CCLF E-NEWSLETTER OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, ISSUES & FEATURES 2nd Quarter /2012
Green Affordable Housing Training First cohort of community developers ready for LEED Green Associate exam CCLF recently partnered with the US Green Building Council-Illinois Chapter (USGBC) and the Alliance for Environmental Sustainability (AES) to prepare 25 Chicago community developers to take the LEED Green Associate (GA) exam. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a set of rating systems designed to promote green building practices. The LEED GA accreditation recognizes individuals for their knowledge of the LEED rating system and enables Green Associates to work towards the next level of accreditation: LEED AP (Accredited Professional).
In This Issue LEED Green Affordable Housing Training LUCHA Wall Breaking CCLF Noteworthy CCLF Project Readiness Workshop
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Instructor Jason LaFleur of AES prepares 25 community development practitioners representing 20 organizations for the LEED Green Associate exam.
Cohort members participated in four courses taught by Jason LaFleur of AES which covered topics from the benefits of an integrated design process to strategies for reducing the urban heat island effect. Attendees learned from LaFleur and also each other. For example, Jesus Vargas of Claretian Associates said he valued "the array of people in the cohort because they brought so much vast experience with them and shared it with me. Much of what they said and explained cannot be learned just by reading a book."
Members were selected through a competitive application process: candidates were evaluated based on their organization's role in providing affordable housing in lower-wealth communities, their ability to share information learned with others in their communities and their willingness to pursue their LEED AP.
Green Affordable Housing Training Cohort members Benjamin Van Horne (left) of Greenline Development and Bryan Esenberg of NHS discuss course content during a break
Ed Lucas of Renacer West Side Community Development spoke of how he benefited from the coursework: "The knowledge I received will add tremendous value to my work. I can assist homeowners and commercial developers who are doing extensive rehabilitation work look at why building to LEED standards is so important from both an energy efficiency and sustainability standpoint. We've got to leave something for future generations!" Good luck to cohort members on the upcoming exam! The training was generously funded by Northern Trust Charitable Trust.
LUCHA "Wall Breaking" of Borinquen Bella Project
CCLF Project Readiness Workshop July 10
This one-day primer is intended for those new to the field of affordable housing development. Learn what it means to be a developer; get advice on how to work with architects, contractors and other professionals; navigate different sources of funding; and learn what lenders look for in applications for funding. Time: 8:45 am-5:00 pm Location: CCLF 29 E. Madison St. Suite 1700 Chicago, IL 60602 Register online or contact Kallie at 312-252-0440 x 101 or krollenhagen@cclfchicago.org for more information.
CCLF predevelopment loan preserves affordable housing This April, CCLF celebrated with the Latin United Community Housing Association (LUCHA) in Humboldt Park at the wall breaking of Borinquen Bella Apartments, which will preserve 47 units of housing as affordable. The wall breaking ceremony symbolizes the start of a $11.7 million gut rehab as well as the breakdown of barriers LUCHA underwent to move this project forward. Two historical murals -- "Breaking the Chains" at 1456 N. Rockwell by John Pitman Weber and "Honor Boricua" at 1318 N. Rockwell by Hector Duarte -- will also be restored as part of the Borinquen Bella project. Borinquen Bella Apartments highlights LUCHA's tenacity as a developer as well as CCLF's patience as a lender to push this project forward in wake of the housing market crash. CCLF made a preservation loan to LUCHA in 2008 to help with emergency repairs to the buildings while the rest of the financing was assembled. CCLF loan officer Mark Fick explained the struggles this project faced with the onset of the housing crash: "Right as [CCLF] money was going in, the rest of the financing was falling apart. LUCHA had to start from the beginning in putting together a new financing package, so what was originally an 18-month loan was only able to be paid off this spring."
Funders and Investors For their recent grants, CCLF thanks Chicago Community Trust, MB Financial, Exelon, First Midwest and Northern Trust. For their recent investments and renewals, CCLF thanks First Eagle Bank and Sisters Of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Dubuque.
After many struggles and set-backs, CCLF proudly congratulates LUCHA for the hard work they have put into preserving this much needed affordable housing in the West Town community. IHDA, BMO Harris and State Farm provided the permanent financing on this project.
