The Future of Affordable Housing in the DMV: PPPs, Policy Shifts and Current Administration Changes

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  Priya Jayachandran

  Since early 2018 Priya Jayachandran has led National Housing Trust (NHT). NHT is committed to the preservation of home, opportunity, and dignity through affordable housing. In her role as CEO, Priya leads NHT’s engagement in public policy, lending and energy sustainability. Priya previously led Housing Development at Volunteers of America (VOA). In her role, she managed the strategic direction, acquisition, and development of rental housing for VOA. Priya served in the Obama Administration at the Department of Housing and Urban Development from 2014 until 2017, as Senior Policy Advisor, Director of the front office of Multifamily Housing, and ultimately as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multifamily Housing Programs. Before joining HUD, Priya spent more than 15 years in community development real estate banking in New York and Washington, DC. She led client teams delivering debt and tax credit equity for affordable housing and charter schools during that time. Under Priya's leadership, the Mid-Atlantic market at both Citi and Bank of America were the top production offices in the country. Priya is a recognized industry expert on affordable finance deal structuring. Priya has also worked as a consultant to women’s microcredit organizations in La Paz, Bolivia; at Credit Suisse as an investment banking analyst; and at California State Treasurer Kathleen Brown as a Capital Fellow. Priya earned her B.A. from the University of California and her MPA from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.

  National Housing Trust

  CEO & President

  Priya Jayachandran

  CEO & President

  National Housing Trust

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  Zachary Marks

  Zachary Marks, executive vice president, head of real estate development, joined Enterprise Community Development in 2025. Mr. Marks has more than eighteen years of experience in real estate development and has previously worked at private for-profit, private non-profit, and quasigovernmental organizations in more than a dozen major markets throughout the United States. Mr. Marks has managed the entitlement, design, and financing of more than $2.3BN in mixed-income and affordable housing transactions – including $625MM in renovation projects delivered comprising 2,712 units, $1.25MM in new construction projects comprising 3,572 units, $440MM in acquisitions consummated comprising 2,248 units, and LIHTC limited partner interests acquired comprising 1,664 units. He has employed financing innovation and creativity throughout his career, most recently in playing a leading role in creating Montgomery County’s nationally renowned Housing Production Fund – a $100MM revolving new construction equity facility dedicated to public development and ownership, which is projected to yield 6,000 units over the next twenty years. Mr. Marks again collaborated with Montgomery County Council on the creation of the $50MM Non-profit Preservation Fund for the acquisition of naturally occurring affordable housing. He also utilized the Rental Assistance Demonstration program in novel ways that were eventually adopted by HUD and has used the Federal Financing Bank Risk-share program prolifically. Mr. Marks has prioritized energy efficiency and renewables in his housing work. He delivered Montgomery County’s first Community Solar project and broke ground on Maryland’s first Passive House and Zero Net Energy multifamily rental developments. He is an inaugural board member of the Montgomery County Green Bank – the nation’s first at the County level. Mr. Marks is a graduate of the University of Richmond with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, holds a Master’s in Education from the Johns Hopkins University, and received an MBA with Real Estate concentration from the University of North Carolina Kenan Flagler Business School. Before attending graduate business school at UNC, he taught English for three years at Wootton High School in Rockville, MD.

  Enterprise Community

  EVP, Head of Real Estate Development

  Zachary Marks

  EVP, Head of Real Estate Development

  Enterprise Community

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  Sandy Paik

  Sandy Paik serves on the Board of Directors of Community Opportunity Fund, which supports the theory, programs, and data related to making affordable housing mini zip codes of opportunity, and of Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture, which builds the health of land, food & communities in the National Capital Region through the farm-to-community cycle. Sandy is also General Counsel of the Tower Companies, an integrated real estate firm that envisions a world where buildings inspire and enrich the lives of their occupants, and creates positive social change through buildings that improve their health and well-being, connect them to thriving communities, and help sustain the environment. Sandy previously served as General Counsel with the start-up team of DC Green Bank and as Associate General Counsel in Freddie Mac’s Multifamily Department of the Legal Division where she focused on structured targeted affordable housing transactions. Prior to her in-house legal roles, Sandy Paik’s practice focus while working at law firms in the region was on community development and affordable housing finance. Sandy’s volunteer service also includes serving on the Association of Corporate Counsel National Capital Region (ACC NCR) Board, the ACC NCR Leadership Academy Steering Committee. Sandy is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center (2003), earned an M.A. in Policy Analysis and Evaluation from Stanford University School of Education (1999), and a B.A. in History at Tufts University (1995).

