September 17, 2021
Continuing Professional Education Credit:
Tuesday, June 22: Noon to 1 PM
Multi-Family: Cutting Edge Topics Part I
Due to the fixed 4% Housing Credit rate, many more bond deals will be feasible. With more deals coming through an HFA’s system, it is time for a look at whether your system is up-to-date and if your HFA is doing what is should for proper oversite before and after issuing bonds. Is your system up-to-date, or was it written in the 1990’s and amended multiple times so that it is redundant and internally inconsistent? Items for consideration include Issuer fees, minimum denominations, prohibited vendors, transfer restrictions, change of owner restrictions, administrative fees and process for post-closing requests, land use restrictions, guarantees, ancillary services agreements (servicing and compliance monitoring). What guaranties should be required to make sure the project is built to the specifications your HFA approved and to make sure your ongoing fees are paid? Additionally, as subsidies increase, so does the potential problem of cost escalation. We will once Additionally, multi-family bond transactions are becoming more complex, with short term bonds, requirements for HFA action after closing, and implications for long term HFA revenue.
Moderator: Mark Hendrickson, Executive Director, Florida ALHFA
Panelists: Ben Johnson, President, Seltzer Management Company
Helen Feinberg, Managing Director RBC Capital Markets
Monique Spotts, Shareholder, Bryant Miller Olive
Friday, June 25, Noon to 1 PM
Federal Legislative Update
The Federal COVID relief packages have massive impact on housing funding and tax policy. Infrastructure and other legislation could also provide significant federal resources. Learn what passed, what is in the works, and where the money is going—and how HFA’s could access the funds.
Moderator: Cheree Gulley, Florida ALHFA Board Member & Executive Director, Miami-Dade HFA
Panelists: Jessica Facciponti, NALHFA Legislative Committee Chair and Director of Government Affairs for the New York City Housing Development Corporation
Kevin McKenney, Director of Government Affairs, NALHFA
Jonathan Paine, Executive Director, NALHFA
Tuesday, June 29, Noon to 1 PM
Florida Legislative Update
The 2021 legislative session was a wild ride. Learn what happened, why, and what are the steps for the future. Also, the critical role the Sadowski Education Effort played in preservation and stabilization of the Sadowski Housing Trust funds will be detailed. Why is SEE such a critical part of the funding strategy? What is our communications strategy? What is the state revenue situation and how will that impact our work for the 2022 session? Discussion will include a complete update on SHIP and SAIL funding from the Sadowski Housing Trust Funds, and how to get state funding in 2022
Moderator: Mark Hendrickson, Executive Director, Florida ALHFA
Panelists: Sarah Bascom, President, Bascom Communications
Ken Pruitt, President, The P5 Group
Jaimie Ross, President & CEO, Florida Housing Coalition
Tuesday, July 6, Noon to 1 PM
Our Partnership with the Florida Housing Finance Corporation
FHFC allocates Housing Credits, SAIL funds, and DPA monies. These programs directly impact local HFA’s—in both our rental and home ownership programs. How can a local HFA effectively impact FHFC decisions? How can our partnership be improved? FHFC’s Executive Director, and lead homeownership and rental directors will discuss these questions as well as implementation of the Local Government Preference system for 9% Housing Credits, the process for allocating 4% Housing Credits on local HFA bond deals, Down Payment Assistance, policy changes related to this year’s SAIL and Housing Credits, and legislative activities.