Board of Directors John L. Tuohy, Chair Chapman and Cutler (retired) Susan Kaplan, Vice Chair The Law Project (retired) Charles Walls, Treasurer ComEd Mohammed M. Elahi, Secretary Andes Capital Group LLC Charles F. Daas Ravenswood Community Council Erik L. Hall Citigroup Toya Horn Howard Real Estate Attorney Edward J. Hoynes, CPA Community Accounting Services
CCLF Senior Loan Officer Mark Fick helping take down the wall at LUCHA's Borinquen Bella Wall Breaking
Ed Jacob Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago Rafael M. Le贸n Chicago Metropolitan Housing Dev. Corp.
CCLF Noteworthy Staff & Board News CCLF welcomes Erik Hall of Citigroup to our Board of Directors. As a Director with Citigroup, Erik co-heads the Municipal Securities Division's National Accounts Group. He is co-chair of Citigroup's Municipal Division Diversity Committee and is also a board member of the Urban Bush Women Dance Company and the Chicago Summer Business Institute. He served on CCLF's Risk Management Committee for two years prior to joining the Board. CCLF is also happy to welcome our newest team members, Rob Rose and Emily Sipfle. Rob joins the CCLF staff as Vice President of Lending. He has a dynamic background in real estate financing, having managed over $3.2 billion in capitalization across a wide range of portfolios, including Urban Partnership Bank, The Lynd Company and GE Capital. He lives in Evergreen Park with his fianc茅e and two daughters.
Patricia Y. McCreary Seaway National Bank Raymond McGaugh McGaugh Law Group Steven Quasny Harris Bank Nancy Radner Ounce of Prevention Matthew R. Reilein JPMorgan Chase & Co. Kathryn Tholin Center for Neighborhood Technology
Emily, a recent graduate of the Masters of Urban Planning Program at UIC, joins the lending team as Lending & Portfolio Management Associate. Emily previously worked at IFF as a Senior Research Assistant. In her free time she enjoys gardening, exploring Chicago coffee shops and trying new recipes.
Credit Memos: CCLF lends $3.6 million
Bubbly Dynamics, LLC received a $540,000 equipment/working capital loan for the purchase and installation of an anaerobic digester and combined heat and power system at The Plant, a net-zero energy vertical farm in Back of the Yards. This loan is part of the City of Chicago's Small Business Development Fund and the Communities at Work Fund. Thanks to Holly Snow, Joshua Samis, Aaron Tucker and Matthew Stoker of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, LLP for serving as CCLF's counsel on this transaction. Growing Home, Inc. received a $50,000 equipment/working capital loan to purchase equipment and supplies to expand operations at their new farm site in Englewood. This loan is part of the City of Chicago's Small Business Development Fund. Unity Enterprise Development Corporation received $322,000 in construction loans to rehab a property in Hermosa as part of the City of Chicago NSP.
Staff Calvin L. Holmes President Jane I. Ames Vice President, Finance & Administration Rob Rose Vice President, Lending Mark Fick Senior Loan/Program Officer Paul Gakhal Senior Loan/Program Officer Lycrecia Parks Senior Portfolio Management Officer Clarice Norin Loan Closing/Portfolio Officer Juanita Walker Office Manager Emily Sipfle Lending & Portfolio Management Associate
Restoration Development, LLC received $269,600, $336,000, $339,100, $376,000 and $280,000 in construction loans to rehab five properties in Woodlawn and Chicago Lawn for the City of Chicago NSP.
Jessica Stoneberg Finance & Administration Associate
5655 Indiana, LLC closed on a $668,000 construction loan through the City of Chicago NSP and a $440,000 permanent mortgage for a 22-unit residential building in Washington Park.
Anuraag Bhadana Finance & Administration Assistant
Lincoln Stannard Program Assistant
Kallie Rollenhagen Program Assistant
Consultants Torrence Moore Senior Consultant Special Initiatives
Credits CCLF provides low-cost, flexible financing and technical assistance to community development organizations engaged in affordable housing, social service and economic development initiatives that benefit low- and moderate-income neighborhoods and households throughout metropolitan Chicago.
Editor Kallie Rollenhagen Printer Salsedo Press
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