Bellwether Enterprise Arranges $115 Million In Financing For 12 Affordable Housing Communities Across The Southeast
“Through these loans, Bellwether Enterprise’s affordable housing team is further expanding its geographic reach in the Southeast and building upon a long-standing commitment to provide viable housing options to underserved communities,” said Ned Huffman, president of Bellwether Enterprise. “We are dedicated to supporting the economic vitality of communities through our flexible and customized loans to ensure every family has a quality and affordable place to call home.”
The properties include:
Shemwood Crossing Apartments (Greenville, SC)
James River Crossing (Lynchburg, VA)
Gretna Village Apartments (Gretna, VA)
Afton Gardens Apartments (Roanoke, VA)
Boulder Creek Apartments (Greenville, SC)
Crescent Hill Apartments (Spartanburg, SC)
Spring Grove (Taylors, SC)
Timber Ridge Apartments (Charlotte, NC)
Cedar Moor Apartments (Raleigh, NC)
Brentwood Crossing (High Point, NC)
Brittany Woods & Park Chase Apartments (Valdosta, GA)
Temple Court (Miami, FL)
To assist in the acquisition of James River Crossing and Gretna Village Apartments, both in Virginia, Bellwether Enterprise sourced the equity needed to consummate the closing, which included existing loans from VHDA and assumed by the sponsor.
The other nine properties were financed through a $69,616,000 10-year fixed loan funded through Freddie Mac's Tax-Exempt Loan (TEL) program. The transaction was the first Freddie Mac TEL loan to use a 501(c)3 bond allocation. All previous Freddie Mac TEL loans were funded through 4% LIHTC bond allocations and had at least 15-year terms. In addition to the Freddie Mac TEL financing, Stifel served as financial advisor as well as raising $7,000,000 in subordinate tax-exempt bonds to complete the capital stack.
Phil Melton, executive vice president and national director of affordable housing and FHA lending at Bellwether Enterprise in the Dallas office, arranged the loans on behalf of the borrower, Atlantic Housing Foundation, Inc.
“This transaction took a commitment from multiple real estate firms and professionals to get closed,” said Melton. “There were a multitude of complexities to work through, including the FHA shutdown late in 2019. I can’t say enough good things about the overall team in getting this deal to closing. It will ensure the affordability of 1,776 units across the Southeast for the long term.”
Michael Nguyen, president and CEO of Atlantic Housing Foundation, Inc., added, “The exciting opportunity to add these assets to our growing portfolio in the Southeast allows us to continue the Atlantic Housing Foundation mission of transforming communities by making a difference in the lives of our residents. We look forward to serving our new residents by providing our time-tested model of community service, asset management, and our customer-service focus to help transform the lives of our residents and improve the communities where we operate.”
Nguyen further states, “I’m grateful for the exceptional execution of Bellwether and our dedicated team of professionals, without whom this transaction would not be possible.”
Bellwether Enterprise provides flexible financing solutions for clients covering the entire spectrum of commercial and multifamily real estate. For more information on Bellwether Enterprise’s services, visit us at www.BellwetherEnterprise.com.