-Overview
The impact of housing on economic development efforts is a critical issue in many communities. By addressing complex housing challenges and opportunities, a community creates valuable assets while also encouraging economic development and social equity. From urban centers, suburban enclaves, and rural cities, communities across the country have numerous tools available to support the development of affordable, market-rate, mixed-income, and mixed-use housing.
The Intro Housing Finance WebCourse will explore how the development finance toolbox can be utilized to support a myriad of housing challenges and opportunities as well as how development finance agencies can become key partners to housing developments in their community.
The Intro Housing Finance WebCourse will begin with an introduction to the complex world of housing including introducing terminology and landscape of the housing space in community development. During this course, speakers will walk through diverse capital sources layered into housing deals based on the type of housing being developed. Attendees will delve into innovative case studies from across the U.S. of how investment in an effective housing financing strategy can help drive the success of local economic development.
This course qualifies for the CDFA Training Institute's Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Join us online and start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.
Register
Course Objectives
- Be introduced to terminology and the landscape of the housing finance world
- Understand the role that development finance agencies can play in housing development
- Learn to layer different types of finance tools to successfully support diverse housing
- Examine innovative housing finance case studies from across the country
- Learn the players involved in housing deals
- Explore different housing finance options for varying communities and segments of the population
|
Topics Covered
- Utilizing taxable and tax-exempt bonds for housing development
- Financing mixed-use, mixed-income, and affordable housing
- Utilizing Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, New Markets Tax Credits, Historic Tax Credits for housing development
- Effective use of Tax Increment Financing and special assessment to support housing
- Understanding federal programs that support housing development
- Identifying partners in housing finance deals
|
Who Should Attend?
- Bond issuers
- Economic development professionals
- Community development professionals
- Elected officials
- Government and nonprofit finance officers
- Corporate trustees
- Legal counsel
- Underwriters
- Commercial bankers
- Accountants
- Financial advisors
- Policymakers
|
Course Advisor
|
Toby Rittner
Council of Development Finance Agencies
President & CEO
Toby Rittner is the President & CEO of Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA), a national association dedicated to the advancement of development finance concerns and interests. CDFA is comprised of the nation’s leading and most ... knowledgeable members of the development finance community representing hundreds of public, private and non-profit development finance agencies. Mr. Rittner runs the day-to-day operations of the Council including the organization’s various educational, advocacy, research, resources, and networking initiatives. He also serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the CDFA Foundation.
Rittner is one of the most vocal and recognized leaders of the development finance industry nationwide and has advised local, state, and federal leaders, including Presidents Biden and Obama, on economic development finance policy. Through his leadership and guidance, CDFA was successful in preserving private activity bonds and other critical development finance tools during the 2017 tax reform deliberations and has had numerous pieces of legislation introduced in the United States Congress. In 2021, Rittner successfully led a national effort to reauthorize and fund the $10B State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) program as part of the American Rescue Plan Act. He has written and crafted dozens of strategic finance plans for development finance agencies and advised communities throughout the world on development finance approaches.
Rittner focuses on sustainable finance with an emphasis on infrastructure, clean energy, food systems, small business, and innovations in the development finance industry to drive sustainable outcomes. He has written extensively about impact ready initiatives that leverage and engage capital in ways that drive local sustainability in business and industry and the environment and economy.
Rittner is a frequent speaker at local, state, and national conferences and events focused on economic development finance. He has been featured in The Bond Buyer, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, NPR and other national media publications concerning the advancement of development finance tools. He is the author of CDFA's highly acclaimed Practitioner's Guide to Economic Development Finance and co-author of CDFA's Unlocking Capital: A Handbook for Becoming a High Performing Development Finance Agency.
Rittner is an adjunct faculty member at The Ohio State University and Carnegie Mellon University. He is also a Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) and has completed the prestigious Oxford University Sustainable Finance Foundation Course.
Mr. Rittner previously served on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Financial Advisory Board and is a member of the Advisory Board for the National Community Fund I. Mr. Rittner holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master's of City and Regional Planning degree from The Ohio State University. Mr. Rittner was awarded the Ohio State University College of Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2016. (More)
|
-Agenda
Monday, June 23, 2025
Mon 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM |
Welcome & Overview
Welcome to the course! This session will introduce CDFA, explain how to use the online software, and discuss the framework for the two-day Intro Housing Finance WebCourse.
|
Mon 12:15 PM - 2:00 PM |
Introduction to Housing Finance
To begin the course, we will discuss a brief history of housing finance that will provide context for the issues currently seen in the housing market. We will examine basic terms and vocabulary found in the housing sector including major players, partners, and stakeholders. Speakers will explore market segmentation with a special focus on understanding the differences between market rate, mixed-income, and affordable housing. This session will also provide an introductory overview of the various financing tools available for housing deals.
|
Mon 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM |
Unlocking Federal Programs for Housing Developments
This session will focus on the various financing programs and tools available from federal agencies for housing developments and support. Experts will discuss Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Bank System. We will also explore various financing programs from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and financing strategies to consider for certain types of housing development opportunities.
|
Mon 3:15 PM - 3:30 PM |
Break
|
Mon 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM |
Using Bonds & TIF to Facilitate Housing Development
Private Activity Bonds (PABs) and Tax Increment Financing (TIF) are core development finance tools and can act as powerful catalysts for neighborhood transformation. This session will explore how bonds are used for housing developments, particularly in combination with district-based financing like TIF to invest in communities. Experts will provide case studies of housing deals that feature bonds and TIF.
|
Mon 5:00 PM |
Adjourn
|
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Tue 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM |
Revisiting Day 1
Day 2 will begin with a review of key takeaways from Day 1 and the agenda for the second half of the course.
|
Tue 12:15 PM - 2:15 PM |
Investing in Housing Financing with LIHTC
One of the most powerful financing tools in the development of affordable housing is the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. This session will explore the basics of LIHTC deal structuring and the difference between the 9% and 4% credits. Experts will present case studies during this session to highlight guidelines and best practices.
|
Tue 2:15 PM - 2:30 PM |
Break
|
Tue 2:30 PM - 3:45 PM |
Other Tax Credit Programs to Invest in Housing Developments
There are other federal tax credit programs applicable to housing developments, including Historic Tax Credits for renovating historic buildings and New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) for developing multi-family rental properties and mixed-use developments. Experts will demonstrate how these tools can be used for various types of housing developments and redevelopments, and provide case studies to showcase points of consideration for deal structuring.
|
Tue 3:45 PM - 4:00 PM |
Break
|
Tue 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
State and Local Financing Programs
Housing authorities are created at the state and local levels to provide capital to support affordable housing development and other community capital needs. This session will examine a few of the diverse programs available for housing development at the state and local levels. Experts will share example programs and projects, as well as the importance of comprehensive housing plans as a part of a community’s larger economic development strategy.
|
Tue 5:00 PM |
Adjourn
|
-Location
The Intro Housing Finance WebCourse will take place on Zoom. The course will meet each day from 12:00-5:00 PM Eastern. Attendees must have access to a computer and the internet to attend the course.
-Registration
This training course qualifies for the CDFA Training Institute's
Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.
Scholarships are available to attend this event. Learn more about the
CDFA Scholarship Program,
and submit your application today.
Please note that the application deadline is two weeks prior to the course start date.
CDFA permits only one person to login and participate in the course. If multiple people are accessing the course without paying to attend, we will terminate the connection and access. CDFA offers group discounts for organizations that wish to register multiple people.
CDFA Member: $625
Non-Member: $950
|
Register