We can’t wait to see everyone in Nashville next month! It’s going to be a fun few days. I’ll give you more details about what you’ve signed up for.
Long story short, you should expect great sessions, country music, and Southern food with your favorite tax credit crew – Travoisians!
If you want the long story, read on!
Monday, April 4
2-4 p.m. – Stop by the registration table (on the second floor of the hotel) and grab your conference materials and a little Music City gift from us to you!
4-6 p.m. – We’re heading to Broadway Street to kick-off our 16th Annual Conference! Join us at Tin Roof! We will have food, drinks (a cash bar will be available) and live music. The venue is just two blocks from the hotel and walking directions will be included in your registration materials.
Tuesday, April 5
7-8 a.m. – Join us for breakfast! We have lots of delicious options – including a made-to-order omelet station! Before you grab some breakfast, stop by the registration desk to check-in.
8 a.m. – Time to get the show on the road!
9 a.m. – Building Your Community: Affordable Housing
Bryan Schuler, Mike Price and Ashley Bland will lead the session and provide an introduction to the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program with specific focus on understanding the financial considerations and compliance requirements.
Noon – It’s time for lunch and a musical performance by Luke Bell! Everyone likes to tap their toes while dining, right?
1 p.m. –Interactive Design Charette and Case Studies
Ashley Bland will lead this interactive session. We will go through inspiration photos and talk about how to dream big and apply those dreams to reality. Many veteran tribal developers will be in the room and can provide feedback on their experience using tax credits to create efficient, beautiful and quality housing.
2:45 p.m. – Snacks!
3 p.m. – LIHTC Case Studies with Sokaogon Chippewa Housing Authority
This session’s panel will include Travois staff members Casey Cline, Lauren DuCharme and Taylor Higgins and Sokaogon Chippewa Housing Executive Director Jeff Ackley. SCHA is currently building new single-family homes and rehabbing a vacant motel to turn it into efficiency apartments for veterans and tribal elders.
4 p.m. – Sessions conclude for the day. Explore Nashville!
Wednesday, April 6
7-8 a.m. – Don’t miss breakfast – it’s the most important meal of the day.
8 a.m. – Building Your Community: Economic Development
Phil Glynn and Michael Bland will cover the essential components of the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program, which can be used to finance health care facilities, government and administration buildings, manufacturing centers and other infrastructure, essential services and businesses.
9:10 a.m. – Putting NMTC into Action: Washoe NMTC Initiative
Guest presenters Little Fawn Boland and John Hosman will discuss a recent economic development project they worked on with the Washoe Tribe. They will describe the steps that were taken, the hurdles the tribe overcame, and the benefits of using NMTCs for this highly impactful Indian Country project.
9:45 a.m. – How to Survive a State Audit / How Fair Housing Impacts Tribal Projects
LIHTC state audits can be scary. Mike Price and Crystal Banks-Mann will guide you through the process, so you can make every audit a successful one! We will also discuss how Fair Housing laws apply to tribal projects and compliance best practices.
11 a.m. – NMTC Case Study: Carl Albert Multi-Purpose Facility
The success of NMTC projects is dependent on the cooperation and coordination of multiple stakeholders. A panel of professionals will provide perspectives on working through projects from conception to closing and beyond.
Noon – We’ll run through the lunch buffet line and settle back in the conference room for our Superhero Awards Ceremony! We can’t wait to honor individuals doing superhero work in their communities.
2015 Superhero Award winners
1 p.m. – Investor Panel
This is your opportunity to hear directly from LIHTC investors. Led by Bryan Schuler, this interactive session will give audience members the chance to learn more about investor interest in tribal LIHTC developments, ask questions and learn about what investors consider when making equity offers.
2 p.m. – Decoding the LPA
Closing LIHTC projects with an equity investor culminates in hundreds of pages of legal documents, including the 100+ page limited partnership agreement (or LPA) that defines the rights, duties, obligations and other terms of the 15-year relationship between the tribe/TDHE and investor. Join Casey Cline and Angela Christy, partnership attorney for virtually all of Indian Country’s LIHTC projects, as they help translate the “legalese” of the LPA into legal-easy.
2:45 p.m. – Snacks!
3 p.m. – Advocating for Housing & Economic Development: Updates and Suggestions
Let’s do everything we can to promote access to affordable housing and economic development in Indian Country! In this session, Elizabeth Glynn and Marie Allen will provide tips on how to advocate for Indian Country projects and why your participation matters.
4 p.m. – Don’t miss our raffle before the 2016 conference concludes.