Section 8 and Other Federally Assisted Multifamily Housing
All times Eastern. Agenda subject to change.
Speakers are published as they are confirmed.
UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, SESSIONS ARE OPEN TO ALL ATTENDEES REGISTERED FOR THE SECTION 8 MODULE.
Wednesday Jan 10
Badge Pick-Up & Registration
Zeffert's Java Joint Open
Sponsored by: 
PLENARY SESSION
HUD Multifamily Program Update
Senior officials share the latest information about the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s multifamily housing programs, including project-based rental assistance contract administration procurement, NSPIRE, HOTMA, management and occupancy reviews, the new Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, other energy and climate resilience programs, Section 811 project rental assistance contracts, Section 8bb contract transfers, and FHA-HFA Risk-Sharing.
SPEAKERS
Willie Fobbs, Director, Office of Multifamily Production, Office of Multifamily Housing Programs | U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Ethan Handelman, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Multifamily Housing Programs | U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Belinda Koros, Director, Assisted Housing Oversight Division | U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Jennifer Larson, Director, Office of Asset Management and Portfolio Oversight, Office of Multifamily Housing Programs | U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Break
JOINT CONCURRENT SESSIONS | Section 8 and Housing Credit Modules
Incorporating Federal Energy Dollars in Housing
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act unleashed billions of dollars in funding for energy efficiency and resiliency measures in affordable housing. Learn more about the status of these new programs and how to incorporate them into new housing developments or for preservation and recapitalization of existing affordable housing.
DISCUSSION LEADER
Kathryn Grosscup, Manager, Housing Tax Credit | Colorado Housing and Finance Authority
SPEAKERS
Aimee Bell-Pasht, Senior Research Associate, Federal Policy Program | American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Michelle Diller, Policy Program Director, Building Resilient Futures | Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.
Gregory Heller, Director | Guidehouse
Dirk Wallace, Partner | Novogradac & Company LLP
Transitioning Inspections to the NSPIRE Protocol
The National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) protocol represents the most significant overhaul of HUD’s physical inspection regime in decades. Learn about new property deficiencies, inspection requirements, and scoring methods that apply to HUD-assisted properties and when Housing Credit properties also might be affected.
DISCUSSION LEADER
Todd Folse, Construction and Compliance Monitoring Director | Louisiana Housing Corporation
SPEAKERS
Larry Keys, Director, Government Affairs | National Affordable Housing Management Association
Scott Precourt, Founding Partner | US Housing Consultants
Ashley Sheriff, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the REAC | U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Thursday Jan 11
Badge Pick-Up & Registration
Continental Breakfast
JOINT CONCURRENT SESSIONS | Section 8 and Housing Credit Modules
Multifamily Preservation Strategies
Explore solutions to preservation challenges as affordability restrictions expire and multifamily developments in the Housing Credit, HUD, and USDA portfolios face other threats. Discuss tools for preservation financing and recapitalization, as well as the significant legal and financial structuring factors involved in preserving at-risk properties.
DISCUSSION LEADER
Stephanie Flanders, Director of Tax Credit Programs | Virginia Housing
SPEAKERS
Laura Abernathy, Senior Director of Housing Policy | National Housing Trust
Brandon Hodge, Vice President and Project Partner | Lincoln Avenue Communities
Yvonne Hsu, Chief of Staff, Rural Housing Service | U.S. Department of Agriculture
Laura Turner, Senior Director, Disposition Management | Enterprise Community Asset Management, Inc.
Understanding HOTMA
The Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) makes numerous changes to the methodology required for calculating income and assets for purposes of qualifying households for various forms of HUD-assisted housing. Discuss the impact of HOTMA compliance and reporting requirements on property owners, tenants, and state agency monitoring responsibilities.
SPEAKERS
Sheryl Putnam, Senior Director of Professional Services | Nan McKay & Associates, Inc.
Heather Sievers, Trainer and Consultant | Nan McKay & Associates, Inc.
Break
JOINT CONCURRENT SESSIONS | Section 8 and Housing Credit Modules
Financial Structuring in RAD Developments
Learn about the status of HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, including Faircloth-to-RAD conversions, Section 18 mixed finance transactions, and RAD for Section 202. Gain a better understanding of complex deal structuring and underwriting considerations for RAD developments using Housing Credits, tax-exempt bonds, and HUD financing.
DISCUSSION LEADER
Mitch Kelly, Director, Office of Housing Finance | Georgia Department of Community Affairs/Georgia Housing and Finance Authority
SPEAKERS
John Ardovini, Director, Affordable Housing Transaction Division | U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Charlie Rhuda, Partner | Novogradac & Company LLP
Kathie Soroka, Counsel | Nixon Peabody LLP
Ensuring VAWA Compliance
The Housing Credit and HUD Multifamily programs are covered programs under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which, in part, provides housing protections for applicants and residents who are survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. This training session delves into survivors’ VAWA rights, housing providers’ obligations, and new resources to help state agencies ensure VAWA compliance in the programs they administer.
SPEAKERS
Debbie Piltch, Consultant | Enfuse Action Collective, LLC
Networking Lunch
Seated lunch served 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Zeffert's Java Joint Open
Sponsored by:
PLENARY SESSION
Industry Outlook
Industry leaders and NCSHA partners offer their perspectives and insights on what to expect in 2024 from the administration and Congress, including the possibility of federal government shutdown, federal funding for Section 8, HUD’s PBCA program, other HUD multifamily programs, property management, and preservation.
DISCUSSION LEADER
Robert Henson, Senior Housing Policy Specialist | National Council of State Housing Agencies
SPEAKERS
Althea Arnold, Senior Vice President, Policy | Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future
Larry Keys, Director, Government Affairs | National Affordable Housing Management Association
Denise Muha, Executive Director | National Leased Housing Association
Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director | Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
Break
PLENARY SESSION
Legislative and Policy Update
Learn about what multifamily housing issues and program changes Congress is considering, including efforts to authorize HUD to use cooperative agreements and a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to rebid Section 8 project-based rental assistance contracts. Discuss other legislative and regulatory proposals that might impact affordable multifamily housing and HFA programs.
DISCUSSION LEADER
Garth Rieman, Director of Housing Advocacy and Strategic Initiatives | National Council of State Housing Agencies
SPEAKERS
Beth Cooper, Professional Staff Member, United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Jonathan Harwitz, Director of Public Policy | Housing Assistance Council
Andrew Jakabovics, Vice President, Policy Development | Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.
Michelle Kitchen, Senior Director, Multifamily Finance | National Association of Home Builders
Break
PLENARY SESSION
Tackling New Contract Administration Challenges, Part I
Discuss recent hot topics in subsidized housing compliance and contract administration, including management and occupancy reviews, contract renewals, rent adjustments, PBCAs’ role in family self-sufficiency programs in HUD-assisted properties, and TRACS. Explore working with HUD, managers, owners, tenant associations, advocates, and other stakeholders to preserve existing affordable housing and ensure rental assistance contracts are properly administered.
DISCUSSION LEADER
Linda Demmi, Manager of Contract Administration | Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency
SPEAKERS
Kelly Garver, PBCA Program Compliance Manager | Quadel Consulting & Training, LLC
Cassie Gordon, Manager, Federal Rental Assistance Programs | Minnesota Housing
Jeff Wirrick, Chief Operating Officer | National Housing Compliance
Section 8 and MRBs Happy Hour
Reunite with old friends and make new ones among your peers in the affordable housing community.
Sponsored by:
Friday Jan 12
Continental Breakfast
Badge Pick-Up & Registration
PLENARY SESSION
Tackling New Contract Administration Challenges, Part II
See session description for Part I above.
DISCUSSION LEADER
Brian Miller, Director, Asset Management | Colorado Housing and Finance Authority
SPEAKERS
Melissa Corbett, PBCA Assistant Director | Kentucky Housing Corporation
Angela Garland, Indiana Managing Director | Quadel Consulting & Training, LLC
Joseph Hughes, Subsidy Manager | MassHousing
James Van Loan, State Manager | CGI Federal
Break
COMMUNITY MEET-UP
OPEN ONLY TO HFA AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERS REGISTERED FOR THE SECTION 8 MODULE
Contract Administration Community Meet-Up
Don’t miss this opportunity to talk openly with your state HFA colleagues about what you have heard during the Institute and the issues on your mind. Get answers to your pressing questions and exchange best practices on procurement, contract administration, HUD compliance reviews, asset management, compliance monitoring, and more.
DISCUSSION LEADERS
Cassie Gordon, Manager, Federal Rental Assistance Programs | Minnesota Housing
Sharon Spengler, Manager | Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authorit
