There are still several opportunities to collaborate and provide input on proposed changes to the 2016-2017 Qualified Allocation Plan. Regional Public Forms will be held in Dayton on Wednesday, January 28 and in Cleveland on Thursday, January 29. In addition to these opportunities, a formal written comment period will be observed through Thursday, April 30, 2015. Comments may be directed to [email protected].

The Housing Development Loan (HDL) Program funding limits have been announced. $75 Million in HDL funding will be available in 2015: $60 Million for 9% Housing Tax Credit Applications and $15 Million for 4% Housing Tax Credit Applications funded through the Bond Gap Financing (BGF) Program. The maximum request per application for 9% projects will be $1.5 Million. Applications competing in the Permanent Supportive Housing Pool may request up to $2 Million per application. The maximum request per application for 4% projects will be $2 Million. A new draft of the 2015 HDL Guidelines will be posted next week for comments, with a final draft slated for release in February. Comments may be submitted to [email protected].

Join OHFA on April 29-30, 2015 at the Renaissance Columbus, as they explore the role of affordable housing in strengthening Ohio’s families and neighborhoods. Starting at Home: Using Philanthropy, Research & Practice to Build a Better Ohio, hosted by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency and the Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, will bring together philanthropists, researchers, and policymakers to begin a dialogue about how the development of affordable housing can improve the lives of low- and moderate-income Ohioans. Panels and sessions will focus on the intersection of affordable housing policy and health, education, financial stability, neighborhood revitalization, and local government. Register online. The registration fee for this conference is $150.

Applicants planning to submit 2015 Housing Tax Credit Proposal Applications can access the DevCo Online Application and Guide on the OHFA website. A newly-recorded DevCo Online Application Training Webinar is also now available on the OHFA website. Questions regarding the DevCo Online Application can be sent to [email protected]. OHFA will hold two in-person DevCo Online Application User Trainings for individuals who will be completing online application(s) for the 2015 Housing Tax Credit Program. The trainings will be held on Wednesday, January 28, 2015 from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM and Thursday, February 5, 2015 from 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM, both in the Roger McCauley Board Room at OHFA. Registration is now open for the trainings. Please note that both trainings will cover the same material.

The OHFA Office of Program Compliance will host a Tax Credit Compliance Training on Thursday, February 12, 2015. The training will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Columbus at Quest Conference Center. OHFA’s Compliance Training focuses primarily on the basics of compliance for the Housing Tax Credit program (also known as the HTC program). Because compliance rules and procedures are frequently updated, the course is beneficial for individuals new to the Housing Tax Credit program as well as seasoned veterans. The course covers concepts including the housing tax credit, applicable fraction, the student rule, the next available unit rule, OHFA’s required forms and policies, compliance reporting, and more. The course is a Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) requirement and also may be required to fulfill OHFA’s Experience and Capacity Review Requirements. The course also provides 6 hours of continuing education credit for the Specialist in Housing Credit Management (SHCM), the Housing Credit Certified Professional (HCCP) and Certified Public Account (CPA) designations. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis but not guaranteed until payment of $89 has been received by OHFA. Click here to register.