Connect with the HDC team at Housing Oregon 2023!
The 2023 Housing Oregon Industry Support Conference starts September 26 at the Hilton-Doubletree in Portland. There’s still time to register for in-person or virtual participation.
HDC’s affordable housing development and asset management experts are planning four great workshops for you:
Housing Development 101: Navigating Affordable Housing Development in Oregon (Wednesday, September 27 @ 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 1:45 p.m.)
LIHTC Lease-Up Preparation Through Development, Asset and Property Management Integration (Wednesday, September 27 @ 3:15 p.m.)
Funding, Developing, and Asset Managing Permanent Supportive Housing Properties (Thursday, September 28 @ 10:30 a.m.)
Regional Long-Term Rental Assistance & the Risk Mitigation Program (Thursday, September 28 @ 9:00 a.m.)
We hope to see you there! Keep scrolling for all the details.
Housing Development 101: Navigating Affordable Housing Development in Oregon (3 sessions)
This three-part workshop provides a comprehensive overview of affordable rental housing development. Experts from Housing Development Center (HDC) will share first-hand knowledge of opportunities, challenges, and lessons learned from decades of experience developing affordable housing. The sessions are designed for professionals new to affordable housing development, property managers, resident services professionals, others who collaborate with housing development teams, and executive directors and board members responsible for overseeing organizations involved in housing development.
The three sessions will cover the entire development process, starting with aligning project visions with mission and organizational goals. We’ll look at assessing initial feasibility and site opportunity, development team composition, development and operating budgets, and successfully preparing and competing for funding including tax credits and bonds. The workshop will also include an overview of lease-up and stabilization. (Don’t miss HDC’s “LIHTC Lease-Up Preparation” and “Funding, Developing and Asset Managing PSH Properties” sessions for a deeper dive into these topics!) Presenters will explain roles and responsibilities of team members, including those directly and indirectly involved in development activity, such as asset management, construction management, and accounting. Additionally, the panel will discuss financial obligations, guarantees, and risks for the project sponsor and ways to mitigate project and organizational risks.
Presenters: The HDC management team, including Director of Real Estate Development Travis Phillips, Director of Real Estate Development Julie Proksch, Director of Asset Management Kimberly Taylor, Deputy Director Andrea K. Sanchez, and Executive Director Traci Manning.
Wednesday, September 27 - 9:00 a.m.
Housing Development 101, Session 1: Foundations of Affordable Housing Development
In this introductory session, participants will gain an understanding of fundamental issues to consider during the initial feasibility phase of affordable housing development—from process and roles to risks and rewards. Topics will include organizational capacity, potential partnerships, preparing and engaging board and team members, and making go/no-go decisions. We’ll explore development processes, evaluation of site and land acquisition, and alignment with funding opportunities. Attendees will be equipped with the foundational knowledge required to navigate the complexities of launching and successfully financing a development.
Goals: Develop a foundational knowledge of the feasibility stage of development; gain insights into roles and risks; identify strategies to successfully compete for funding; and create or refine your organization’s decision-making metrics for new projects to prepare your project, yourself, and your board for success.
Wednesday, September 27 - 10:30 a.m.
Housing Development 101, Session 2: From Funding to Closing — Keeping Your North Star While Navigating Financing, Budgets, and Design Development
Delve into the rapidly changing landscape of financing, budgeting for, and developing the design of affordable housing projects in Oregon. Participants will learn about common and emerging pitfalls and how to avoid them. We’ll dive deeper into the opportunities and challenges of various funding sources, including LIHTCs, private activity bonds (PABs), and other state and local resources. Experts will share strategies and insights to keep your project on track and on-mission while ensuring it’s buildable, sustainable, and has the funding needed to make it a reality.
Goals: Develop an understanding of hurdles that arise during the predevelopment phase, how to successfully navigate them while keeping true to project goals, and how to assemble successful project financing that ensures sustainable operation.
