Articles Archives

Helm Place: A New Start for an Historic Neighborhood in Jackson, Mississippi

5 min read

On February 13, 2014, developers broke ground on Helm Place, a bold and much anticipated plan to bring new housing to a blighted historic district in Jackson, Miss.

Niche Development Creating Unique Flavors of Affordable Rental Housing

9 min read

Across much of the country, apartment communities developed with federal tax credits are frequently plain vanilla – simple, high-quality affordable garden-style complexes or mid-rises for families and seniors.

The multi-purpose antidote

4 min read

Among investment tax credits for real estate projects, the historic rehabilitation credit is a multiple anomaly. It is the oldest (enacted 1976); not capped and allocated but available as-of-right; payable at once on completion; and justified by physical heritage, not by reference to use.

The Real Estate Appraisal An Essential Building Block in LIHTC Development

6 min read

A key element in the development or acquisition of a low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) property is the real estate appraisal. Accordingly, it can be useful to provide a refresher that defines what an appraisal is and spells out the purpose, process, and contents – for both affordable housing industry newcomers and seasoned veterans.

2014 NH&RA Affordable Housing Vision Awards: Passionate Innovators in the City of Heart HONOREES: Andrea Daskalakis and David Abromowitz

23 min read

Like all major metropolises in the Northeast and Midwest, Boston is a city with a complexity of identities – a city of long history with lingering remnants of colonialism, a city of great ethnic diversity that provides it a strong sense of family and has also at times provoked racial conflict, a city of almost unmatched intellectualism.

Honoring Creativity: NH&RA Announces Winners and Finalists in 2014 ‘Timmy’ Awards Competition for Historic Rehabilitation Projects

14 min read

The conversion of a former cider vinegar factory in Kansas into a high-end art gallery and events center, and the renovation of a vacant former hotel in Los Angeles to create affordable apartments and a Mariachi Cultural Center, are among the 13 real estate projects named as winners and finalists for the 2014 J. Timothy Anderson “Timmy” Award for Excellence in Historic Rehabilitation.

Notes from the Road

3 min read

Earlier this week I returned from Minneapolis, the third stop on the NH&RA Preservation Through Energy Efficiency Road Show series. Having been born and raised in New England and the Mid-Atlantic, I haven’t spent much time in the upper Midwest, and was really struck by the creativity of local developers in adaptively reusing the local historic infrastructure and the remarkable local commitment to sustainability.

A Warning Light New Report Finds America’s Older Population is Growing Rapidly but Suitable Housing is in Short Supply

6 min read

The nation is seeing unprecedented growth in its older population but is not prepared to meet the housing needs of this group, which change with aging, according to a new report by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies and AARP Foundation.

Leveraging Value Northern Virginia Nonprofit to Redevelop Prized Urban Site to Create Larger New Apartment Property

7 min read

Sometimes a developer’s best new project is replacing an existing property with a larger new development on the same site.

New Responsibilities: Violence Against Women Act Covers Housing Properties By A. J. Johnson

7 min read

On March 7, President Obama signed into law the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 following earlier passage by Congress. The new law (P.L. No. 113-4) significantly expands the number of federal housing programs subject to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), creating new responsibilities and requirements for owners and managers of many types of affordable multifamily rental housing properties.

Enter Mr. Fix-It: Dominium Moves Quickly to Turn Around Troubled Properties

6 min read

When it comes to turning around a troubled low-income housing tax credit property, Minneapolis-based Dominium is a Mr. Fix-It: it gets to work early and taps multiple funding sources to begin tackling the remedial work even before being formally admitted to the restructured limited partnership as the replacement general partner.

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