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Affordable Housing

Red-Oaks-Austin
Affordable HousingDevelopmentMultifamilyTexas

Housing Trust Group Breaks Ground on $26M Affordable Housing Project in North Austin

by Taylor Williams

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Multifamily developer Housing Trust Group has broken ground on Red Oaks, a $26 million affordable housing project in North Austin. The property will have 70 units in studio, one- and two-bedroom formats that will be reserved for households earning between 30 and 60 percent of the area median income. The Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs issued $16 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits for the project, and Bank of America provided a $15.6 million construction loan. Berkadia originated a $7 million Freddie Mac permanent loan, and the Austin Housing Finance Corp. contributed a $4 million RDHA loan. Preleasing at Red Oaks is scheduled to begin in fall 2025.

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Affordable HousingDevelopmentIllinoisLoansMidwestMultifamily

Habitat, Cabrera Capital Partners Receive $27M Capital Loan for Multifamily Redevelopment in Chicago

by Kristin Harlow

CHICAGO — Habitat and Cabrera Capital Partners have received the approval of a $27 million capital loan from the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) for the first phase of multifamily redevelopment of LeClaire Courts on the city’s Southwest Side. The 32-acre site was previously home to the LeClaire Courts public housing community, which was completed in the 1950s and demolished in 2011. Under Habitat’s multi-phase plan, the site will be redeveloped into as many as 700 residential units, most of which will be affordable; nearly 440,000 square feet of commercial space; and publicly accessible open areas. The first phase will consist of two six-story buildings located on the west side of Cicero Avenue between 44th and 45th streets. Collectively, they will offer 183 apartment units in a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans as well as a 14,000-square-foot early childhood center and 2,200 square feet of first-floor retail space. Ninety percent of the units will be designated as affordable through income and rent restrictions accompanying the development’s various sources of public financial support, including the CHA, the Chicago Department of Housing and the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA). The remainder will be available as market-rate units. Residents in …

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Lexington-Green-Apts-El-Cajon-CA
AcquisitionsAffordable HousingCaliforniaMultifamilyWestern

CPP, Hampstead Cos. Acquire Lexington Green Affordable Apartments in El Cajon, California for $52.8M

by Amy Works

EL CAJON, CALIF. — Community Preservation Partners (CPP) and The Hampstead Cos., as co-developer, have purchased Lexington Green Apartments, an affordable housing complex in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon, for $52.8 million. Details of the transaction were not released. Originally built in 1970, the 144-unit property last underwent a tax credit renovation in 2007, which replaced some of the original building systems. The property consists of 12 residential buildings. CPP’s total planned development investment is approximately $80 million, with estimated renovation costs exceeding $80,000 per unit. The renovations will exceed the 10 percent energy savings requirement from the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee through new energy-efficient vinyl retrofit windows, water heaters, Energy Star appliances and energy-efficient LED light fixtures. Additional upgrades will include dry rot repair, floor replacement, new cabinets and countertops. ADA-complaint upgrades will be made for units and path of travel throughout the property. Renovations are scheduled for completion by August 2025. With CPP’s involvement, the property’s previously expired affordability status will be extended until 2044 under a renewed Section 8 Housing Assistance Payment contract. CPP and The Hampstead Cos. are partnering with LifeSTEPS to provide instructor-led adult educational classes, including financial literacy, computer training, resume building, …

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Heritage-Square-South-Pasadena-CA
Affordable HousingCaliforniaDevelopmentMultifamilySeniors HousingWestern

Bridge Housing, R.D. Olson Construction Complete 69-Unit Affordable Seniors Housing Complex in Pasadena, California

by Amy Works

PASADENA, CALIF. — Bridge Housing, with R.D. Olson Construction as general contractor, has opened Heritage Square South, an affordable seniors housing community in Pasadena, a northeastern suburb of Los Angeles. Heritage Square South features 70 one- and two-bedroom units, 24-hour security, 3,817 square feet of outdoor lounging areas, two flex rooms and a community room. The property also features solar power operations, producing 196,400 kWh of electricity annually.

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Affordable HousingLoansMultifamilyNew YorkNortheast

JP Morgan Provides $210M Agency Refinancing for New York City Affordable Housing Portfolio

by Taylor Williams

NEW YORK CITY — J.P. Morgan has provided a $210 million Freddie Mac loan for the refinancing of a portfolio of 12 transitional and affordable housing properties in New York City. The properties are scattered throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx and total 1,115 units across approximately 304,000 square feet. Each property is leased to a unique nonprofit operator and backed by a contract with the New York City Department of Homeless Services. The loan carries a seven-year term and a fixed interest rate. The borrower is a partnership between two locally based firms, developer Slate Property Group and alternative asset management firm Fundamental Advisors.

