Several members of Invest Atlanta’s Community Development team featured prominently in regional and national events on affordable housing policy.
The National Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies (NALHFA) Trip to DC
Invest Atlanta Chief Operating Officer Dawn Arnold serves as NALHFA Vice President, and in July she joined other members of the organization on a trip to Washington, DC to meet with Congressional offices to discuss critically important affordable housing issues.
The first meeting was with Matt Jones, a Senate majority Banking Committee staffer, to discuss Chairman Mike Crapo’s (R-ID) GSE Reform package that came out earlier this spring and the Committee’s recent GSE hearings.
NALHFA then met with Congresswoman Patricia Murphy’s (D-FL-7) office to talk about enhancing the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program by urging her to sign on as a cosponsor to the recent reintroduction of H.R. 3077, the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act 2019 (AHCIA).
NALHFA again advocated for the AHCIA with Representative Drew Ferguson (R-GA-3), who was excited to learn more about all of the rural housing provisions in the legislation, and to have an in-depth discussion with Arnold about the situation in the state of Georgia.
NALHFA was excited to have the opportunity to visit senior officials at the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to share its 2019 Legislative and Regulatory Priorities. They discussed several issues, including the enhancement of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit with Members of Congress and GSE Reform.
HUD Region IV Emerging Strategies to Affordable Housing Expo
Arnold, Invest Atlanta Senior Vice President of Community Development Alan Ferguso, and Opportunity Zones & Special Initiatives Manager Ed Smith joined over 350 non-profit leaders, public housing authority directors, developers and financial partners at the region's inaugural Emerging Strategies in Affordable Housing Expo in Atlanta. They gathered to discuss affordable housing policy and to share best practices concerning innovative methodologies to address the affordable housing crisis.
"What brings us together today is a joint mission and mutual understanding that our nation faces an affordable housing crisis and needs leadership, innovation and expertise if we are to help bring about meaningful affordable housing policy change that provides hope for those we mutually serve," said Region IV Administrator Denise Cleveland Leggett, who hosted the event and welcomed attendees. "Today, we are gathered here to develop a real vision of shared understanding, characterized by tangible approaches for what is truly possible when leaders of conscience gather, roll up their sleeves, and commit to work and not give up."
The Region IV Emerging Strategies to Affordable Housing Expo was a two-day event at the Atlanta Marriott Buckhead Hotel and Conference Center focused on increasing awareness of the range of housing strategies available in affordable housing.
Arnold joined Dr. Troy Nash to discuss how best to leverage public-private partnerships, while Ferguson shared best practices from his experience supporting affordable housing developments in the City of Atlanta. Smith discussed shovel-ready projects the in City of Atlanta's 26 Federal Opportunity Zones, social impact investing and more valuable information.