Affordable Housing Finance

COMING EVENTS

AHF Live to Tackle Industry Challenges

AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE • October 2008

BY CHRISTINE SERLIN

This year's AHF Live: The Tax Credit Developers' Summit -Nov. 5-7 in Chicago-will tackle many of the affordable housing industry's biggest

challenges in today's economic environment.

"The tax credit equity and debt financing markets are in tumultuous times. With lower equity pricing the debt component of a transaction is even more critical now than ever before to creating a successful capital structure,"said R. Lee Harris, president of Cohen-Esrey Real Estate Services, LLC, and moderator of "Choosing the Best Debt Financing in an Unpredictable Market." Harris said this panel will help owners and developers navigate through the maze of alternatives.

Panelists participating in the "Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Allocations:

What's Next, How to Win" panel will delve into what the recently passed housing legislation means for owners and developers. "This important interactive session delivers key information as to how states are incorporating the new lowincome housing tax credit legislation into

their qualified allocation plans. Do not miss this opportunity," said Bob

Moss, senior vice president of Boston Capital and AHF Live moderator.

The "Tax Credit Equity Outlook" panel will go beyond the traditional 10-minute PowerPoint sales pitch and question-andanswer portion, said

moderator Todd Sears, vice president of finance at Herman & Kittle

Properties, Inc. "This session uses developerdriven questions answered by multiple types of equity investors in a single-session, condensed format. It doesn't just answer 'what is the price,' but it goes to why is that the price and how will it apply to my deal this afternoon," Sears added.

And how do you know if your tax credit project is truly feasible before you

start construction? Moderator Harris said the "Establishing Upfront Feasibility" panel will provide developers and owners with a wide range of ideas to help themtest the overall feasibility equation. AHF Live also will feature AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE magazine's Readers' Choice Awards Luncheon at the conclusion of the event. The winners of AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE's Readers' Choice Awards for the Nation's

Best Affordable Developments will be honored. Five individuals also will be

inducted into the Affordable Housing Hall of Fame at this luncheon: U.S. Rep.

Barney Frank; former Department of Housing and Urban Development

Secretary Carla Hills; Conrad Egan, president and CEO of the National

Housing Conference; Nicolas Retsinas, director of Harvard University's Joint

Center for Housing Studies; and the late Clara Fox, founder of the Settlement Housing Fund. The fifth annual conference will be

held at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. Attendance is reserved exclusively for people who are primarily owners and developers of affordable housing, plus state and local housing finance agency representatives

and nonprofit organizations focused on the business of affordable housing.

Registration is $649. Save $25 off each registration if three or more people

from the same firm attend the conference. Nonprofits and government agencies receive a $149 discount per registration. Visit www.ahflive.com for more informationor to register.