  Community Opportunity Fund and Arcadia Center

  Board Member

  Sandy Paik

  Board Member

  Community Opportunity Fund and Arcadia Center

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  Gabriela Canamar

  Gabriela is Partner and Professional Landscape Architect at LandDesign. With an architectural background, Gabriela approaches her work holistically with the goal of transforming the public realm into an inclusive, welcoming, and engaging environment. She leads projects from codifying the design principles of a project's vision, through entitlements and project delivery while prioritizing each project’s unique sense of place. Gabriela has led the delivery of affordable housing projects in the DMV region including Housing Alexandria’s Sansé and Naja as well as The Nexus at the West Alex campus. She currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors Executive Committee for the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership—a testament to her advocacy for finding ways of improving the city's growth balancing needs with the forces that shape it.

  LandDesign

  Partner

  Gabriela Canamar

  Partner

  LandDesign

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  Amy Blackman

  Amy Blackman is a Regional Managing Director for North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee for Apprise, a Walker & Dunlop company. Ms. Blackman joins Apprise with over 15 years of experience at two of the largest international commercial real estate services firms. Her focus has been exclusively on multifamily assets since 2009 and her experience includes existing and proposed garden/midrise apartments, urban high-rise assets, mixed-use assets, fractured condominiums, and affordable housing in primary and secondary markets throughout the Southeast. She leads our national Student Housing specialty practice group and specializes in appraisals that meet the compliance requirements of Freddie Mac (including SBL), Fannie Mae, life companies, CMBS lenders, and balance sheet lenders. She also has extensive experience in valuations for annual reporting purposes. Prior to joining Apprise, Amy was a Valuation Services Director with Colliers International and a Valuation Specialist with CB Richard Ellis. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration in real estate from the University of Georgia.

  Apprise by Walker & Dunlop

  Regional Managing Director

  Amy Blackman

  Regional Managing Director

  Apprise by Walker & Dunlop

• Moderator

  Kristin Niver

  Counsel

  Robinson+Cole

Capitalizing on Opportunity: Navigating Public and Private Financing for Affordable Housing​

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  Joel Patterson

  Mr. Joel Patterson is the Senior Vice President of Development at Dantes Partners. Mr. Patterson has a decade of experience in the affordable housing real estate industry in various capacities. He is responsible for leading all aspects of planning and design, managing predevelopment activities, establishing capital deal structures, and overseeing construction financing and acquisition closings for several projects in the DMV area. He also assists in financing consulting and is engaged in business development efforts. Mr. Patterson started his career as a real estate consultant with Sherick Project Management, which subsequently became Stone Sherick Consulting Group. At Stone Sherick Consulting Group, he was involved with securing and managing $50mm of affordable and special needs housing as well as commercial projects, operating as owner’s representative to non-profits and government agencies in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. Prior to joining Dantes Partners, Mr. Patterson was a development manager at PIRHL. In this position, he was responsible as primary lead on closing approximately $70mm in multifamily affordable housing developments in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Mr. Patterson is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and volunteers his time in various capacities assisting young professionals in transition into careers in commercial real estate.

  Dantes Partners

  SVP of Development

  Joel Patterson

  SVP of Development

  Dantes Partners

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  Stacy Kaplowitz

  Stacy Kaplowitz is the Vice President/Managing Regional Partner at Lincoln Avenue Communities where she leads the firm’s growing Regional Project Partner Development platform and runs her own deal pipeline in the Mid-Atlantic.  Previously, Stacy was with KCG Development where she established and grew the firm’s Mid-Atlantic portfolio, worth over $210 million. Stacy has more than 18 years of professional experience in infrastructure and affordable multifamily development and P3 (‘public private partnership’) real estate advisory. Prior to KCG, Stacy was with Brailsford and Dunlavey, where she and her team developed student housing master plans for clients such as Rutgers University and George Mason University, and expertly advised clients on how to position workforce housing as a valuable recruitment tool. Early in her career, as a Development Director at Herman & Kittle Properties and Project Manager at DMA Development Co., Kaplowitz oversaw the development of more than 650 affordable rental housing units worth over $119 million in Texas, Louisiana, and the Mid-Atlantic. Prior to that, she was a real estate officer for the District of Columbia. Stacy serves as Chair on the Rockville Housing Enterprises Board in her hometown of Rockville, MD. Lincoln Avenue Communities is one of the country’s leading developers, investors, and operators of affordable and workforce housing, providing high-quality, sustainable homes for low- and moderate-income individuals, seniors, and families nationwide. It serves more than 50,000 residents across 28 states, with a portfolio of more than 155 properties comprising 27,000 units.