Wednesday, September 27 - 1:45 p.m.
Housing Development 101, Session 3: Closing, Construction, and Operation — Ensuring Your Project Makes It Off the Ground and Serves Everyone Well for the Long Haul
This session focuses on the latter stages of the development process, from construction through lease-up and into operation. Participants will learn strategies to keep projects on schedule and on budget during construction, ensure successful lease up and conversion (hold on to those developer fees!), and set a course for smooth ongoing operation. Participants will also have the opportunity to connect and network with fellow professionals, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing to support successful initiatives in Oregon's affordable housing sector.
Goals: Enhance your understanding of construction-period challenges and opportunities; develop strategies for efficient and successful lease-up and operations; identify resources and best practices; and foster professional connections in the industry.
LIHTC Lease-Up Preparation Through Development, Asset and Property Management Integration
Wednesday, September 27 - 3:15 p.m.
LIHTC property lease-ups have never been more challenging. Hurdles to navigate include layered compliance requirements, escalating operating costs, property management staffing issues, construction delays, and stabilization concerns. It takes skill and know-how to prepare for a successful lease up and meet (or beat!) investor expectations. In this lively and interactive session, a panel comprised of the development, asset management, and property management team from a recently completed project will explain how they managed a successful lease-up and permanent loan conversion—sharing what worked and what didn't—and how the team worked together to share responsibilities. Audience members can ask questions and share their own perspectives as they learn about solutions to common LIHTC lease-up issues. We’ll discuss credit delivery expectations, first-year budget numbers, property management and compliance staffing, stabilization requirements, and roles and responsibilities for the entire team. Set your property up for success before it's built by knowing what to negotiate and model on the front end of the deal, coordinating department efforts and responsibilities starting at feasibility, and ensuring team integration throughout construction and lease-up to get your project successfully through conversion. Bring your questions, ideas, and stories; and troubleshoot issues with your peers!
Presenters:
Kimberly Taylor, Director of Asset Management, HDC (moderator)
Representatives of the Colonia Paz II project team from HDC, Farmworker Housing Development Corporation, and Evolve
Regional Long-Term Rental Assistance & the Risk Mitigation Program
Thursday, September 28 - 9:00 a.m.
Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties are in the process of issuing the new tenant-based and project-based Regional Long-Term Rent Assistance (RLRA) vouchers, in a unique regional approach to reducing barriers and promoting housing stability for people experiencing or at risk of experiencing houselessness. Join representatives of all three counties to learn more about the benefits of RLRA vouchers at your properties, including robust supportive services and strategies for using project-based RLRA in new development. HDC will be on hand to talk about the RLRA Risk Mitigation Program, which offers property owners with either type of RLRA vouchers at their properties access to reimbursement for eligible physical damage or operational losses associated with those RLRA units.
Presenters:
Jake Kirsch, Asset Management Project Manager, HDC
Chris Pence, Landlord Recruiter, Clackamas County
Monica Avila, Landlord Liaison, Washington County
Funding, Developing, and Asset Managing Permanent Supportive Housing Properties
Thursday, September 28 - 10:30 a.m.
This panel will discuss best practices around the development of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) properties, including perspectives from funders, developers, and owner-asset managers. Continuing the discussion from last year's session about funding challenges for PSH, we'll review lessons learned from asset managing/operating existing PSH and low-barrier units and how developers and funders can incorporate those lessons into planning and underwriting new projects.
Presenters:
Liz Winchester, Senior Asset Management Project Manager, HDC (moderator)
Melissa Arnold, Senior Housing Policy and Planning Coordinator, Metro (moderator)
Dana Schultz, Affordable Rental Housing, PSH Program, Oregon Housing and Community Services
Rachel Duke, Executive Director, Community Partners for Affordable Housing
Julia Doty, Housing and Services Program Manager, Community Development Partners
Andrea K. Sanchez, Deputy Director, HDC