair, secretary/treasurer and member of the budget committee. She worked with each of HDC’s three executive directors, starting with founding ED Will White. Whiting noted Lunt’s central role in growing HDC’s asset management program, nearly doubling the organization’s annual budget and expanding the geographic reach of its programs. Boyce thanked Lunt for the counsel she provided on hiring decisions, staff leadership, being responsive to clients’ needs and evaluating the viability of prospective new lines of business.

“In addition to all of her leadership for the organization, I want to thank Freddy for her lessons on being an East Coast woman leader in Portland,” Boyce concluded. “Thank you, Freddy.”

Good ideas can be contagious. Starting January 1, 2012, the Streamlining Compliance Initiative will vastly reduce the costs of developing and managing affordable housing in Oregon by eliminating duplicative property inspections and reporting requirements. Now, seven other states, including Washington, will join Oregon in an effort to reproduce this initiative nationally. The goal: to consolidate affordable-housing property inspections required by the federal agencies HUD, USDA, and the IRS.

On November 7th, 2011, representatives of HUD, the City of Portland, and Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) met to sign a memo of understanding; the three parties agreed to participate in a pilot rollout of the national streamlining initiative. The City of Portland and OHCS have been working to integrate this effort with the Oregon Streamlining Compliance Initiative, with the intention of creating a seamless process for property owners and managers.

Congratulations to the members of Oregon’s Streamlining Compliance Initiative for their work promoting the streamlining concept nationally and providing models, templates, and concepts for the national effort. Thanks to Mary McBride, HUD Region X Director, and Robin Prichard, Portland HUD Field Office Director, for their support of the project. Finally, special thanks to Doug Carlson, Portland HUD CPD Field Office Director, Margaret Van Vliet, Director of OHCS, and Diana Koppes, OHCS Division Administrator, Asset and Property Management Division, for their tremendous support throughout the development of Oregon’s Streamlining Compliance Initiative.

The attached photo shows (left to right) Mary McBride, Region X Director and Robin Prichard, Portland Field Office Director for HUD, and Margaret Van Vliet, Oregon Housing and Community Services Director, signing the national Memorandum of Understanding. Says Doug Carlson, “The federal pilot is now official, thanks to all your (Housing Development Center’s) hard work!”