  Lincoln Avenue Communities

  VP & Managing Regional Project Partner

  Stacy Kaplowitz

  VP & Managing Regional Project Partner

  Lincoln Avenue Communities

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  Mary Claire Davis

  Mary Claire Davis is Vice President of Real Estate Development for Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC). She joined AHC in 2009 and has led its Maryland office since 2018 while focusing on affordable housing development throughout the region. Prior to joining AHC, she managed affordable housing developments with Victory Housing and Wesley Housing. Mary Claire earned a Master of Urban and Environmental Planning degree from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Emory University. She is a member of the Board of Directors and Legislative Co-Chair for the Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition and served on the Housing Committee for Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s transition team in 2023. She also is a 2024 graduate of Leadership Maryland. Founded in 1975, AHC has developed or preserved more than 8,700 homes in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia throughout 55 different communities. AHC’s CORES-certified Resident Services focus on four cornerstones of Education & Youth Development, Health & Wellness, Economic Mobility, and Community Building & Engagement for families, adults, and seniors throughout its communities.

  Affordable Homes & Communities

  VP, Real Estate Development

  Mary Claire Davis

  VP, Real Estate Development

  Affordable Homes & Communities

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  Maria Lobo

  Maria is a transformational leader and technical expert in the real estate and construction risk management industry with 20 years of combined experience and proven background as an engineer, underwriter, risk manager and broker leading enterprise risk management and insurance programs to mitigate business risks including execution and implementation of organizational policies. Maria’s approach is consultative and strategic. She leverages her unique combination of technical expertise to identify and treat risk, and create customized solutions that improve performance and transform operations for Contractors and Project Owners. Maria takes the time to develop a deep understanding of her clients’ needs and operations via risk assessments and evaluate options to transfer and manage their risk. During her career, Maria has played a pivotal role in leadership changes in the organizations she has served. Maria has been a strategic risk advisor on over 500 infrastructure, institutional, industrial, healthcare, commercial, power generating and real estate projects. Maria is a bilingual presenter and negotiator of real estate and construction risk management and insurance topics with work experience in organizations across North America, Latin America, and Europe with exposure to cross functional teams with multiple nationalities. Prior to her risk management career, Maria worked as a bridge hydraulics design engineer.

  Arthur J. Gallagher

  SVP

  Maria Lobo

  SVP

  Arthur J. Gallagher

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  Kyle Shoemaker

  Kyle Shoemaker, Founder and Managing Director, has worked in multi-family investment sales for over twenty years. This time spans his entire career, which committed to focusing exclusively on Affordable Housing in 2006. He started in the business working for a large, national brokerage, then, in 2013, he partnered with the principals of Senior Living Investment Brokerage (SLIB), one of the nation’s leading brokers of nursing home and assisted living facilities, to create a new boutique brokerage specifically focused on selling deed-restricted Affordable Housing. Since that time, he has directly led a team in closing over 150 transactions totaling over $650M in value. Kyle is an advocate for affordable housing, as an active member of the Institute for Responsible Housing Preservation and the National Leased Housing Council. As a Chicago-based national authority on affordable housing brokerage, he has been a frequent speaker at industry conferences, including Bisnow Multifamily Forums, Interface Affordable Housing regional events, and REJournals Forums.

  Affordable Housing Investment Brokerage

  Managing Director

  Kyle Shoemaker

  Managing Director

  Affordable Housing Investment Brokerage

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  Ryan Riel

  Ryan Riel has worked in Commercial Real Estate with EagleBank for more than 20 years and currently oversees the Bank’s $5 billion CRE lending portfolio. Throughout his tenure, he has worn multiple hats and participated in originating more than $6 billion in real estate transactions of various types across the DC region. Since February 2025, in addition to CRE Lending, Mr. Riel oversees more than 200 employees across retail banking, small business lending, loan and deposit operations, and information technology. Mr. Riel sits on the Board of Directors of the EagleBank Foundation, and on the Board for George Mason University’s Center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship. He is a current Trustee for The Children’s Inn at NIH and previously served on the Board of Directors at the Inn for ten years. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from West Virginia University.

