April 11, 2016 | The 2016 Housing California Conference kicks off tomorrow, April 12 in Sacramento. The California Housing Partnership is proud that our team of experts will be moderating and speaking in 14 workshops and institutes this year on a variety of topics including affordable housing finance and policy. We hope you will visit one or more of our hosted institutes and workshops listed below.
Pre-Conference Institutes: Tuesday 4/12
1 2:00 – 5:00 PM
I-1. Tax Credits 101
The Low Income Housing Tax Credit remains the most important yet one of the most complex financing tools for the creation and preservation of affordable housing in California. This entry-level institute combines presentations and group exercises to successfully introduce the nuts and bolts of the tax credit program.
Please bring a calculator.
Moderator: Greg Chin, California Housing Partnership
Panelists: David Dologite, California Housing Partnership ; Anthony Zeto, California Tax Credit Allocation Committee
I-2 Everything You Wanted to Know About Bonds, But Were Afraid to Ask
Tax Exempt bond financing is a financing tool commonly used by affordable housing developers. This introductory institute combines lecture and group exercises to introduce the basics of a complex finance tool and its own requirements and players. In this institute, you will learn the program’s basic and technical requirements, the who and why of the multitude of players, the process of obtaining a bond allocations, credit enhancements and the cost of issuance. Please bring a calculator.
Moderator: Benjamin M. Barker, California Municipal Finance Authority
Moderator: Benjamin M. Barker, California Municipal Finance Authority
Panelists: Dave Kiddoo, California Housing Partnership ; Paul J. Thimmig, Quint & Thimmig LLP
Workshops – Session I: Wednesday 4/13
10:00 – 11:30 AM
1-7 The Lighter Side of Tax Credit Equity
Through an entertaining presentation that may include many forms of art, panelists will discuss the very dry topic of the current state of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC). Topics may include the current state of tax credit investments in affordable housing. Pricing, terms, underwriting, and locations will be some of the probable subjects. Fights may break out, deals may be made, and you may find a partner for life (or 15 years).
Moderator: Rich Gross, Enterprise Community Partners
Panelists: Kevin Knutson, Community Economics, Inc.; Richard Mandel, California Housing Partnership
1-8 Federal Housing Policy in a Presidential Election Year
Hear from Washington, D.C.-based housing leaders and advocates on the outlook for rental housing funding and policy in a Republican controlled Congress. Learn what the Presidential candidates are saying about affordable housing on the campaign trail. Get updates about important federal legislation, including the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)/Section 8 reform, gain in-depth understanding about the outlook for key HUD and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program funding levels, and share your views about top priorities for California advocacy.
Moderator: Matt Schwartz, California Housing Pa rtnership
Panelists: Peter Lawrence, Novogradac & Company LLP; Linda Couch, National Low Income Housing Coalition
Workshops – Session II: Wednesday 4/13
1:45 – 3:15 PM
2-8 Forming High-Impact Integrated AHSC Partnerships
So, you’ve nailed the basics of getting your project to be eligible for Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC). Now, you’re getting stuck securing partnerships for a fully-integrated development with housing, transportation, and urban greening? Join a conversation with transit agencies, regional planning agencies, and your fellow developers to get to the heart of this complicated puzzle that will take your concepts to
the next level.
Moderator: Thomas Yee, Low Income Investment Fund
Panelists: James Pappas , C alifornia Housing Partnership ; Abigail Thorne-Lyman, Bay Area Rapid Transit; Jacob Lieb, LA Metro; Bill Higgins, California Association of Councils of Governments
2-9 Statewide Housing Plan: Guiding Housing Policy into the Future
The Statewide Housing Plan is a periodic discussion of existing and future housing needs of the State of California. T his workshop will present the Draft Statewide Housing Plan and recommendations as a catalyst for discussion of the future of housing by major housing agencies at the State. The workshop will also include opportunities for participants to provide feedback on the plan.
Moderator: Melinda Coy, State Department of Housing and Community Development
Panelists: Susan Riggs, Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency; Matt Schwartz, California Housing Partnership; Brian Ulher, Legislative Analyst’s Office; Kate White, California State Transportation Agency
2-12 Making Energy Efficiency Benchmarking Work: New Policies, Practices, and Tools
When Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 802 in October 2015, California became the first state in the nation with a mandate to provide energy usage data to owners of commercial and multi-family properties so they can measure (or benchmark) the energy use of their buildings over time. As multifamily building owners continue to seek avenues for investing in energy and water efficiency upgrades that result in lower operational costs, this session will: 1) clarify the implications of AB 802 for multifamily building owners; 2) provide an overview of how new access to data can – and cannot – be leveraged to target energy and water efficiency upgrades; and 3) share lessons learned from owners who have used benchmarking tools to reduce energy and water bills at their properties.
Moderator: Caroline McCormack, California Housing Partnership
Panelists: Maria Stamas, Natural Resources Defense Council; Andy McNamara, Bright Power; Letitia Bray, LINC Housing
Workshops – Session III: Wednesday 4/13
3:30 – 5:00 PM
3-10 Preserving Rental Housing and Protecting Renter Households: Approaches to Preventing Displacement
This workshop explores approaches to preserving rental housing, protecting renters, and preventing displacement. We will learn about recent University of California, Berkeley analysis mapping gentrification and policies to protect low-income households. We will hear about efforts to expand the Bay Area’s Transit Oriented Affordable Housing (TOAH) fund and develop a housing affordability strategy for Oakland. Affordable housing developer East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation will present its work to preserve non-restricted rental housing serving lower income households. We will also hear about efforts to pass rent control and other protections in Richmond, California.
