Affordable Housing

Centennial Place in Atlanta

When picturing the rebirth of downtown Atlanta, one of the first images to come to mind is the skyline — the iconic high-rises. Another, often overlooked, part of this picture includes Atlanta’s skywalks. In the early days of redevelopment, these walkways connected luxury buildings above urban neighborhoods that many had abandoned, and effectively furthered the separation of the “haves” from the “have-nots.” Iconic Atlanta developer Egbert Perry was driven to challenge development that emphasized the separation. From his perspective, perpetuating the separation of community members simply perpetuated the issues of inequity and injustice that plagued the city. Perry was motivated to bring people together in a different way, in neighborhoods that would appeal to everyone. Where others saw poverty, blight, and dilapidated housing projects, Perry saw potential — and pioneered a new approach to affordable and workforce housing, commercial real estate development, and community development and investment. The Story Begins at Centennial Place In 1994, when Perry left H.J. Russell & Company to start The Integral Group, he quickly came upon an opportunity to redevelop the area now home to Centennial Place. The 60-acre property was located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, and was considered to be the most …

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail

HARTFORD, CONN. — KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment has provided a $14 million construction loan for the Phase II redevelopment of Westbrook Village, an affordable housing community in Hartford, Connecticut. Additionally, Key Community Development Corp. has provided $12.7 million in low-income housing tax credit equity for the project. The borrowers, Pennrose and The Cloud Co., are leading a five-phase redevelopment project of Westbrook Village, a 40-acre plot near the University of Hartford. The plot currently contains mostly vacant apartment and commercial buildings which were completed in the early 1950s. Those buildings are being leveled and replaced by new multifamily and retail constructions. Phase I of the project, which includes 75 housing units, is slated for completion this summer. Phase II of the construction will comprise six buildings with individual units leased at varying rates based on area median income (AMI). Of the 60 units, 45 will be affordable and 15 will be market rate. Of the 45 affordable units, 12 will be for supportive housing designated for individuals and families with incomes at or below 25 percent of AMI; 24 will be designated for individuals and families with incomes between 25 percent and 50 percent of AMI; and nine …

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail
Veterans-Park-Apts-Pomona-CA

POMONA, CALIF. — AMCAL Multi-Housing has started construction of Veterans Park Apartments, an affordable apartment community for veterans. Located at 444 W. Commercial St. in Pomona, Veterans Park Apartments will feature 61 units ranging in size from 600 square feet to 1,000 square feet. The project will offer 25 one-bedroom/one-bath apartments, 15 two-bedroom/two-bath units and 20 three-bedroom/two-bath apartments. Additionally, one apartment will be reserved as an unrestricted manager’s unit. Designed by WHA, the architectural design will draw from the surrounding mission architecture and nearby historic Pomona train depot. On-site amenities will include a 1,725-square-foot children’s center offering tutoring, mentoring, homework help, art, educational games, after-school programs and recreational activities for residents. The project will also offer on-site social services for residents, including programs on transitioning to civilian life and how to navigate the Veterans Affairs system, delivered in the community’s 1,052-square-foot Veterans Center. Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.-based Hope Through Housing Foundation will serve as the on-site coordinator. The development was awarded $1.8 million in annual federal tax credits by the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee. Rents will range from $545 a month for a one-bedroom unit to $1,519 for a three-bedroom apartment, offering affordable housing options to households earning between 30 …

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail

MINNEAPOLIS — Upland Real Estate Group Inc. has negotiated the sale of the Rockler Fur building in downtown Minneapolis for an undisclosed price. The buyer, Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, plans to convert the property into 48 units of affordable housing. The seven-story, 38,305-square-foot building was originally built as a Printer’s Exchange building in 1915 with a Gothic Revival style. Rockler Fur has occupied the property since the 1940s. Upland will also represent Rockler in its relocation process in spring 2020.

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail

MINNEAPOLIS — Dougherty Mortgage LLC has provided a $10.5 million HUD 221(d)(4) loan for the acquisition and rehabilitation of Holmes Greenway Housing in Minneapolis. The six-story building features 54 units that are restricted to individuals and families earning 60 percent or less of the area median income. Minor upgrades will be completed to the common areas and apartment units. Dougherty originated the 40-year loan on behalf of the borrower, Holmes Housing Partners LP.

