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 EDAP program is currently on pause.
The Emerging Developers Accelerator Program (EDAP) is currently on pause as we complete a comprehensive program evaluation. This process is allowing us to take a thoughtful, data-driven look at the program’s design, long-term sustainability, and the needs of emerging developers in our community. At this time, we do not have a confirmed timeline for when we will make an announcement about if—or when—the program will relaunch.
While the formal program is paused, our commitment to EDAP’s mission and to its alumni remains unwavering. We continue to actively support past participants through:
- Technical assistance for current and prospective affordable housing projects
- Continuing education and professional development opportunities
- Access to lending opportunities that help advance equitable development and expand affordable housing options
As we move through this evaluation, our priority is to ensure that any future version of EDAP is stronger, more sustainable, and more impactful. We are committed to transparent and timely communication and will share updates as soon as next steps are determined.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support as we work to ensure that EDAP continues to advance its core goals: expanding opportunity, building local development capacity, and supporting the creation of quality affordable housing in Central Ohio.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out at EDAP@hztrust.org.
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.
in collaboration with
