Laura Kobler
Laura Kobler joined the California Housing Partnership in 2003. As Director, Sacramento Region she provides financial technical assistance and training to our nonprofit and government agency partners throughout Northern California, and mentors local financial consultants. Previously, Laura served as the Director of Housing Development for Sacramento Mutual Housing Association (SMHA) (renamed, Mutual Housing of California), where she oversaw the organization’s development of new rental housing and acquisition and rehabilitation of existing properties. Prior to joining SMHA, Laura was Housing Program Manager and Project Manager at Rural California Housing Corporation (now part of Mercy Housing California), where she was responsible for the development of 27 multi- and single-family affordable housing developments. With more than 25 years of experience, Laura brings particular expertise in the development of mutual and rental housing and the regulations governing the competition for Low Income Housing Tax Credits. She is the Vice Chair of the California Coalition for Rural Housing and the past chair of the Sacramento Reinvestment Committee.
Laura received a Bachelor of Arts in English from California State University, Sacramento, and is a graduate of the LISC Housing Development Training Institute. In her dual role as Director of Training, Laura is now the lead trainer for the LISC Housing Development Training Institute.
Mark Stivers
Mark Stivers joined the California Housing Partnership in 2019 as the Director of Legislative and Regulatory Advocacy. In close coordination with nonprofit and government partners, as well as State housing leaders, Mark uses his 23 years of experience in the field to help develop and advance a comprehensive agenda of legislative and regulatory solutions to the State’s affordable housing crisis.
Mark most recently served as the acting Deputy Director for the Division of Financial Assistance at the California Department of Housing and Community Development, where he oversaw the department’s program design, award, loan closing and monitoring efforts for more than 20 loan and grant programs. From 2015-2018, Mark was the Executive Director of the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, responsible for the administration of the California’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program. Prior to his tenure at TCAC, Mark served 16 years as the primary housing consultant to the California Senate, where he focused on land use and affordable housing legislation. Mark began his career as a fair housing counselor with two Bay Area nonprofit fair housing organizations.