DONATE TO HAND TODAY!
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Youtube
  • Rss

Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND)

  • ABOUT
    • MEET THE TEAM
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
    • COMMITTEES
    • STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
  • MEMBERS
    • JOIN OR RENEW MEMBERSHIP
    • MEMBER BENEFITS
    • MEMBERS-ONLY PORTAL
    • MEMBER DIRECTORY
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • CAREER CENTER
    • INDUSTRY RFPS
    • TRAINING GRANTS
    • COVID-19 RESOURCES
  • PROGRAMS
    • 2020-2021 TRAINING & CAPACITY BUILDING SERIES
    • GENERATIONHAND
      • WHAT IS GENERATIONHAND?
      • INTERNSHIP GRANTS
    • EVENTS ARCHIVE
  • ACTIVATIONS
    • DC COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
    • HOUSING INDICATOR TOOL
    • MY RIGHT, MY FIGHT
    • HOUSING LEADERS GROUP
  • EQUITY
    • DESIGN TEAM
    • RESOURCE CENTER
    • RE FAST FIVE
    • WHEN WE ALL VOTE
  • BLOG
    • MATTERS@HAND
    • AREAS OF NEED
    • MEMBER EVENTS & SUCCESS STORIES
    • OPPORTUNITIES
  • ANNUAL MEETING
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • AWARDEE ARCHIVES
  • SPONSOR OUR 30TH
    • SUPPORTERS
  • CONTACT
    • SIGN UP FOR HAND UPDATES

Archive for month: January, 2020

Membership Engagement | Five minutes with Angie Rodgers

January 25, 2020
January 25, 2020

HAND members are working tirelessly in all of our jurisdictions to creating thriving communities for all. “Five Minutes With” is a series highlighting the great work that our membership is doing across the region. This informal conversation asks HAND members about their recent projects, the affordable housing industry and more. In the latest edition, we have a dialogue with Angie Rodgers, the newly named Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO) for Economic Development for Prince George’s County, Maryland. Angie comes to the County from the District of Columbia where she most recently served as the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.

In her role as DCAO for Economic Development, Rodgers is looking forward to ensuring that County residents benefit from the same prosperity as residents in other parts of the region.  This includes enjoying amenity-rich neighborhoods, a variety of housing types for people across the income spectrum, support for home-grown businesses and good jobs that are accessible and pay a living wage.  She also looks forward to ensuring the County realizes its potential to be a leader in the solution for inclusive housing and economic growth.

Check out our conversation here:

HAND: Can you tell us about your latest role?
AR: I spent the past 4+ years in DC’s Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, most of it as Director of the New Communities Initiative, and most recently as Chief of Staff.

In February, I will start work in Prince George’s County government as the new Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO) for Economic Development.  The DCAO leads a cluster of nine county-chartered, quasi-independent and independent agencies focused on housing, business and economic development, employment and planning.

HAND: You’ve touched almost every part of the housing/community development industry – can you tell us about the journey you’ve taken to get to this point?
AR: I started my career in research and advocacy, and I’m so glad I started there.  I was doing research on general income and poverty trends for DC households, and did some of the first studies to define and document the housing crisis that began to grip DC in the early 2000’s.  So many extremely low-income households were spending 70, 80 and even 90 percent of their income on housing costs – way past the threshold for being severely housing burdened and at risk of homelessness.  That early work gave me a mission-focused point of view that has continued to define my work.  At this point I’ve been on every side of the work – public, private, nonprofit, philanthropic – and on all sides I’ve found a way to do work that creates opportunities for people of all backgrounds, and specifically those who are low-income.

NCI’s “Neighbor Up,” a network of individuals who care about equitable development of our neighborhoods, particularly those around public housing.

HAND: What is the most important takeaway(s) from your previous positions that you’re bringing into your new role?
AR: Whenever I step into a new challenge, I think about how past roles have prepared me, and I am ready for the challenge of Prince George’s!  Because there is so much room for growth, the County has an enormous opportunity to be a problem solver for the region – easing housing pressures and growing business (small biz – because they are the backbone – as well as those that may need a bit more leg-room).  Hindsight is 20/20, so we also know so much more than we did 20 years ago about how to approach that kind of growth responsibly, so that the families and businesses in Prince George’s today can be there long-term.  You have to be intentional to manage growth in that way, with the right strategies and interventions to protect all the people and communities that don’t have automatic access to opportunity.  Everything I’ve done in my career thus far has armed me with that intentionality.

