WNC Founder Will Cooper Sr. Awarded Prestigious Honor by the National Housing Conference for his Lifetime of Exceptional Commitment to Affordable Housing

IRVINE, Calif., May 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- WNC, a leading provider of investment, asset management and development services in the affordable housing industry, announced today that Founder and Chairman of the Board Will Cooper Sr. has been named the 2019 recipient of the prestigious Carl A.S. Coan Sr. Award, presented by the National Housing Conference. The honor has been awarded just 15 times since its establishment in 1984 to individuals who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to affordable housing.

Cooper will be presented the award during the National Housing Conference's 47th Annual Housing Visionary Awards Gala. Held on June 6 in Washington D.C., the gala will celebrate the achievements of organizations and individuals who have made significant contributions toward advancing affordable housing. 

"A pioneer in the modern affordable housing industry, my father has dedicated nearly half a century to exploring and delivering solutions that provide underserved communities with safe, quality housing," said WNC President and Chief Executive Officer Will Cooper Jr. "He has been a tireless advocate for low-income housing for most of his life, and continues as a vocal champion to this day, both on Capitol Hill and across the nation."

Will Cooper Sr. founded WNC, a national investor in real estate and community development initiatives, nearly 50 years ago to help deliver quality affordable housing to communities in need throughout the United States. An industry trailblazer, he built the company's investor base to include Fortune 500 companies, insurance giants, and multinational banks, helping to bring private institutional investment into the affordable housing sector. In 1997, Cooper cofounded the California Housing Consortium to unite the businesses and organizations working to support affordable housing in the state in a nonpartisan advocacy effort, to great success. Under his leadership, WNC has helped to develop and preserve more than 1,000 affordable housing communities and provided quality affordable housing to more than one million families.

About NHC
The National Housing Conference has been defending the American Home since 1931. We believe everyone in America should have equal opportunity to live in a quality, affordable home in a thriving community. NHC convenes and collaborates with our diverse membership and the broader housing and community development sectors to advance our policy, research and communications initiatives to effect positive change at the federal, state and local levels. Politically diverse and nonpartisan, NHC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

About the Carl A.S. Coan, Sr. Public Service Award
The Carl A.S. Coan, Sr., Public Service Award was established in 1984 in honor of Carl A.S. Coan, Sr., who was considered by his peers to be one of the most effective staff aides on Capitol Hill. The award is presented periodically in recognition of outstanding commitment and leadership in the effort to provide decent, safe and affordable housing in this country and publicizes the work of individuals both in and out of the housing arena who have by their actions ensured that we remain one of the best housed nations on earth.

About WNC
WNC, founded in 1971 and headquartered in Irvine, Calif., is a national investor in real estate and community development initiatives, as well as a leading investor in low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC). WNC has acquired more than $9.3 billion of assets totaling in excess of 1,375 properties in 47 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. WNC's investor base exceeds 19,500 institutional and retail clients, including Fortune 500 companies, multinational banks, and insurance companies. Additional information is available at www.wncinc.com.

Contact
Damon Elder
Spotlight Marketing Communications
949.427.1377
[email protected]

SOURCE WNC