Moderator: James Pappas, California Housing Partnership
Panelists: Geeta Rao, Enterprise Community Partners; Miriam Zuk, University of California, Berkeley; David Sharples, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment; Jason Vargas, East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation
Panelists: Geeta Rao, Enterprise Community Partners; Miriam Zuk, University of California, Berkeley; David Sharples, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment; Jason Vargas, East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation
Workshops – Session IV: Thursday 4/14
9:00 – 10:30 AM
4-5 Climate and Housing: New Technology, Tools, and Research to Help with Development and Advocacy
This workshop will give an overview of the GreenTRIP Connect Tool which can forecast greenhouse gas reductions, parking savings, and other features on a parcel-by-parcel basis, depending on proposed project specifications. We will look at the Urban Displacement Map produced by University of California, Berkeley’s Urban Displacement Project and their research around the link between displacement and greenhouse gas emissions. We will also
investigate the Climate Benefits Map that shows all of the current investments from Cap and Trade and their impacts. Lastly, we will discuss the Jobs Housing Fit modeling that has been conducted by Chris Benner from University of California, Davis and Alex Karner from Georgia Institute of Technology that demonstrates how the link between low wage jobs and affordable development impacts climate change.
Moderator: Stuart Cohen, TransForm
Panelists: Chris Benner, University of California, Santa Cruz; Alex Karner, Georgia Institute of Technology; James Pappas, California Housing Partnership; Jennifer West, TransForm
4-10 Every Drop Counts: Tools and Resources to Increase the Water Efficiency of Multifamily Properties
Over 90% of California is enduring severe drought conditions, impacting over 36 million people. In January 2014, Governor Brown declared a drought state of emergency, announcing the first-ever 25% statewide mandatory restrictions. Like many property managers, you may also be on the hook to reduce water use. Want to learn how? Join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Department of Water Resources to learn about the tools and funding available to help increase water efficiency in your property. Hear from owners at Abode Communities and the Chinatown Community Development Center, who will discuss the strategies they have used to save water, including resident engagement and on-site water reuse.
Moderator: Caroline McCormack, California Housing Partnership
Panelists: Jonah Schien, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Kent Frame, Department of Water Resources; Rene Rodriguez, Abode Communities; Joanna Ladd, Chinatown Community Development Corporation
Panelists: Jonah Schien, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Kent Frame, Department of Water Resources; Rene Rodriguez, Abode Communities; Joanna Ladd, Chinatown Community Development Corporation
Workshops – Session V: Thursday 4/14
10:45 AM – 12:15 PM
5-5 Multifamily Lending for Affordable Developments: The Latest Trends
Affordable developers have an increasing number of choices in loan structures and products for both their conventional and tax-exempt financed developments. With interest rates on the rise, creative structuring becomes more critical. A panel of lenders active in multifamily lending will discuss the range of products and structures available, including current “balance sheet” products and Freddie/Fannie and Federal Housing Administration (FHA) options. The discussion will include options for addressing rising interest rates, including fixed-rate construction loans and hedges, and permanent loan options. The lenders will discuss financing options for a range of case study deal types, including new construction as well as portfolio refinancing and re-syndication.
Moderator: Richard Mandel, California Housing Partnership
Panelists: TBA
Panelists: TBA
5-6 AHSC in 2016: Strategies for Success
The inaugural round of the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program brought many complexities that had never been attempted through traditional financing programs. The program requires high levels of coordination with transportation, local government, and affordable developer partners, and leveraging countless unfamiliar programs. Using examples from the field, this workshop presents the in’s and out’s of applying for Cap and Trade funding in the highly revised 2016 program. Come learn how to bring it all together and address program complexities for a successful application.
Moderator: Flaherty Ward, Housing Authority of the County of Santa Clara
Panelists:
Panelists:
David Dologite, California Housing Partnership
; Eugene Lee, California Department of Housing & Community Development; Jennifer West, TransForm
5-9 New Multifamily Solar Funding and Financing Models: Moving Beyond MASH to AB 693, Battery Storage, and Deeper Greener Resiliency
The new Multifamily Affordable Housing Solar Roofs Program enacted by AB 693 will provide up to $1 billion for solar installations at affordable, multifamily properties in California. This session is designed to ready affordable housing organizations to take advantage of the program. The workshop provides information on the new program, discusses issues affecting the delivery of solar services to affordable housing markets, and reviews approaches for assessing financial costs and benefits and understanding the merits of solar project opportunities.
Moderator: Wayne Waite, California Housing Partnership
Panelists: Sachu Constantine, Center for Sustainable Energy; Andrew McNamara, BrightPower; Lewis Milford, Clean Energy Group
Workshops – Session VI: Thursday 4/14
1:45 – 3:15 PM
6-5 Update on HCD’s AB 1699 Restructuring Process
AB 1699 mandates the process by which the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) manages financial and ownership restructuring. One year and ten escrow closings since adopting the AB 1699 Guidelines, HCD will share information on what works, problems to sidestep, unavoidable obstacles to prepare for, and specific details on the application and transaction process. The legislation and HCD Guidelines will be reviewed to see where revisions could be made to make the process more effective. This workshop is recommended for anyone working on re-syndicating an HCD-funded project.
Moderator: Laura Whittall-Scherfee, California Department of Housing and Community Development
Panelists: Laura Kobler, California Housing Partnership; Kevin Leichner, Eden Housing; Steven Marshall, California Department of Housing and Community Development; Dana Trujillo, Skid Row Housing Trust
Panelists: Laura Kobler, California Housing Partnership; Kevin Leichner, Eden Housing; Steven Marshall, California Department of Housing and Community Development; Dana Trujillo, Skid Row Housing Trust