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail

GYPSUM, COLO. — Bellwether Enterprise Real Estate Capital, the commercial and multifamily mortgage banking subsidiary of Enterprise Community Investment, has closed a $20.6 Fannie Mae loan. The funds will be used for Phase I of Spring Creek Apartments, an affordable multifamily development in Gypsum, 25 miles west of Vail, Colo. Located at 750 Sunny Ave., the first phase of Spring Creek Apartments will include 150 garden-style apartments in a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts available to residents making between 30 percent and 60 percent of the area median income. Construction is currently underway with completed slated for summer 2020. Once fully developed, Spring Creek Apartments will offer 461 apartments, townhomes, duplexes and single-family homes, as well as a clubhouse and park facility including a leasing office, community room, business center and fitness center. Additionally, the complex will feature community gardens and walking trails to connect residents to the Eagle County, Colo., multi-use trail system. Anthea Martin of Bellwether Enterprise’s Denver office arranged the 24-month forward period followed by a 15-year Fannie Mae M.TEB loan on behalf of co-developers Gerry Flynn and Jeff Spanel. A fixed rate of 3.3 percent was secured for the transaction. Additional funding for Spring …

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail

There’s a human factor when it comes to working in the affordable housing industry. Kelly Frank, senior banker at KeyBank, recalls attending a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a scattered-site housing development where a woman came up to her in tears expressing how grateful she was to have a home in a safe neighborhood setting. The ability to make such a positive impact on someone’s life is one reason Frank loves the affordable housing business. “A lot of work is being done to bring affordable housing to every community,” says Frank. “Everybody’s eyes are on it because it’s a resounding theme throughout the country that there’s just not enough affordable housing.” The United States is short 7 million rental units that are affordable and available to extremely low-income renters, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. These renters have household incomes that are at or below the poverty guideline, or 30 percent of their area median income. The silver lining is that Cleveland-based KeyBank and other lenders have a large toolbox of financing mechanisms available to combat the affordable housing crisis and facilitate the development and preservation of affordable units. Many loans are processed through agencies, including government-sponsored enterprises such as …

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail

MABELVALE, ARK. — Hunt Capital Partners and Burleson Development LLC have broken ground on Phase III of an affordable housing project near Little Rock. Hunt Capital Partners has committed $6.3 million in federal low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) financing for the 48-unit expansion of Valley Estates at Mabelvale, an apartment community located eight miles southwest of Little Rock in Mabelvale. The project, scheduled for completion by November 2020, is intended for households earning up to 30, 50 and 60 percent of the area median income. One unit is reserved for a property employee. Phase III of Valley Estates at Mabelvale is Hunt’s third project with Burleson Development, the developer of the first two phases that were completed in 2011. The project also marks Hunt Capital Partners’ fourth transaction with RichSmith as developer consultant. RichSmith and its affiliates are serving as the general contractor, architect and property manager for Phase III. The total development cost of Valley Estates at Mabelvale Phase III is $7.2 million. Hunt Capital Partners facilitated the LIHTC financing through its proprietary fund with BancorpSouth Bank, which also provided an approximately $4.3 million construction loan. Arkansas Development Finance Authority provided a $450,000 construction-to-permanent loan through its HOME program, …

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail

TEMPLE, TEXAS — Steele Properties, a Denver-based investment firm specializing in affordable housing, has purchased Wayman Manor, a 160-unit Section 8 affordable housing complex located in the central Texas city of Temple. Steele Properties will implement a capital improvement program that will upgrade roofs, HVAC systems and both indoor and outdoor amenity spaces. Monroe Group Ltd., Steele’s sister company, will oversee property management. Wayman Manor was built in 1971.

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail

WYOMING, MICH. — Magnus Capital Partners is transforming the former Studio 28 movie theater on 28th Street in Wyoming near Grand Rapids into a $35 million, 226-unit affordable housing project known as HOM Flats at 28 West. Magnus purchased the seven-acre, vacant property in October and has since started site development work. Preleasing is expected to begin in winter 2020 with occupancy commencing in summer 2020. Six buildings will be constructed along with 320 surface parking spots. Amenities will include a community room, coffee shop, bike storage, dog washing stations, playground and walking paths. The project team includes Rohde Construction, Hooker DeJong Architects, Exxel Engineering and American Preferred Management. Magnus is a private development firm with experience in workforce housing. Its founder Vishal Arora is from Zeeland, a suburb of Grand Rapids. Joining Magnus as an investor in the project is InSite Capital, a division of Chemical Bank. In addition, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority has awarded the project with low-income housing tax credits.

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail