Partners in Innovation: Financing the Preservation of Rural and Urban Affordable Rental Housing

May 17

More than 200 federal, state and local leaders convened in Portland on May 17 to discuss the vital need to preserve and improve affordable rental housing in the Northwest and nationwide. Sponsored by the National Housing Conference (NHC) and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the day-long forum entitled Partners in Innovation: Financing the Preservation of Rural and Urban Affordable Rental Housing, focused on examining the challenges and the opportunities for preserving affordable rental homes in urban and rural areas. With a special emphasis on funding preservation efforts, the forum brought together public officials, industry experts, and advocates to discuss and explore ways to better support this work through innovative partnerships, policy development and legislative reform.

Specific forum discussion topics included: Why Preservation Matters - The Importance of Preserving Federally Subsidized Housing; Regional Best Practices in Rental Housing Preservation; Financing Preservation - The Oregon Experience; Long Term Project Sustainability; Making the Case for Public Investment in Preservation; The Role of Philanthropy in Policy Development and Social Programs; and Rural Roundtable: Overcoming Challenges, Leveraging Resources and Implementing Solutions. 

Agenda at a Glance

Portland Participant Directory

Participant Resource Packet

Forum Sponsors

NHC gratefully acknowledges the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for their generous support and leadership as the overall forum sponsor. NHC also thanks the Meyer Memorial Trust for their sponsorship of the networking reception.

Planning Committee

NHC gratefully acknowledges the members of the forum planning committee, including:

• Casa of Oregon
• Neighborhood Partnerships
• Network for Oregon Affordable Housing
• Oregon Housing and Community Services
• Oregon Opportunity Network
• Portland Housing Bureau

For Additional Information

Please direct questions to Lynn Ross, Director of State and Local Initiatives for NHC and the Center, at lross@nhc.org or (202) 466-2121, Extension 237.

Click here to learn more about the Partners in Innovation regional forum series.

Interactive Breakout Sessions I

Option 1. Financing Preservation - The Oregon Experience
Panelist will discuss Oregon’s approach to financing preservation projects and the key risk factors of acquiring projects with federal rental assistance and/or public financing. Strategies discussed will include 4% LIHTC and bonds, 9% LIHTC, weatherization programs, FHA programs, local funding resources, and  acquisition financing through the Oregon Housing Acquisition Fund.

• John Epstein, Wells Fargo (Moderator); David Fuks, Cedar Sinai Park; Bob Gillespie, Oregon Housing and Community Services; M.A. Leonard, Enterprise Community Partners; Patrick Shea, HUD Portland Multifamily Program Center; Bill Van Vliet, Network for Oregon Affordable Housing

View Van Vliet's PPT slides

Option 2. Long Term Project Sustainability
Panelists will discuss keys to financial sustainability and long-term viability of the physical asset including adequacy of reserves, strategies for reducing energy costs, determining the appropriate renovation scope of work and analyzing first costs versus long term operating costs of systems. The importance of
sound underwriting and asset management practices will be addressed.

• Dee Walsh, REACH CDC (Moderator); Robin Boyce, Housing Development Center; Martha McLennan, Northwest Housing Alternatives; Bill Rumpf, Mercy Housing Northwest;

View Boyce's PPT slides

View Rumpf's PPT slides

Option 3. Making the Case for Public Investment in Preservation
Preserving the existing stock of affordable housing won’t happen without significant public investment. That investment requires an understanding of the benefits of preservation and the costs of inaction. Regional leaders will discuss how they became inspired to secure public investment, the approaches
they took, and their successes to date.

• Commissioner Ann Lininger, Clackamas County (Moderator); Janet Byrd, Neighborhood Partnerships; Kim Herman, Washington State Housing Finance Commission; State Senator Betsy Johnson, State of Oregon; Lisa Joyce, Oregon Housing and Community Services

Option 4. The Role of Philanthropy in Policy Development and Social Programs
Foundation leaders discuss the growing role of philanthropy in the development of policy and how a growing number of charitable foundations are collaborating and even participating in local and federal government social programs such as the Preservation of affordable housing.

• Mijo Vodopic, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (Moderator); Cynthia Addams, The Collins Foundation; Jeff Anderson, The Oregon Community Foundation;  Lisa Davis, Ford Foundation;  Doug Stamm, Meyer Memorial Trust

View Davis's PPT slides

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Interactive Breakout Sessions II

Option 1. Rural Roundtable: Overcoming Challenges, Leveraging RD Resources, and Implementing Solutions
Preserving properties in rural areas is challenging. Rural preservation often involves working with smaller projects in communities that are experiencing population loss and economic decline and in regions that have limited access to development capital. Panelists will discuss ways to leverage preservation resources available through USDA Rural Development and other methods to overcome these challenges.

• Leon Laptook, Oregon Opportunity Network/CASA of Oregon (Moderator); Gideon Anders, National Housing Law Project; Larry Anderson, USDA Rural Development; Raquel Gugliemetti, Northwest Real Estate Capital Corporation; Charlie Harris, CASA of Oregon; Leslie Strauss, Housing Assistance Council

 View Anders PPT slides

View Guglielmetti's PPT slides

View Guglielmetti's handout

View Harris's PPT slides

Option 2. The Federal Agenda
Panelists will discuss the affordable housing and preservation agenda including updates on HUD’s Transformation of Rental Assistance (TRA) and new Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities. This session will also include updates on the National Housing Trust Fund, pending legislation, LIHTC
reforms, the GSE’s Duty to Serve and the 2011 federal budget.

• Michael Bodaken, National Housing Trust (Moderator); Deputy Assistant Secretary Carol Galante, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Jim Grow, National Housing Law Project; Dawn Poczynek-Holdridge, Fannie Mae; Matt Schwartz, California Housing Partnership

Option 3. Introduction to the Preservation of Manufactured Home Parks
Panelists will discuss the loss of affordable housing units in manufactured home parks (MHP) and efforts to preserve parks through resident ownership. This session will highlight efforts around the country with particular attention paid to Oregon’s new resident-owned MHP financing model.

• Peter Hainley, CASA of Oregon (Moderator); Paul Bradley, ROC USA, LLC; John VanLandingham, Lane County Legal Aid and Advocacy Center; Lisa Davis, Ford Foundation

View Bradley's PPT slides
View Davis's PPT slides

Option 4. Sustainability and Affordable Housing Preservation
Panelists will discuss preservation of affordable housing as inherently green and focus on best practices in energy retrofits, green sustainable building practices and materials and proven measures to improve indoor air quality for residents. The session will also explore how preservation of existing transitproximate housing stock can promote smart growth strategies and make the best use of resources.

•  Dana Bourland, Enterprise Community Partners (Moderator); Bill Brauner, Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation; Brian Carleton, Carleton Hart Architecture; Craig Kelley, Housing Development Center; Jessy Olson, Farmworker Housing Development Corporation

View Brauner's PPT slides

View Carleton's PPT slides

View Kelley's PPT slides

View Olson's PPT slides

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