HAND: What do you think is the largest hurdle when it comes to increasing housing supply across our region?
AR: We don’t have a consistent toolkit across all of the region’s jurisdictions for production, so we can’t effectively plan together.  Of course, some jurisdictions will be able to do things that others can’t, but we could go far if we were all at least aiming for the same target and thinking about supply collectively.  While we’re silo’d, the region’s residents are fluid and making decisions about where to work and where to live based on where the best opportunities are.  If there were more areas of opportunity spread throughout the region – places with a range of housing types for a range of incomes, access to transit, good amenities – we could increase supply and decrease prices.

HAND: Do you believe there is a “secret sauce” to addressing housing affordability? If so, what do you think that is?
AR: My secret sauce would be made up of:

Production – We need a lot more units overall to meet demand before we see prices start to adjust.  Without that, we’re left trying to subsidize our way to enough affordable units.

Preservation – We have to be vigilant about protecting what we have, and preservation tools can’t be an after-thought.

Regulations and Entitlements – We need to re-evaluate and reduce the regulatory barriers that have increasingly contributed to driving up the cost and time to build.

Income – We need to reduce income gaps.  That is the biggest problem of all in this scenario.  We’re only going to shift our affordability problem up the scale if we don’t reduce income and wealth gaps.

HAND: What are you most looking forward to over the coming months?
AR: Prince George’s has spent a few years getting many of the right ingredients in place – a planning strategy heavily focused on transit-oriented development around some of the County’s best assets – its metro stations; a housing strategy focused on diversifying the County’s housing types to meet the needs of a broader range of households; a business environment that is boosting job growth.  I am looking forward to leading that ambitious work going forward.

I am also looking forward to continuing to see all my friends from around the DMV.  The regional collaboration on housing and economic development pushed by HAND, MWCOG and other groups is hugely important, and I’m looking forward to representing Prince George’s in that collective problem-solving.

HAND: If you weren’t working in this industry, what might you be doing?
AR: Back-up singer à la “20 Feet from Stardom.”  I don’t want to be famous; I would hate that.  But I’d be happy backing up some of my favorite artists.  I can blend in with the chorus, and also make the part uniquely mine. So I don’t stand out, but you hear just a little something that makes the whole thing better.  Actually, I hope that’s me even when I’m not singing!

0 Comments/in HAND News, Member Events & Success Stories, HAND Member Profiles, Industry Highlights /by H.A.N.D.

DC Comprehensive Plan Update

January 23, 2020
January 23, 2020

HAND Members & Stakeholders –

If you’ve been following along with our Regional Activations, you’ll know that the last quarter of 2019 was pretty eventful! In October, HAND, and its fellow members of the DC Housing Priorities Coalition, successfully advocated for key amendments that ensure affordable housing and the prevention of displacement are priorities of the DC Comprehensive (Comp) Plan. A recap can be found on our website.

As the primary document that guides what and where development occurs in the District for the next few decades, the DC Comp Plan has the power to stem the tide of economic and residential segregation. Mayor Bowser and the DC Office of Planning issued a draft Comprehensive Plan that, if approved, is a step in the right direction towards greater equity and opportunity.

Most recently, HAND sent a letter to the Office of Planning with comments to the last draft update. This letter emphasized HAND’s support of the amended Framework Element of the Comprehensive Plan as passed by the DC Council in October 2019, including its acknowledgement of the need for increased affordable housing and protections against displacement.

Learn more about the DC Comp Plan with this fact sheet.

HAND extends its gratitude to its Housing Priorities Coalition partners for their tireless efforts and commitment to advancing this critical document:

  • Enterprise Community Partners
  • DC Fiscal Policy Institute
  • Coalition for Non-Profit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED)
  • Somerset Development
  • Coalition for Smarter Growth
  • Greater Greater Washington
  • United Planning Organization
  • Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)

We look forward to working with the above organizations as we continue to strive for a more equitable DC. Keep reading to hear from some of our coalition partners on the importance of the Comp Plan.

“The Comp Plan is DC’s foundational land use text. Revising it won’t change things overnight, or make housing more affordable, or more accessible, but without substantial changes to the Comp Plan—which determines the level of intensity of new development in DC, and where that new development goes—it’s impossible to redress some of the historic wrongs inherent in our land-use practices. The Comp Plan can increase the allowable density of the city, particularly in affluent, long-exclusive neighborhoods with robust amenities and services, which is necessary to increasing the amount of affordable housing built in those areas.”

– Alex Baca, Greater Greater Washington

“In October, the DC Council adopted into law a new Framework Element, or first chapter of the Comp Plan. This new element refocuses land use and development policy on affordable housing, preventing displacement of residents, and building a new racial and social equity lens into every aspect of the Comp Plan.”

– Cheryl Cort, Coalition for Smarter Growth

“The Comprehensive Plan sets a long-term vision for the physical growth and change of DC. It is critical that we update this foundational document to explicitly address the real-life issues District residents currently face: a severe lack of affordable housing, racial and economic segregation, and the displacement of lower-income residents. Now is the opportunity to make our priorities clear about how we want DC to develop and evolve in the years to come.”

– Adam Kent, DC LISC

“The Comprehensive Plan is DC’s guiding land use document, mandated by the 1973 Home Rule Act that gave the District a fully elected representative government. The Plan outlines an overall vision as well as specific policies to guide development in the city, and thus provides important direction about how and where the District will grow over time. If we can seize this opportunity and amend the Plan to set out a bold new vision for tackling our housing equity challenges as well as the climate crisis, it will create positive ripple effects across the region that will help to transform our housing and development policies for the 21st Century.”

-Patrick McAnaney, Somerset Development

“With so many struggling to make ends meet in an over-priced market in which they are underpaid, it is hard to choose the greatest priority between education, employment and housing. But at the end of the day, a stable home is the foundation of a stable life. Housing must be first, you can be educated and employed, but if your home is not affordable and decent, you will continuously struggle.”

-Katheryn Pierson, UPO

 

Members of
the DC Housing Priorities Coalition

 

0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by HANDHousing

HAND Remembers Todd A. Lee

January 10, 2020
January 10, 2020

It is with deep regret that HAND mourns the loss of Todd A. Lee, Executive Director and CEO of the DC Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA). HAND’s Board of Directors and staff sends its deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

“Words can’t begin to express the sympathy we feel on the untimely death of Todd, who was a beloved husband, father, and friend to so many. His leadership, kind spirt and devotion to the creation and preservation of affordable housing leave a wonderful legacy for us all to follow,” said Monica Warren-Jones, HAND’s President.

Mr. Lee served as Executive Director and CEO of DCHFA since April 2016. Under his leadership, there has been over $1 billion invested in the creation and preservation of affordable multifamily rental and workforce housing units in addition to supporting homeownership opportunities in all eight wards of the District.

You can read DCHFA’s full press release here.

0 Comments/in HAND News /by H.A.N.D.

PODCAST: Grant Funding for Affordable Housing via the Federal Home Loan Bank

January 3, 2020
January 3, 2020

Photo by William Iven on Unsplash

Listen to this Areaprobe podcast which details financing affordable housing using grant funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank.

You can also listen to it in segments here:

  • Providing Housing for Homeless Households
  • Federal Home Loan Bank Scoring Criteria 

About the Speaker
Megan Krider started working at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh in 2013 in the Community Investment Department and now serves as Manager, Affordable Housing and Community Development. In this position, Megan has the responsibility of managing the Affordable Housing Program which has supplied more than $263 million in efforts to support affordable housing development. Additionally, by managing the Bank’s Blueprint Communities® initiative, Megan has been able to support community development and the capacity building for communities. Megan received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from John Carroll University as well as a Master of Public Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

