The Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers, or HAND, was formed in 1991, to support a professional community of housing providers in order to increase the supply of affordable housing in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. HAND was incorporated in June 1998 and is an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

HAND is open to all nonprofit and for-profit housing developers, technical consultants, lenders, local governments, and advocates.

Meetings are typically held on a monthly basis from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Lunch is always provided free by HAND or a corporate sponsor. In addition, special seminars are held on advanced topics, such as tax-exempt bond financing, low-income housing tax credits, loan underwriting, and nonprofit financial management.

An annual meeting is held each June which features the presentation of the HAND Housing Achievement Awards. The Awards recognize the finest in affordable housing projects, programs, and organizations during the preceding year.

The founder is John D. Spencer, vice president & COO of Victory Housing, Inc. located in Bethesda, Maryland. Mr. Spencer has been working in the affordable housing field, specifically with nonprofit organizations in development, financing and operations of communities in the Washington, D.C. metro area, since 1987.

Learn even more about HAND by viewing our "About HAND" streaming video.