Time: 1:00pm-5:30pm
Location: South Boston Convention Center (415 Summer Street, Boston, MA)

Kevin P. Martin & Associates, P.C., are pleased to announce that our annual Affordable Housing forum has been scheduled for Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, South Boston. The forum will present the latest updates on tax credits and issues affecting the Affordable Housing Industry.

Please mark your calendars to join us. Detailed information will be sent six weeks before the event. We look forward to seeing you there.

Location: The Boston Foundation (75 Arlington Street, Boston, MA)
Registration Deadline: February 3, 2012

While Massachusetts has been at the forefront of affordable housing production, the availability of permanent housing for homeless and other extremely low-income families remains a serious challenge. Please join us as we explore how permanent housing for these families provides the platform for positive changes in health, education, employment and asset-building. In a new Home Funders’ video that will be aired at the forum, two families will share their stories about how a safe and stable place to live has impacted their lives.

There is no registration fee, but space is limited. For more information, contact Soni Gupta, Executive Director of Home Funders at sgupta@homefunders.org.

Registration Information

Competition Deadline: Thursday, January 12, 2012

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA), Boston Society of Architects/AIA, Kevin P. Martin and Associates, P.C., and ICON Architecture are pleased to announce the 12^th annual Greater Boston Affordable Housing Development Competition. The goals of the competition are to encourage students at Boston-area colleges and universities to help find creative solutions to the challenge of developing affordable housing and to introduce the students to the individuals and organizations active in the production of such housing.

Whether you are thinking about developing a particular site or just brainstorming about “what could be,” the Affordable Housing Development Competition is a great way to explore your options. The competition also provides an opportunity to build relationships with bright, talented, graduate students — the next generation of community-based developers. Since its inception, the competition has connected over 500 students and 39 developers, leading to 72 development proposals.

A panel of housing professionals will judge the proposals. First place is a $10,000 award to be divided evenly between the winning developer and student team. The second place developer and student team will share the $6,000 second place prize, each receiving $3,000.  The third place developer and student team will share a $3,000 award.

The competition will run from February to April 2012. Please note that the meeting for presenting your development proposals to the students is scheduled for Wednesday, February 15th, 2012 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm (more detailed information to follow).

We anticipate four to six student teams will participate this year. If there are more interested development organizations than student teams, developers will be chosen to ensure geographic diversity and project variety. To register for the Competition, as well as to see more information, please go to www.fhlbboston.com/compete.  If you have any questions, contact Karen Wiener of CHAPA at 617-742-0820 or kwiener@chapa.org.

We encourage you to participate in the competition by applying online at http://www.fhlbboston.com/compete/participate/developer.jsp by Tuesday, January 12th, 2011.  There is no charge to participate.

“State falls short on affordable housing” – The Boston Globe

To read the article, please click here.

Date: November 29, 2011
Time: 10:00am-1:00pm
Location: Great Room, Boston Private Bank & Trust Company (10 Post Office Square, Boston, MA)
Cost: $25 per person

Many programs exist in Massachusetts through which first time homebuyers can learn about and access affordable housing opportunities. The process for accessing and purchasing these units vary from the typical homebuying process. What does it mean to own a home with a deed restriction attached? How does one find these opportunities? Do affordable housing programs differ by town and region? How does one enter a lottery for one of these units?

This training will provide a comprehensive overview of affordable housing programs in Massachusetts, including Chapter 40B, Local Initiative Program, the MassAccess Housing Registry and others,  and how first time homebuyers can benefit from these programs.  We will also facilitate a discussion on the issues prospective buyers face in deciding whether to move from an inner-city neighborhood to a suburban development in order to access an affordable housing opportunity.

Training Topics will include:

• How to navigate the lottery process and learn about affordable resales
• Deed restrictions – different types and what they mean for a first time homebuyer
• Resources for finding affordable opportunities, both within your area and in other parts of the state
• The benefits — and potential disadvantages — of purchasing an affordable home
• Understanding the role of condo associations

Speakers will include:

• Elsa Campbell, Department of Housing and Community Development
• Brian Engler, seb
• Maritza Martinez, CHAPA
• Elizabeth Palma-Diaz, CHAPA

The Cost includes coffee, lunch and training materials. Space may be limited.

Online Registration Available : 
Click Here to Register

Date: December 8, 2011
Time: 8:30am-12:00pm
Location: Oliver Wright Tavern (1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, MA)

“Inspirational and informative.”
“Covered a lot of ground with many, many specific examples and insights.”
“I left the training more inspired and reinvigorated, with new energy. I am now better equipped to move forward because of awareness of obstacles, delays, commitment required, and possibility of eventual success.”
                  -Training participants

Building community support for affordable housing was the topic of a half-day workshop on Thursday, Dec. 8 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Sturbridge Village.

Entitled “Strategies for Building Support for Affordable Housing”, the workshop featured experts who have experience dealing with the local decision making process and examples of successful techniques that have worked to move local affordable housing developments forward.

“You can spend years planning for affordable housing but most times your success depends on how well you have told your story in the community,” said Susan Connelly, MHP’s Director of Community Housing Initiatives. “This workshop is designed to help local leaders understand how to communicate their goals and turn this outreach into support for affordable housing initiatives.”