0 Comments/in HAND News, Opportunities, HAND Thought Leadership /by H.A.N.D.

Innovative Projects Take Home Top Prizes at the 2019 Fall Colvin Capstone Competition

January 3, 2020
January 3, 2020

Jessica Jones, Malcolm Haith, Tanya Bansal, Casey Huntington, Adan Ramos, Goyer Roberts, Maria Day-Marshall and Timur Ryspekov

Derek McDaniels, John Lin, Paul Rowe, Scott Glickman, Maria Day-Marshall, Jason Zell and Barbara Kelly


From the University of Maryland Colvin Institute of Real Estate Development: 

The Fall 2019 Capstone kicked off on Friday night, December 13th, with five dual degree students (MRED + M.ARCH) presenting their projects to a panel of industry experts. Judges included Malcolm Haith, Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners, Goyer Roberts, The Duffie Companies and Timur Ryspekov, Telesis Corporation. Taking top prize was Casey Huntington with her project, 1600 Nexus, a mixed-use, mixed-income development in the Point Breeze neighborhood of South Philadelphia. 1600 Nexus is an example of equitable development for a low-income community facing gentrification. Runner-up honors went to Adan Ramos for Poppleton Place, a mixed-use project in Southwest Baltimore that included residential and retail utilizing grant funding for public housing redevelopment and Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) conversion of public housing to project-based Section 8. Thanks to Jessica Jones for mentoring the students.

On Saturday, December 14th, the competition continued with 9 students presenting their final capstone projects. Judges included Barbara Kelly, Citibank, John Lin, CapStar Commercial Realty, Derek McDaniels, Efficient Home, Paul Rowe, E2 Property Investments, LLC and Jason Zell, JM Zell Partners, LTD. Congratulations to first place winner Scott Glickman for his project, Preserve at Piney Hill, a planned neighborhood on the Eastern Shore of Maryland! Xingchen Liu was awarded second place for Park View at Landover, a mixed-use development in Landover, MD. Elsa Escobar Pedrin took third place for The Mall at Landover, a residential and retail development in Landover, MD. Honorable mention went to Rahul Chawla for Landover Medical Park, a mixed-use project containing a medical center and retail, also in Landover, MD. Thank you to the professionals who gave their valuable time and expertise as student mentors, Seydina Fall and Robert Rauch. Additionally, thank you to the architects for designing the posters and project graphics including: Jack Devilbliss, Nicole Hinkle, David Ensor, Mike Fischer, Alla Elmahadi ’18, Paul Rogers and Rachael Whiting. Lastly, a special thank you to our alums and poster judges, Catherine Ryckman ’18 and Mithila Mattoo ’18.

Congratulations to all the students that presented their projects: Richard Bedrick, University Park at Landover, Landover, MD; Andrea De Carlo, Hoboken Exchange, Hoboken, NJ; Dennis Holste,The Park @ Glenarden, Landover, MD; Kyle Huck, Nanticoke Landing, Eastern Shore, MD; Andrea Nichols, Schuylkill Place, Philadelphia, PA; Tachit Pultunya, LakeYard, Eastern Shore, MD; Akiel Pyant, The Pavilion at EastLake, Eastern Shore, MD; and Bradley Robertson, Landover Square, Landover, MD.

0 Comments/in HAND News, Member Events & Success Stories, Industry Highlights /by H.A.N.D.

Latest News

  • Five Minutes with SC&H GroupNovember 23, 2020 - 11:54 pm
  • Celebrate Veterans Day with Montgomery CountyNovember 6, 2020 - 9:21 am
  • Five Minutes with LaToya ThomasOctober 23, 2020 - 9:48 am
  • Congratulations to the 2020 Todd A. Lee Scholarship Recipients!September 29, 2020 - 9:27 am

New Members

  • hand-housing-member-directory-individualBrigid LeahyFebruary 24, 2021 - 3:10 pm
  • hand-housing-member-directory-individualLaurie PutscherFebruary 24, 2021 - 3:09 pm
  • Institute for Market Transformation Inc.February 24, 2021 - 3:09 pm
  • hand-housing-member-directory-individualAyesha JohnsonFebruary 24, 2021 - 3:00 pm
© Copyright Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND)