Articles Archives

NCHMA: Its Mission and History

7 min read

The National Council of Housing Market Analysts (NCHMA) is undertaking new initiatives as it continues its rebranding campaign to expand the organization’s mission and activities.

Hot Topics: New Developments Impacting the Tax Credit Industry

6 min read

Mental health experts estimate that about 15 million Americans are compulsive hoarders. Recently, the American Psychiatric Association announced that compulsive hoarding is now considered a mental disability.

TCA Survey of States: Housing Credit Reservations Are Brisk

2 min read

State allocating agencies are well along in committing their 2014 low-income housing tax credits and at least one-fifth have awarded at least some of their 2015 credits as well, according to responses to an early May survey by Tax Credit Advisor.

Energy Advocacy: Groups Seek to Expand Funding for Efficiency Improvements in Affordable Housing Properties

6 min read

Retrofitting affordable multifamily rental housing properties to make them more energy efficient is critically important for building owners and managers. As shown in the graph below, energy consumption is the largest or second-largest category of operating expenses in these kinds of properties.

Confirming Demand

3 min read

Since the LIHTC program was made permanent in the early 1990s – ancient history for the young professionals in our industry today – a market study has been required for every proposed project receiving an allocation of housing tax credits. The market study provides an opinion on whether the proposed project is feasible, based on an extensive analysis of the characteristics of the property and the market, location, competing properties, and other factors.

Forging a Stronger Public-Private Partnership with RAD

3 min read

With the rolling out of any new program, and especially demonstration programs, there are lessons to be learned, and HUD has been impressively nimble as this program has transitioned from idea to implementation.

Creative Financing: Aging Seattle Property Gets Revitalized Without New Gap Funds

7 min read

The Rainier Beach High School Vikings won the state boys’ basketball championship for the third straight year and extended their winning streak to 34 games. They were ranked eighth in the U.S. and played in a prestigious high school tournament in April in New York City, falling just short in their bid for the national title.

Filling a Void: New Markets Tax Credits Finance New Health Care Clinic for Low-Income Persons in Cleveland

2 min read

Federal new markets tax credits are helping to finance the construction of a new health clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. The two-story, 30,000-square-foot facility, located in the city’s Central neighborhood, will be owned and operated by Care Alliance, a federally qualified health center that serves the homeless, public housing residents, and other underserved individuals.

The Critical Verdict: Market Studies Form the Essential Underpinning for Successful LIHTC Projects

13 min read

Market studies for proposed low-income housing tax credit projects have become more sophisticated and refined in recent years – and more necessary with the ever-growing LIHTC inventory.

The Top Developments: Tax Credit Coalition Announces 2014 Excellence Awards

2 min read

The Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition recently announced winners of the 20th Annual Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Awards. The awards recognize outstanding affordable rental housing developments across the nation funded with federal low-income housing tax credits.

Demand doesn’t create units; units create demand

5 min read

In nearly four decades in this business, I have never believed in the logic structure underlying traditional market studies, because they have their causality backwards. And (confession time) I have never used one to make a decision, because a much better means of testing the market is readily available.

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Multi-Investor Fund Activity

5 min read

Boston Capital finished closing a $193 million national multi-investor fund in late March that has a projected after-tax IRR to investors of 7.25%, said Jeff Goldstein. The company is on the street with a new $150 million national fund (7% IRR) that was 50% specified in properties as of early April.

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