EDAP

The Affordable Housing Trust

Emerging Developers Accelerator Program

“As we know, our community is facing a housing crisis. With any complicated economic problem, we must attack it from both demand side and supply side. This program is focused on supply side—bringing emerging developers, particularly women and people of color, into the pipeline. As we increase the number of developers, we also increase the number of housing units we bring online. Typically, women and people of color get left behind when economic booms like Intel happen, but we are ensuring that sustainable and meaningful change starts right here, right now.” “The Columbus Region faces a housing shortage that already is beginning to displace working families and force our most vulnerable residents into homelessness. This program will not only help us build the affordable units our community needs, but also include underrepresented developers in our construction boom so that they may personally build businesses, create jobs and build wealth. It’s a collective uplift, and I’m proud that such an innovative program is being born in Columbus.”

City of Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther

The Emerging Developers Accelerator Program (EDAP) is AHT’s minority developer cultivation and training program designed to create pathways to development careers for groups who have historically faced barriers. Created to address the lack of affordable housing and the challenges faced by minorities entering the real estate development ecosystem, the program prepares participants to develop affordable housing by providing learning sessions, technical assistance, consulting and ultimately access to capital. 

The EDAP consists of the following three elements.

 

Technical assistance: Participants will receive technical assistance through a six-month educational course covering all aspects of affordable housing development, including:

 

  • Project legal structuring 
  • Project feasibility, affordability and market analysis 
  • Site selection and acquisition 
  • Project proforma and financing 
  • Project management 

 

Access to capital: Upon successful completion of the program, participants can apply for loans to build affordable housing through AHT.

 

Ongoing consulting: Participants will benefit from ongoing consulting with industry experts throughout the development process.


During the final learning session, participants will create a comprehensive development project plan. Each participant will present this final project proposal for funding under AHT guidelines. 

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will have access to funding and ongoing consulting. Projects will be evaluated by AHT underwriting standards and funded via AHT low interest rate loans, plus potential investment from an equity fund if all criteria for financing and affordability have been met.   

 

The ultimate goal is to increase the number of affordable housing units by engaging more underrepresented developers, particularly women and developers of color. In doing so, we will help reduce socioeconomic inequities by increasing the financial capacity of emerging developers engaged in projects that transform neighborhoods in Columbus and Franklin County. We will also continue to bring more affordable units online, thus furthering the mission of AHT.


Cohort IV Information:

Applications for the fourth EDAP cohort open on June 24th!

June 24-Applications Open

June 27- Virtual Information Session

July 19- Applications Close

Interviews will occur thru August 9th with notifications going out the week of August 19th

September 5-Opening Reception

FAQs Cohort IV Application Information Sheet

Tell me more!

The Affordable Housing Trust | By the Numbers

20+

Years serving Central Ohio

300+

Successful projects

$450mm+

Loans Closed

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