  EagleBank

  Chief Real Estate Lending Officer

  Ryan Riel

  Chief Real Estate Lending Officer

  EagleBank

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  Genevieve Hanson

  Genevieve Hanson has spent 20 years overseeing real estate transactions and assets valued over $6 Billion and has more than 10 years’ experience as a strategy and operations consultant. Genevieve is the CEO and Founder of H & H Realty Group focused on leveraging real estate consulting and multi-family development to generate social and environmental impacts. Prior to H & H, Genevieve was a Partner at Ernst & Young, LLP, providing real estate strategy and transaction services to the Dept of Commerce, Veterans Affairs, Army, Navy, Air Force, HUD, City of Baltimore and University of Pittsburgh. As an Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Genevieve led real estate policy, asset management, leasing supply chain operations and sustainability program. While at U.S. General Services Administration and the DC Government Deputy Mayor’s Office for Planning and Economic Development, Genevieve managed the strategy, solicitation process and deal structure for multiple acquisitions and dispositions for properties up to 110-acres. Genevieve has served in Leadership positions with several Trade Associations including Commercial Real Estate for Women DC; Urban Land Institute; African American Real Estate Professionals; and Federal Real Property Association. Genevieve earned a B.A. in International Relations from the College of William and Mary and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

  H&H Realty Group

  CEO

  Moderator

  Genevieve Hanson

  CEO

  H&H Realty Group

Affordable Housing in High-Demand Neighborhoods: Balancing Affordability with Development Pressure

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  Kate Owens

  Kate Owens is the of Director of Investments at Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners, where she is instrumental in fortifying the firm’s financial strategies and broadening its commitment to preserving and creating housing for all. Her vast experience and deep understanding of affordable housing markets enable her to integrate innovative financing models and strategic partnerships, thereby enhancing the firm’s capacity to deliver impactful housing projects. At Jair Lynch, Owens’ expertise is not just an asset but a keystone in the firm’s strategy to address the pressing need for attainable housing. Her innovative approach to financing and development, combined with a solid foundation in policy and economics, bolsters the firm’s capacity to make significant strides in reducing housing disparities and contributing to the creation of inclusive communities. Prior to her tenure at Jair Lynch, Owens held roles such as a principal at HR&A Advisors, where she led the national affordable housing practice. Her tenure at HR&A was marked by significant achievements, including her pivotal role in advising Amazon on the structuring and investment strategies for their $2 billion Housing Equity Fund. Her career also spans influential roles at the World Resources Institute, the World Bank, Wells Fargo, and Jones Lang LaSalle.

  Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners

  Director of Investments

  Kate Owens

  Director of Investments

  Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners

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  Haley Norris

  Haley Norris has served as Director of Real Estate Development since 2024 after joining True Ground Housing Partners in 2021. At True Ground, Haley plays a key role on the real estate development team by overseeing developments with complex financing across the DMV. Her portfolio includes multi-phase affordable communities in high opportunity neighborhoods and supporting the growth of True Ground's acquisition pipeline. She has worked in various aspects of affordable housing development for more than 10 years, including development, underwriting tax credit and tax-exempt bond deals at the Maryland Community Development Administration, and started off her career in resident services for an affordable housing developer in South Carolina.

  True Ground Housing Partners

  Director, Development

  Haley Norris

  Director, Development

  True Ground Housing Partners

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  Kelly Cantley

  Kelly Cantley is responsible for the development of new business opportunities for Bozzuto’s construction group as well as operations in the Boston and South Florida markets. She is also responsible for Bozzuto’s renovation and capital improvements group. Involved with every aspect of the business from acquisition, planning and implementation of new work, Kelly serves as a liaison between preconstruction, operations and clients to ensure the project goals are met from construction’s conception to completion. Prior to joining Bozzuto, Kelly worked for Turner Construction for 10 years. Before her civilian career, she served as an Officer in the Civil Engineer Corps. Kelly acquired her Master of Business Administration Degree from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the United States Naval Academy. Kelly is active in many real estate affiliations as well as philanthropic organizations. She currently serves as a Board Member for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Urban Land Institute, Women’s Housing Coalition, and ACE Mentoring Program. Kelly is active in many real estate affiliations as well as philanthropic organizations such as Urban Land Institute, Women’s Housing Coalition, ACE Mentoring Program and Jubilee Housing.

