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FROM THE EDITOR

Christine Serlin, Editor
cserlin@hanleywood.com

AHF Joins World of Online Networking

Affordable Housing Finance magazine has entered the social networking world to give you—the readers—a place to connect and dialogue with one another about the industry's issues. Other than networking, you will be able to follow the latest developments from the magazine on our newly launched Facebook group. You can also follow breaking news and industry updates on twitter.com/AHFMag, which is a free social messaging utility for staying connected in real-time.

Please feel free to get involved on either of these sites. I want to hear your feedback on what you want to see more or less of from the editors of Affordable Housing Finance in the magazine and online. And I hope these sites will help you connect with your peers in the industry in finding solutions for today’s tough economic environment.

•••

And if you own or develop affordable housing, don't miss the chance to tell the nation about your accomplishments. You only have a few days left for an opportunity to be included among Affordable Housing Finance’s annual Top 50 owners and developers, the only lists of their kind for the affordable housing industry. The deadline to return the survey is Feb. 13. Please send to Deputy Editor Donna Kimura at dkimura@hanleywood.com.

The Spectrum Companies LIHTC Compliance Consultants & Training

Spectrum Seminars provides training on RD, LIHTC, and Fair Housing. Our c3p & S.T.A.R. courses include a certification for participants who pass an exam.

Spectrum Enterprises is a compliance monitoring company providing LIHTC services to state agencies, property owners, managers, investors, etc. We provide staff training, move-in approvals, and investor tenant file reviews. Visit www.spectrumlihtc.com for more information.

WEB EXCLUSIVE

Senate Passes Stimulus Bill

A much-anticipated stimulus plan inched closer to President Barack Obama’s desk this week after the Senate passed an $838 billion economic recovery bill Tuesday. Senators voted 61 to 37 for the massive bill.
FULL ARTICLE

Hope for Unsold LIHTCs

Affordable housing developers are still looking for investors to buy $3 billion to $4 billion in low-income housing tax credits (LIHTCs) left over from 2007 and 2008, and one expert believes these tax credits will find buyers this year.
FULL ARTICLE

Apartment Trade Groups Lobby for Liquidity

Several industry trade groups have launched lobbying efforts to ensure that affordable housing and the multifamily industry, in general, are given full consideration in the various economic stimulus measures currently before Congress.
FULL ARTICLE

How do you keep track of the rules and regulations, the ins and outs of managing your HUD or LIHTC housing portfolio? Count on Quadel for expert training.

Learn more.

From Eviction to Homeownership

An Oakland, Calif., family threatened with eviction is on track to purchase the home they rented, according to ACORN Housing Corp.
FULL ARTICLE

Calogero Leads NYHC

Judy Calogero has been named the new CEO of the New York Housing Conference (NYHC), a coalition of developers, managers, and investors in affordable housing.
FULL ARTICLE

Expanding the Boundaries: Compliance Agenda Needed

With the passage of H.R. 3221 and the issuance of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Regulation 1.42-10, there is much to celebrate in affordable housing. The programs that many families rely on for affordable housing, however, can be improved.
FULL ARTICLE

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THE MAGAZINE

A Whole New HUD?

Can Shaun Donovan turn around a battered Department of Housing and Urban Development? Some affordable housing leaders say Donovan’s stature in the industry has already helped to lift the agency out of its doldrums.
FULL ARTICLE

Q & A: Sarah Carpenter

For the past 10 years, Sarah Carpenter has helped fund projects across the state as executive director of the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA), earning several honors, including the Leahy Leadership Award, which recognizes efforts to alleviate homelessness in the state.
FULL ARTICLE

Reduce Bad Dept, Cut Costs, Ensure Compliance and Increase Occupancy

TotalScreen®, designed specifically for the multifamily industry, is the most advanced and feature-rich web-based resident screening tool available. With exceptional flexibility, speed, and accessibility, TotalScreen® delivers comprehensive reporting options with access to the highest quality data, including:

•Credit Screening
•Criminal and Premium Criminal Screening
•Eviction/Landlord & Tenant Records Screening
•National Address Search
•Management Reporting
•And Much More

For more information, please visit www.rentgrow.com or call 800.736.8476 x400.

HOUSING FINANCE ONLINE POLL

What proposal do you think would have the most impact on the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) program?

TAKE THE POLL

PREVIOUS POLL RESULTS

Poll: Industry Believes Donovan Right Man for Job

HousingFinance.com recently asked visitors a two-part question: Do you think Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan will live up to the hype and the high expectations the affordable housing industry seems to have for him and what will you be looking for as a measure of success for his first year?

Seventy-seven percent of respondees say they think Donovan will make HUD more effective and efficient, while 14 percent believe he will get bogged down in HUD bureaucracy and won’t be able to foster change.

As a measure of success for his first year, 34 percent of respondees would like to see Donovan create management reform at HUD, while 31 percent want to see him quickly address the foreclosure crisis and keep families in their homes, 20 percent want to see him work to improve HUD’s rental programs, and 3 percent want him to green the HUD portfolio.

Events/Announcements

Download the AHF 50 survey for Affordable Housing Finance's top owners and developers in Word and PDF formats

Download Affordable Housing Finance's Readers' Choice nomination form for the nation's top developments in 2008 and 2009 in Word and PDF formats

Read about how you can nominate a Young Leader making a difference in the affordable housing industry.

HOUSING FINANCE
SOCIAL NETWORK

AHF Blog
Read about deals, subsidies, gossip, taxes, and sneaky fine print in the world of rental real estate, from the editors and writers of AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE here.

AHF Launches
Facebook Group
Affordable Housing Finance has launched a Facebook
group, allowing readers the opportunity to network and dialogue with one another about the industry's issues, while following the latest developments from the magazine.

Follow AHF on Twitter
Affordable Housing Finance readers can also follow breaking news and industry updates on twitter.com/AHFMag.

Contact

To reach AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE Editor Christine Serlin, please e-mail cserlin@hanleywood.com

To reach AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE online editor Spencer Markey, e-mail smarkey@hanleywood.com.

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