2024 TNHC Agenda
Thursday, February 29
PRE-CONFERENCE MEETINGS
9:00a.m. - 11a.m. (room 106A) - 2025 QAP Planning and Comment
9:00a.m. - 11:20a.m. (room 106BC) - THOMAS training
THOMAS Compliance Guide
9:30a.m. - 10a.m. (room 105AB) - Tennessee Affordable Housing Coalition Board Meeting
10a.m. - 11:30a.m. (room 105AB) - Tennessee Affordable Housing Coalition Annual Meeting and Awards
CONFERENCE OPENING
11:30a.m. to 1:30p.m. - Opening Luncheon - Davidson Ballroom
Opening remarks: TN Governor Bill Lee
Plenary speaker: Dr. Christopher Herbert, Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies
Topic: The State of the Nation’s Housing
Dr. Chris Herbert will offer his perspective on research related to housing policy and urban development, as well as sharing information about his team’s work producing the annual State of the Nation’s Housing Report and its biennial America’s Rental Housing report.
| Talk to THDA (room 106A) Ever want to sit down with an expert at THDA and get your questions answered? This is your chance! Here is when we'll be available and the topic experts you'll have access to: | ||
| 1:30p.m. to 2:30p.m. Voucher program LIHEAP Weatherization, Weatherization-BIL | ||
| 2:30p.m to 3:30p.m. Competitive grants and CITC HOME-ARP rental housing and HOME Program ESG and HOME-ARP support services | ||
| 3:30p.m. to 4:30p.m. Emergency Repair Program (ERP) New Start Loan Program Eviction Prevention Program |
AFTERNOON BREAKOUT SESSIONS
1:45p.m. to 3:00p.m.
Fair Housing Forum (room 105AB)
Join us for a discussion of recent Fair Housing regulatory changes, reauthorizations and proposed rules, along with the most common fair housing issues reported in Tennessee. Learn how to ensure your organization is in compliance with fair housing laws and how to take purposeful actions that ensure equitable outcomes that affirmatively furthering fair housing. The session will be valuable for representatives of cities/counties/public and non-profit housing agencies, as well as anyone interested in learning about how to collaborate to ensure Tennesseans have equitable housing access and outcomes.
Panelists: Vanessa Bullock, West Tennessee Legal Aid Society; Laurie Benner, National Fair Housing Alliance; Dhathri Chunduru, THDA
Moderator: Laura Swanson, Civil Rights Compliance and Housing Strategy Advisor, THDA
Adopting Best Practices for Risk Management and Information Security Policies (room 106BC)
Compliance and Risk Management are hot-button topics at the forefront for industry professionals today. Join industry experts as they discuss the importance of building actionable risk management plans, managing third-party risks effectively, and providing insight into the changing landscape of Data Privacy and Cyber Security.
Presenters: Lucile Houseworth, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville; Sabrina Seamon, Clinch-Powell RC&D Council, Inc.; Gay Oliver, THDA; Nicole Lucas, THDA; Jason Ronnow, THDA
Moderator: Russell Catron, Program Development and Administration Coordinator, THDA
Tennessee's Best Presentations - REGIONAL IMPACT (room 104E)
This award is given to a person, organization, or project that has demonstrated a dedication to affordable housing and has created an enduring partnership with THDA through the usage of our programs. Hear about this year’s nominees’ successes directly from them. Winners will be announced at the Awards Program on the second Day.
Panelists: Thomas Robinson, Alco Management; Jon Berestecky, Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition; Ron Budynas, Wesley Living
Moderator: Felita Hamilton, Program Allocation Manager, THDA
3:15p.m. to 4:30p.m. - Breakout Sessions
Building Affordable Housing in an Unaffordable Market (room 105AB)
This session will explore the challenges of developing affordable housing in a market with ever increasing development costs, availability of skilled contractors and materials in an economy producing high demand and prices, increasing interest rates and limited resources. Panelists will discuss the strategic and innovative thinking needed to keep up with the need for affordable housing units today and in the future.
