Housing Development Training Institute
California faces a huge housing crisis. LISC Bay Area skills up people and organizations to be part of the solution. Through the Housing Development Training Institute (HDTI) we provide emerging talent at Community Development Corporations (CDCs) with the skills and network they need to be champions for equitable community and housing development.
Program Snapshot:
- Services Provided: Skills training and technical support for CDCs to develop and preserve affordable housing
- Target Audience: Professionals working at CDCs
Background
To build the high-quality, accessible and affordable housing our communities need, we need a skilled and motivated development workforce who understand equity and work in partnership with community. Our Housing Development Training Institute (HDTI) develops the talent and knowledge of emerging housing and community development professionals to equip them with the will, and the way to create affordable housing in California. More than 500 people across 100 sites have graduated from this program with the relationships, skills, and equity lens they need to make an impact and thrive over their careers.
The Training Experience
Over a 12-month period, students will receive approximately 160 hours of instruction including a combination of presentations, case studies, and simulations that allow participants to negotiate a typical housing development deal with real world practitioners. One of the unique features of the LISC HDTI program is that each participant is expected to work on an actual housing development, applying the lessons learned during the program workshops, and creating a real-life context for the training. Through this training program, participants also foster a network of project management professionals who serve as a resource to each other, share information, and provide peer support throughout their careers.
HDTI Participants Acquire the Following Skills
- Gain an understanding of common real estate development terms
- Exploration of the key components of socially-responsible property and asset management
- Extensive financial feasibility and analysis instruction
- Identifying sites and obtaining site control
- Syndication and equity participation issues
- Resolving planning and zoning issues
- Construction management
- Marketing and lease‐up
- Introduction to property and asset management
- Tax credit financial structuring
- Negotiating with lenders and investors
Future HDTI Cohorts
The 2023-2024 cohort is now complete. The application window for the 2024-2025 cohort will open later this Fall.
Participant Testimony
Karoleen Feng, a 2007 HDTI alum, now serves as the Director of Community Real Estate with Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) in San Francisco. When asked about how the HDTI program supported her professional development in affordable housing, Karoleen shared: “I was in LISC HDTI in the 2nd/3rd year of my career. At the time I had been assistant project manager for two closings and with LISC HDTI, I was exposed to the theory behind affordable housing financing and how to position myself with lenders and government funders. As importantly, I gained a network of like-minded, affordable housing professionals to whom I could ask the dumb questions and that I could bump into at Housing California and share experiences. For those who stayed in the industry, I've continued to criss-cross paths with them and reach out to them if I needed support and they are also where I've found staff to hire!”
Learn More about HDTI