  Bozzuto Construction Company

  SVP

  Kelly Cantley

  SVP

  Bozzuto Construction Company

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  Joe LeMense

  Joseph LeMense is the managing director of community development & nonprofit banking at United Bank, the largest headquartered community bank in Greater Washington. With over 40 years of experience, LeMense guides the Bank’s nonprofit business development and lending initiatives throughout the Bank’s markets in eight states and the District. He focuses on providing personalized financial solutions to mission-based organizations involved in community development, affordable housing, education, social services and trade associations. LeMense joined United Bank in 2004, most recently serving as a senior vice president of commercial banking. In this role, he developed and managed long-term lending relationships, primarily in the nonprofit, biotech and government contracting industries. LeMense’s areas of expertise include tax exempt bond finance, tax increment finance, Property Assessed Clean Energy (“PACE”) financing and Low Income Housing Tax Credit (“LIHTC”) and New Market Tax Credit (“NMTC”) financing. A fifth-generation Washingtonian and fourth-generation graduate of Georgetown University, LeMense is a board member of the Jubilee Housing Advisory Board and a former mayoral appointee to the D.C. Public Charter School Credit Enhancement Fund Committee. He is an active volunteer and advisor with the Georgetown University Alumni Club of Washington, D.C. as well as a guest lecturer at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business. A 2015 graduate of Leadership Montgomery, Joe was also a charter member and past president of the Metro Bethesda Rotary Club.

  United Bank

  Managing Director

  Joe LeMense

  Managing Director

  United Bank

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  Jason Duguay

  Mr. Duguay is Senior Vice President and a Principal of SCG Development. He has been with SCG Development since 2010 and is primarily responsible for acquisition, development, and oversight of the company’s development activities. Jason became a partner in the company in 2020 and during his time at SCG Development has been involved in the acquisition and development of over of 60 affordable housing transactions across 12 states with total development costs of over $2 billion.

  SCG Development

  SVP and Principal

  Jason Duguay

  SVP and Principal

  SCG Development

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  Ryn Burns

  If it’s all downhill from here, grab a board! In addition to being an architect, Ryn Burns is a grownup with a bunch of hobbies. He travels with a skateboard, makes hiphop, builds treehouses, practices yoga, meditates, teaches, works on cultural preservation with the Sapara Nation, volunteers at The Well a DC urban farm, sits on the board of Black Land Ownership, and travels whenever the winds are right. He also spends significant time dadding and making dad jokes. He is passionate about housing, design, reuse, and sustainable/nurturing projects that build and reinforce vibrant healthy communities. Let’s ride!

  Dwell Design Studio

  Principal

  Ryn Burns

  Principal

  Dwell Design Studio

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  Scott Adams

  Scott heads McGuireWoods’ Land Use Practice Group and is a leader in the Northern Virginia land use and development field. Scott’s practice focuses on land use and development issues in Northern Virginia, where he assists developers and landowners in navigating the land use entitlement process, including obtaining rezonings, special exceptions, special permits, variances, and comprehensive plan amendments. Scott’s creative and entrepreneurial approach to land use helps add value to client’s development projects. Throughout the land use entitlement process, Scott works to maximize development potential for his clients in a cost-effective and timely manner. In addition to new development, he also assists clients in amending existing development approvals to more closely align with changing market conditions. Additionally, Scott has experience navigating the approval process for repurposing of existing buildings and historic structures. Prior to obtaining his law degree and joining McGuireWoods LLP, he was an urban planner assisting developers and advising local governments on a wide range of land use and development issues. Scott also volunteers for a variety of community organizations and serves as a volunteer Cub Scout leader.

  McGuireWoods

  Partner

  Moderator

  Scott Adams

  Partner

  McGuireWoods

Remarks from the Podium

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  Michael Spotts

  Director of Real Estate Development

  Habitat for Humanity