The Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers Celebrates 25th Anniversary
Brings Together 1200 Practitioners, Looks to the Future of Affordable Housing in the Region
WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND) celebrates its 25th Anniversary on June 21st during its 2016 Annual Meeting & Housing Expo. Twelve hundred affordable housing practitioners and community development specialists will convene at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia to honor this historic anniversary. A membership association, HAND was founded 25 years ago to specifically focus on the capacity building and professional development for nonprofit affordable housing developers. Currently the organization has 350 members spanning from Baltimore to Richmond and boasts a membership base that embraces all sectors in the industry – for-profit developers, government officials, financial institutions, resident service providers, architects and more. HAND is the largest regional membership association of its kind in the area.
"The growth of our organization over this quarter of a century is dynamic," said Heather Raspberry, executive director, HAND. "And it clearly shows the need for support in the affordable housing and community development industry is strong. Since 1991, HAND has grown with its membership base, deepened its offerings and kept pace with the region. We owe this to the strong engagement of our members who help us remain nimble and relevant in this ever evolving market."
During the Annual Meeting & Housing Expo, HAND will host Dr. Christopher Herbert, Managing Director of the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, at its standing room only plenary session. Dr. Herbert is presenting the seminal 2015 "AMERICA'S RENTAL HOUSING: Expanding Options for Diverse and Growing Demand" report, an in-depth biennial examination of the state of rental housing affordability in the country.
"We've found that 43 million families and individuals live in rental housing and nearly half—21 million—are cost burdened," said Dr. Herbert. "The demand for rental housing is increasing faster than the supply. This means a growing segment of the American public is sacrificing necessities such as health care and education."
The plenary will also include a practitioners' response by David Bowers, Mid-Atlantic Market Leader, Enterprise Community Partners, and representing the Greater Washington Housing Leaders Group, a collection of more than a dozen public and private sector leaders working to solve for regional housing affordability issues.
In addition to providing a platform to elevate critical housing issues facing national and regional communities, the HAND Annual Meeting will also elevate housing solutions by honoring its 2016 Housing Achievement Awardees:
- Nonprofit Developer of the Year: Community Preservation and Development Corporation
- Best Large Affordable Housing Project: MetroTowns at Parkside: The Linda Joy and Kenneth Jay Pollin Memorial Community
Developers: Pollin Memorial Community Development, LLC, a joint venture between Enterprise Homes, Inc. and Mr. Abe Pollin - Best Small Affordable Housing Project: Trinity Plaza
Developers: Far Southwest-Southeast Community Development Corporation - Best Housing Partner: Arlington County
- Emerging Leader: Jocelyn Harris, Single Family Housing Developer, Housing Initiative Partnership
- President's Choice: Sheila Crowley, Former President & CEO, National Low Income Housing Coalition
This awards program has recognized the most outstanding and innovative housing developments, programs and solutions across the metropolitan region.
Additionally, the organization is pleased to announce Nadia Roebuck the winner of its 12th Annual Children's Art Contest. The theme "show us your trailblazer" inspired Naomi, a young resident of a community developed by Homes for America, to create a dynamic drawing of Misty Copeland, the first African American Female Principal Dancer with the American Ballet Theatre.
Each year, HAND grants $10,000 in grants to its members, holds more than 20 training and capacity building sessions and operates GenerationHAND an emerging leader initiative dedicated to providing housing practitioners valuable professional development and networking opportunities.
Sponsors for the 25th Anniversary, 2016 Annual Meeting & Housing Expo are Bank of America, Citi, SunTrust, CohnReznick, Bisnow, Capital One, PNC Bank, Wells Fargo, Red Stone Equity Partners and Affordable Housing Finance.
For 25 years, HAND has served as the only regional membership association dedicated to supporting the community development industry in its efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Through education, engagement and training, HAND builds the capacity of its diverse membership comprised of nonprofit and for-profit housing developers, resident service providers, lenders, government agencies, policy analysts and others, to support the development of sustainable communities for people and families at all income levels.
Visit www.HANDHousing.org to learn more about HAND's efforts to build vibrant communities across the metropolitan region.
SOURCE Housing Association for Nonprofit Developers (HAND)
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