Affordable Housing News & Views - April 2020

After a focused effort by Congress and the White House to enact coronavirus-related relief, what help is there now for owners and tenants? What’s Congress considering next? And, what is happening around the Affordable Housing industry? CohnReznick’s Beth Mullen, national Affordable Housing practice leader, and Bob Moss, national director of legislative affairs, talk about those topics and overall perceptions from around the industry in this on-demand discussion from earlier this week.

On April 29 from 2-3 p.m. ET, a roundtable of Affordable Housing leaders will talk about the impact of COVID-19 on the community development industry. What help is available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and other mechanisms that have already been enacted, as well as those currently being discussed? What fixes have been left out so far, and what still needs to be done? Three CohnReznick leaders – Beth Mullen, Bob Moss, and Tax Credit Investment Services Leader Cindy Fang – will be joined by:

1. Andrea Ponsor, President and CEO, Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF)

2. Julie Hertzog, Executive Director, Affordable Housing Investors Council (AHIC)

3. Merrill Hoopengardner, President, National Trust Community Investment Corporation (NTCIC)

4. Ray Pearl, Executive Director, California Housing Consortium (CHC), and President, Council of Independent State Housing Associations (CISHA)

While there is tremendous impact worldwide due to COVID-19, the most relevant for the Affordable Housing industry is on business continuity and financial stability. CohnReznick has resources available for both issues, such as articles on the Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster relief loan program and, for not-for-profits, an April 14 webinar. Find them all here:

• Understanding the SBA disaster relief loan program
• Webinar: Business continuity and financial stability for NFPs
• Key Affordable Housing industry resources 
• CohnReznick’s full Coronavirus Resource Center

For almost 20 years, we have been honored to host everyone in person for our firm’s signature New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Summit. As our collective communities adjust to life in the COVID-19 environment, we have planned a fully virtual experience. Our theme will be vulnerability, an even more acute risk as low-income communities are impacted by COVID-19. We will dig into a wide variety of critical issues with an exhibit hall, main session ballroom, and chat rooms with you at the controls. We will even have a virtual happy hour networking event! Please hold the dates as follows – we look forward to sharing this experience with you.

• Monday, May 18, 12:45p.m.-5:15 p.m. ET – NMTC workshop 202 session
• Tuesday, May 19, 12:45p.m.-5:15 p.m. ET – all-attendee sessions
• Wednesday, May 20, 12:45p.m.-5:15 p.m. ET – all-attendee sessions

Stay tuned for more information, including registration details, coming your way soon!