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Affordable HousingIllinoisLoansMidwestMultifamily

FHLBank Chicago Launches $300M LIHTC Collateral Pilot Program

by Kristin Harlow

CHICAGO — The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago) has launched the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Collateral Pilot Program, which provides members with increased lendable value on their pledged collateral for up to $300 million of qualifying mortgage loans on LIHTC multifamily projects. Through member banks, credit unions, insurance companies, community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and eligible housing associates, the program aims to amplify and incentivize lending in support of affordable housing for low-income individuals and families. While all FHLBank Chicago members are eligible to participate, up to $200 million of the LIHTC Collateral Pilot Program funding will be reserved for members with assets under $1.46 billion, including CDFIs. The LIHTC program is a key federal tax policy designed to incentivize private investment in the development and preservation of affordable rental housing in the United States for lower-income households. Loans needed to fund LIHTC projects are often sold to investors for securitization, but projects meeting local or specialized needs may have smaller loan amounts that can be challenging and more expensive to finance, since the lender may have to hold the loans in their portfolio. “Our members are working to address needs and gaps in affordable housing …

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Affordable HousingDistrict of ColumbiaLoansMultifamilySoutheast

Fannie Mae Q&A: Agency Remains Active Capital Source for Multifamily Borrowers

by John Nelson

WASHINGTON, D.C. —The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) recently published that multifamily originations totaled $246.2 billion in 2023, a 49 percent decline compared to 2022 and below its April estimation of $264 billion. Additionally, the Washington, D.C.-based organization said that 51 percent of active lenders made five or fewer multifamily loans last year. While a step back in terms of loan volume, the multifamily sector still stands out relative to other property types as the sector represented more than 60 percent of all commercial real estate loans provided in 2023, according to an MBA report in April. Chris Flynn, senior vice president and multifamily chief underwriter for Fannie Mae Multifamily, says that it’s important to keep that in perspective as all loans for all commercial real estate asset classes declined in 2023. “Multifamily was seen as an attractive asset class among the commercial real estate sectors in 2023 and was viewed as relatively more stable, from an investment perspective, compared to office, retail, and industrial,” says Flynn. The agencies didn’t take any breaks last year as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac combined to generate 42 percent of all 2023 multifamily loans, according to the MBA, which tracks loans made on multifamily …

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Affordable HousingDevelopmentMultifamilyTexas

Partnership Breaks Ground on 192-Unit Affordable Housing Project in Houston

by Taylor Williams

HOUSTON — A partnership between the Harris County Housing Authority, OCI Development, Harris County Housing & Community Development and Atlantic Pacific Cos. has broken ground on a 192-unit affordable housing project in Houston. The Residences at Arbor Oaks is located on the city’s northwest side and consists of 84 two-bedroom and 108 three-bedroom units that are reserved for households earning between 30 and 60 percent of the area median income. Amenities include a pool, fitness center, business center, outdoor grilling and dining stations and a children’s play area. Residents will also have access to a community center facility. Wells Fargo and Citibank contributed to the financing of the project, which also received a $12 million Community Development Block Grant as part of a program that provides funding for damages caused by Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

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Affordable HousingDistrict of ColumbiaLoansMultifamilySoutheast

MBA: Multifamily Lending Declined by 49 Percent in 2023

by John Nelson

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Multifamily lending declined 49 percent year-over-year in 2023, according to a report by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). Lenders provided a total $246.2 billion for apartment buildings with five or more units last year, with 51 percent of active lenders making five or fewer multifamily loans throughout the year. The Washington, D.C.-based organization previously estimated that multifamily originations totaled $264 billion. By volume, the top five multifamily lenders in 2023 included Berkadia, Walker & Dunlop, JP Morgan Chase & Co., CBRE and Greystone. Nearly half (42 percent) of the dollar volume went to the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. “The analysis shows that even with the drop in activity, the multifamily lending market remains broad and deep, with more than 2,500 different lenders making more than 36,000 mortgage loans backed by multifamily properties,” says Jamie Woodwell, MBA’s head of commercial real estate research. The MBA report is based on its surveys of the larger multifamily lenders and the recently released Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data that covers multifamily loans made by many smaller lenders, particularly commercial banks.

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Thrive-Sweet-Auburn-Atlanta
Affordable HousingFeaturesMultifamily

Challenges, Opportunities Abound in Addressing US Affordable Housing Crisis

by Taylor Williams

By Derrick Barker, founder and CEO, Nectar Many founders and CEOs in commercial real estate have seen their fair share of market cycles. Analyzing today’s affordable housing crisis within the current multifamily rental market lends itself to sharing personal insights and most importantly, discussing how we can address these challenges head-on. A Cautionary Tale from 2013 Consider this personal story as anecdotal evidence. In 2013, this writer, a private investor at the time, acquired an apartment complex in Austell, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. It was a prime investment: cash-flowing and competitively priced due to it being a buyer’s market. For a while, we were the crown jewel of the submarket, which gave us a competitive advantage when leasing. But the tide turned quickly. Neighboring properties that were previously underperforming sold at discounts. New owners used their cost savings to renovate and undercut our rental rates. Suddenly, our competitive edge vanished, and we found ourselves with overpriced, outdated units. This experience imparted a crucial lesson: In real estate, you must always be prepared for market shifts — because the market ALWAYS shifts. Fast forward to today, and we’re seeing some eerily familiar patterns in the following areas: The Developer’s Dilemma …

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