Moderator: Jim Ryan, Board Chairman, Housing Finance Authority of Clay County & FLALHFA Board Member
Panelists: Trey Price, Executive Director, Florida Housing Finance Corporation Marisa Button, Director of Multifamily Programs, FHFC
Friday, July 9, Noon to 1 PM
HFA Board Members: How to be an Effective Board Member of an HFA
This session focuses on how to be a better and more effective HFA Board member, rather than on specific program details. It explores the proper “domain” of a Board and that of staff. Board members have asked, “What exactly am I supposed to be doing as a Board member? Am I supposed to be an expert on programs, or is that for staff only? How much can I rely on professionals and staff? Do I have a fiduciary responsibility?”. What is the “Goldilocks” position between micromanaging staff and professionals and being too hands off? This session will discuss preparation for each Board meeting, financial statements, audits, expenditure policies, budgeting, multifamily policies, procurement, and working with elected officials at the local and state level. Learn that “right” level of involvement, so that you can be an effective board member
Moderator: Debra Koehler, Board Member, Housing Finance Authority of Hillsborough County
Panelists: Gloria “Nadine” Carswell, Board Member, Jacksonville HFA
Dr. Jeffrey Sharkey, Board Secretary, HFA of Leon County
Thursday, July 15, Noon to 1 PM
Multi-Family: Cutting Edge Topics Part II
Aren’t HFA’s just “conduit issuers”, with little responsibility other than compliance with the tax code when bonds are issued? How would that answer play with your local newspaper or County Commission when a development your HFA financed was found to have an infestation of mice or was abandoned halfway through construction? How does FHFC evaluate deals and what ongoing monitoring do they require on their bond deals? With more deals coming forward, this means competition for limited bond volume cap and the ability to require more of developers in terms of long-term affordability and other public purpose items. All of this will require improved application and evaluation systems. Is your system up-to-date, or was it written in the 1990’s and amended multiple times so that it is redundant and internally inconsistent? Are you getting all you can from a developer in terms of long-term affordability, development design and resident programs? again discuss methods to make sure that costs are reasonable and prevent deals from being over-subsidized. As a Board member, what is in a credit underwriting report and what should you focus on in the report? Why is compliance monitoring critical and how can it provide protection for your residents and insulate the HFA against political criticism of your HFA when a property you financed is poorly constructed or managed? What do monitors monitor?
Moderator: Kathryn Driver, Executive Director, HFA of Pinellas County
Panelists: Marisa Button, Director of Multifamily Programs, FHFC
Mark Fredericks, Senior Vice-President Multifamily Services, AmeriNat Barney Smith, Chairman, Jacksonville Housing Finance Authority & Former Chairman, Florida Housing Finance Corporation
Friday, July 16, Noon to 1 PM
Ethics & Sunshine
Annual update on new laws that impact Ethics, Sunshine, public records and special districts, along with basic do’s and don’ts of behavior for Board and staff of HFA’s. What can you say and when can you say it to another Board member? Is it OK to accept that lunch invitation? What is a gift, and when must they be disclosed? What is the difference between a voting conflict and a prohibited conflict? How has COVID-19 impacted Sunshine laws and public meeting requirements, including HFA meetings and TEFRA hearings? These and other ethics and sunshine topics will be covered, with plenty of time for questions. Learn how to stay out of the news and out of legal trouble.
Panelists: Mary Helen Farris, General Counsel, HFA of Hillsborough County
David Stephen Hope, Assistant County Attorney, Housing Finance Authority of Miami Dade
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Ethnics and Sunshine Presentation
Ethnics and Sunshine Notes
Tuesday, July 20, Noon to 1 PM
Housing Programs 101
This will be an updated version covering the basics of programs that HFA’s administer, suitable for both new and experienced HFA Board members and staff. Topics will include bond allocation, TEFRA, credit underwriting, monitoring, non-bond single family programs, DPA assistance, the role of various professionals, the difference between 9% and 4% Housing Credits, and others. This is a forum to ask the questions you need answered about how programs work.
Moderator: Susan Leigh, Director, Florida ALHFA
Panelists: Rhonda Bond-Collins, Shareholder, Bryant Miller Olive
Ed Busansky, Vice-Chair, HFA of Hillsborough County, Tim Wranovix, Director National Housing Group, Raymond James
Friday, July 23, Noon to 1 PM
HFA Journal Release and Discussion of Unique Programs
Local HFA’s don’t just do bonds and single-family loan programs. With limited resources, both larger and smaller HFA’s have made an impact in their communities by being innovative and thinking outside of the box. Learn how HFA’s used HFA, SHIP and County funds to implement innovative programs. The 6th Annual Florida ALHFA Journal, which compiles programs submitted by Florida ALHFA members, will be released.
Moderator: Pat Lott, Executive Director, Escambia County HFA (invited)
Panelists: Susan Leigh, Director, Florida ALHFA
Tuesday, July 27, Noon to 1 PM
Roundtable Discussions
HFA Open Forum: to discuss Conference and FLALHFA
Attorney Roundtable: to discuss issues related to HFA’s legal issues that arise in their representation of issuers, developers, or other professionals
CPA Roundtable: to discuss accounting and auditing issues related to their work with local HFA’s