Panelists: Mark C. Reid, Jackson Housing Authority; Dr. William Towns, Gorman and Company; Craig Cobb, DGA Residential
Moderator: Bill Lord, Director of Community Housing, THDA
Twinning 9%/4% LIHTC Projects (room 106BC)
“Hybrid or “twinned” LIHC transactions are new to Tennessee, but a relatively common approach to financing multifamily projects in other areas of the country. What works, and what doesn’t? What are the potential advantages of hybrid 9%/4% deals? This panel session will feature professionals with experience in twinning, and will explore how the use of a combination 9% credits and tax-exempt bond/4% credits in a larger project can compress development time, bring leveraging advantages, and potentially reduce the sources needed in a capital stack to bring a large-scale neighborhood impact development to life.”
Panelists: Jennifer Hawkins, ONE Neighborhood Builders; Alex Zeltser, Tiber Hudson LLC; Brandon Watkins, RubinBrown
Moderator: Eric Alexander, Director of Multifamily Programs, THDA
TN’s Best Presentations - NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION (room 104E)
This award is given to an organization that has significantly contributed to the stabilization of a neighborhood, through their use of THDA programs and/or the orchestrated use of THDA programs within other housing organizations. Hear about this year’s nominees’ successes directly from them. Winners will be announced at the Awards Program on the 2nd Day.
Panelists: Ben Butler, Project Return; Benjamin Bentley, KCDC Austin Homes; Jim Hatfield, KCDC Austin Homes; Noah Gray, Nickson General Contractors
Moderator: Darrell Robertson, Assistant Director of Industry and Governmental Affairs, THDA
EVENING RECEPTION
4:30p.m. - 5:30p.m. - Vendor area
Friday, March 1
MORNING PLENARY AND BREAKFAST
8:30a.m. - 10:30a.m. Davidson Ballroom
(breakfast buffet starts at 7:30a.m.)
Tennessee's Best Awards
Opening remarks: Senator Marsha Blackburn
Plenary Session - A Look Back: 50 Years of Affordable Housing in Tennessee.
The panel will discuss how affordable housing has changed in Tennessee over the last 50 years with the help of THDA and our partners. Join us as Ralph Perrey discusses the various housing experiences, challenges, and successes that the panelists have witnessed and contributed to throughout the years.
Panelists - Archie Willis, ComCap Partners; Brian Bills, Truist Mortgage; Don Alexander, A & H Development Partners; Lindy Turner, Clinch-Powell
DAY 2 BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Exhibit hall closed today
10:45a.m. to 12:00p.m.
Meeting the Challenge of Workforce Housing when Major Industry Moves in Next Door (room 105AB)
Panelists will discuss the challenge of preparing for and providing an adequate supply of housing to meet the needs of the workforce when a major industry locates in a new facility in an area or undergoes a major expansion. Topics will include how to prepare your infrastructure for potential growth, building partnerships, anticipating housing needs as part of the economic growth conversation and industry recruitment process.
Presenters: Lauren Kirk, City of Jackson; Isa Reeb, HDR; Ermal Faulkner, Ford Motor Company; Mayor Jeff Huffman, Tipton County
Moderator: Darrell Robertson, Assistant Director of Business Development, THDA
Understanding the Community Reinvestment Act: Partnering with Banks for Affordable Housing (room 106BC)
The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) is intended to encourage banks to help meet the credit needs of the communities in which they operate. Join the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency as they provide an overview of the 1995 CRA Rule, key definitions and community development activities for bank partnerships. This session will also include an interactive discussion on CRA, as well as examples of bank partnerships in affordable housing. Participants will be equipped with resources to engage with banks to achieve their affordable housing-related goals.
Panelists: April A. Atkins, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC); Monica Evans, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Amanda Thomas-Wilson, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
Moderator: Toni Shaw, Housing Program Manager, THDA
THDA Program Updates (room 104E)
THDA was created to promote the production of more affordable new housing units as well as the preservation and rehabilitation of existing units for low-income individuals and families in Tennessee. Keys to those efforts are found behind the doors of THDA’s own Community Housing, Community Services, Rental Assistance, and Multifamily Programs. Join this panel of THDA subject matter experts for an overview of the programs THDA offers that can help more Tennesseans achieve housing stability.
Panelists: Eric Alexander, Director of Multifamily Programs; Bill Lord, Director of Community Housing; Pasquel McLeod, Assistant Director of Section 8/Rental Assistance; Rebecca Carter, Director of Community Services
Moderator: Don Watt, Chief Programs Officer, THDA