Affordable Housing Finance has opened its annual Readers’ Choice Awards competition for entries. The deadline to turn in submissions has been extended to Monday, March 15.

In its 17th year, the annual program will recognize outstanding affordable housing developments in 10 categories:

· Family;

· Green;

· Historic Rehab;

· Mixed-Use;

· Preservation;

· Public Housing Redevelopment;

· Rural;

· Seniors;

· Special-Needs; and

· Urban

The developments must have been completed in 2020 or will be completed in 2021. AHF will select the finalists, which will be featured online and in the July/August issue, based on the following criteria:

· Impact on the community by adding substantially to the affordable housing stock or improving the immediate social or economic fabric;

· Role in overall community revitalization or social change;

· Sets a new standard or pioneers a new method (taps new funding sources; demonstrates new efficiency in capital costs and/or maintenance/operating costs, etc.);

· Employs cost-effective or innovative design and/or construction, including energy efficiency and sustainable development;

· Offers outstanding social services for tenants;

· Received broad community support, including state and local government financial assistance;

· Addresses a unique challenge;

· Demonstrates creative problem-solving; and

· Evidence of cost-effectiveness, i.e., producing housing at substantially below-market rents or home prices, at a reasonable subsidy per unit.

Projects can be nominated at ahfawards.com

AHF magazine and newsletter subscribers will then select the winner in each category. Winners will be recognized at AHF Live: The Affordable Housing Developers’ Summit, Nov. 15-17, 2021, in Chicago.