Presenters at this workshop included:

• John Ryan, Development Cycles
• Shelly Goehring, Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance
• Alison Slack, Medway Affordable Housing Committee
• Phillip Giffee, Neighborhood for Affordable Housing
• Toby Kramer, Neighborhood for Affordable Housing.

The workshop was sponsored by the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the Citizen’s Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA), the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance and the Mel King Institute.

Date: October 25, 2011
Time: 1:00pm-5:30pm, Registration begins 12:30pm
Location: Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (415 Summer St, Boston, MA 02210)

“Join us after lunch in the heart of Boston’s Innovation District as we discuss how affordable housing continues to change Boston’s landscape. Learn who the new investors are and hear about recently passed and pending legislation affecting tax credits. We’ll discuss financing strategies, trends to watch and study a successfully completed innovative project. You won’t want to miss it!”

Who Should Attend: Developers and syndicators, investors, lenders, property managers, state and local housing agency staff, real estate and tax attorneys, accountants and architectural and design teams.

Partial List of Guest Speakers:

David Gasson, Executive Director, HAG; VP Boston Capital
Aaron Gornstein, Executive Director, CHAPA
Marianne Heard, Tax Director, KPM
Gloria Lee, Partner, Next Street
Kevin P. Martin, Jr., Managing Director, KPM
Marc Slotnick, President, New England Communities, Inc.
Kyle Wolff, Principal, Stratford Capital

Presented by Kevin P. Martin & Associates, P.C. 

To register, please click here.

A Program of Enterprise Community Partners

September 21-23, 2011
Cambridge, MA

The second annual Affordable Housing Design Leadership Institute will bring together leaders on the frontline of affordable housing design and development for a two-and-a-half day session focused on innovation and best practices. Two teams: a Design Resource Team of seven expert design innovators and a Development Team of seven forward-thinking developers with projects in the schematic design phase, will join forces to create solutions that will impact real affordable housing projects nationwide. The session will help community development leaders put into action best practices in sustainable community design, transit-oriented development, and green architectural design.

Additional Information and Registration

Date:  November 2-3, 2011
Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm
Location:  Third Sector New England Nonprofit Center, Community Room (89 South Street, Boston, MA 02111)
Instructor: Jennifer Pinck, Pinck and Co., Inc., a provider of Design and Construction Management Services

Registration Deadline: October 26, 2011

This training provided participating community development practitioners with strategies, techniques and resources to engage a General Contractor and to achieve economic development and hiring goals, comply with state and federal and funder regulations, and create the contractual language to manage the risks and challenges inherent in real estate projects.

 Agenda

Wednesday, November 2

 1.  Construction Contracts Overview – 9:30am to 12:00pm: This session focused on the key ingredients of construction contracts including important contractual terms and conditions that are essential to a good contract. The group examined the different types of contracts and understand when is each appropriate.  Using exercises and a case study, participants learned about the differences and similarities between lump sum, cost plus a fixed fee contracts and construction manager as advisor as well as understand when a project is of limited vs. major scope and how that impacts contract choices.

Lunch Provided on Site

2.  Creating Complete Contractor Documents and Incorporating Stakeholder Requirements  – 1:00pm to 4:00pm: This session focused on developing a complete set of contract documents that are “biddable” and how to integrate the key contract terms and conditions from the funders, local municipalities and everyone in between while addressing the real needs and specific constraints of a project. The group reviewed closing check lists, general conditions and other documents from real projects and in small groups will perform exercises.  The group also examined strategies for each project to maximize small business, M and WBE participation and some of the pros and cons of different ideas.

 Thursday, November 3

3.  How to Select and Hire a Contractor – 9:30am to 12:00pm: This session focused on the process of engaging a general contractor with an emphasis on the projects with subsidy or public financing. We will review best practices, the role of the Owner, the Architect, and the lenders. Participants learned about the differences and similarities between the private and public sector, how and when public bidding regulations apply and how to comply with public bidding laws and lender requirements.  The group examined how to identify contractors best suited to a project and how to address the union vs. open shop dilemma that often arises. Using a case study and role play exercises participants explored issues and solutions and strategies.

Lunch Provided on Site

4.  Accomplishing Economic and Other Objectives   - 1:00pm to 3:00pm: A panel of experienced partners shared their strategies for Section 3, M/WBE, local hiring, community development and other compliance.

5.  Wrap up – 3:00 to 4:00

The webinar series will help queue up topics that will be covered in more detail at the upcoming Solutions for Sustainable Communities conference hosted by the Center for Housing Policy and National Housing Conference. The conference will take place in Washington, D.C., September 26-28, 2011. See the event page at NHC.org  for more details.

Thinking Globally, Planning Locally: Creating Sustainable Communities in the National Capital Region
August 4, 2011
12:00-1:00pm

Learn more about the opportunities and challenges associated with regional planning and coordinating sustainable development across metropolitan regions.

Register for this webinar

Preserving Affordability in Location-Efficient Areas
August 9, 2011
12:00-1:00pm

learn how local governments can work to preserve housing affordability near transit, employment centers, and other location-efficient areas.

Register for this webinar 

Questions about any of the sessions in this series? Contact Rebecca Cohen at rcohen@nhc.org or 202-466-2121 x 236.