November 2020
AHFA Welcomes New Board Member
The AHFA board and staff welcome Glenn Horton of Southern Properties Agency Inc. in Fort Payne to the Board of Directors. Horton replaces Greg Henderson and will serve a seven-year term beginning November 2020.

He is a lifelong resident of Fort Payne and has established himself as a proven business leader - both in real estate and in civic affairs. Horton holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Auburn. In 2014, he graduated from Auburn's Master of Real Estate Development (MRED) program. Horton holds a real estate license, broker’s license, and has over 17 years of experience in commercial and residential sales.

He is a past chairman of the Fort Payne Industrial Development Board, past president of the Fort Payne Chamber of Commerce, past president of Fort Payne Kiwanis Club, and past president of the DeKalb County Association of Realtors. 
Board of Directors Meeting Held in November
The AHFA Board of Directors met November 19. Among other business, the board approved the following:

  • Annual election of officers

  • COVID-19 Amendment to the 2020 HOME Action Plan

  • Final 2021 HOME and Housing Credit allocation plans

  • Draft 2021 National Housing Trust Fund allocation plan

  • Multifamily Bonds for South Oak Residences in Foley

  • Multifamily Bonds for Capstone at Kinsey Cove in Dothan

  • IRS election to convert expiring 2017 private activity bond cap to Mortgage Credit Certificates
2021 Allocation Plans Approved & Housing Trust Fund Public Hearing Scheduled
The AHFA Board of Directors approved the final 2021 HOME and Housing Credit allocation plans and the draft 2021 Housing Trust Fund allocation plans during its November 19 meeting. The allocation plans will be used to direct the application process and funding awards for 2021 multifamily development proposals. The plans are available for download at http://bit.ly/2i82idW.

A public hearing will be conducted concerning the draft 2021 HTF plan on Wednesday, December 9 in Montgomery. All interested parties are invited to submit written or oral comments at the public hearing regarding the proposed plan. All written comments must be submitted using the AHFA-required 2021 Plan Comment Form and must be received by AHFA by 5 p.m. on January 8. More information on the public hearing can be found at https://bit.ly/3nTMZYj.
Student Spotlight: Malea Benjamin, South Hills Apartments, Pell City
Malea Benjamin received a 2020 resident scholarship award from the Alabama Affordable Housing Association (AAHA). She went on to later receive a scholarship from the national Council for Affordable and Rural Housing (CARH) organization.

Education:
Benjamin is a 2020 graduate of Pell City High School and currently attends the University of Alabama. She is majoring in political science with a minor in communications or criminal justice. Ultimately, she plans to continue on to law school.

Career Goals:
“I have been intrigued by politics since a very young age,” wrote Benjamin in her scholarship application. “I remember going to the polls in 2008 with my grandmother and when she asked me who she should vote for (as if she did not already know), I remember pointing to President Barack Obama. As I grew older, I was fascinated by the whole presidential election process, from the candidates, to the debates, to the general election. Since sixth grade, my career goal was to become a lawyer. It was only natural that I would choose the legal profession as the doorway to becoming a member of Congress. My dream is to become a lawyer and politician because my heart truly lies in public service.”

Impact of Scholarship:
Benjamin said, “There is limited family contribution toward the cost of college. This scholarship will ease the burden of college expenses, which will allow me to focus more on my studies. Being awarded this scholarship will bring me closer to making my dream a reality.”

Living in affordable housing:
“I know from personal experience how affordable housing can play a huge role in the outcome of a student’s education,” said Benjamin. “[In 2018], we were able to move into affordable housing that was less than a one-mile drive from my high school. Finally, I was able to have my own space to decorate as I pleased and a place where I could study without disruptions. The neighborhood was quiet, safe, and, most of all, affordable. A suitable home life is a very important factor in determining a child’s educational success. It is necessary that more affordable housing be made available in communities throughout the country, where children, like myself, can benefit from living in home environments suitable for learning, free from chaos and distractions, and provide stability needed to improve a child’s academic performance.”

In 2000, the Alabama Affordable Housing Association (AAHA) created an education scholarship program for residents of member-owned apartment properties in Alabama. The scholarship funds are donated by the owners, contractors, architects, accountants, property management companies, investors, lenders, developers, and various vendors that make up AAHA’s membership as well as other non-member individuals. Since its inception, the AAHA resident scholarship fund has awarded more than $750,000 in college and vocational scholarships. For more information about the resident scholarship program, please contact Arrice Faught, AAHA’s executive director, at arrice@theaaha.org or 205.758.1158.   
Multifamily Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies
During the month of November, grand openings/ribbon cuttings were held for the following affordable housing developments, financed in part by AHFA's multifamily programs:
November 9: Winwood, Winfield
47 units
Housing Credits: $452,308
November 10: Mayfair Manor, Fayette
47 units
Housing Credits: $422,673
November 13: Graceway, Fairhope
48 units
HOME: $244,060
Housing Credits: $763,553
November 18: River Run, Brewton
56 units
Housing Credits: $474,201
ServiSolutions Customers: Be Wary Of COVID-19 Scams
Our ServiSolutions customer service agents are hearing reports from borrowers who have been contacted by individuals falsely claiming to be working with ServiSolutions to provide help with obtaining a mortgage payment forbearance. These individuals request borrower Social Security numbers and several hundred dollars in payment.

Please be alert to this and similar scams. ServiSolutions will NEVER ask you for payment to place you in a forbearance. Applying for a forbearance is a service provided free of charge.

We hope you will be vigilant towards possible scammers taking advantage of the pandemic to con people into releasing personal information and money. The Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Federal Protection Bureau both have resources available to help identify and combat potential scams:




Contact our Customer Service department at inquiries@servsol.com if you have any questions pertaining to scams or feel you have been contacted by someone trying to scam you.
AHFA Offices to Close for December/January Holidays
AHFA, ServiSolutions, and Hardest Hit Alabama will be closed Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25 in observance of the Christmas holiday.

We will also be closed Friday, January 1 in observance of the New Year's holiday.

Please make a note of these dates.
Alabama Housing Finance Authority | Montgomery, Alabama | 334.244.9200 | Email | Website