New York, NY Nixon Peabody LLP is proud to share that the firm has selected Deborah VanAmerongen as deputy leader of its national Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice. She will focus mainly on affordable housing policy and enabling the firm’s clients to make a positive impact in their communities.
Deborah is a strategic policy advisor who works with Nixon Peabody attorneys and firm clients—including developers, owners, managers, and funders—to craft creative solutions for issues related to affordable housing development and preservation. Prior to joining Nixon Peabody in 2010, she served as the commissioner of the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal. In her deputy role, Deborah will provide leadership over Nixon Peabody’s affordable housing practice and will work closely with Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice leader, Christopher Froeb.
“The work our affordable housing team performs is about much more than buildings,” said Deborah. “It involves creating spaces where vulnerable people in our communities can truly feel at home. Strong communities form the bedrock of our cities and states.”
Based in the firm’s New York City office, Deborah focuses on complex affordable housing transactions, including those that require interaction with several governmental agencies and numerous funding sources. She also introduces clients to new opportunities, and markets and builds partnerships between clients and community groups where that partnership will facilitate the transaction’s success.
Nixon Peabody’s Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice has grown significantly in recent years, adding 30 new colleagues since 2020. The group comprises more than 100 attorneys and professional colleagues who work with clients across all areas of real estate. The practitioners focused primarily on affordable housing comprise the largest group of its kind in any national law firm.
With a robust and extensive network, Nixon Peabody helps shape housing industry policy to anticipate issues, cut through complex regulations, and keep affordable housing investments moving forward. Nixon Peabody attorneys and advisors have worked in legal and policy positions at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, staff positions with the U.S. Congress, and state housing agencies, and have been involved with every major federal affordable housing initiative in the past 40 years.
“Given her previous role overseeing housing across New York state, Deborah is uniquely positioned to lead our firm’s affordable housing initiatives,” said Michael Goldman, chair of Nixon Peabody’s Project Finance, Infrastructure & Real Estate Department. “Our affordable housing group has a distinct combination of deep regulatory insight and years of experience closing complex affordable housing financial transactions.”
Click here to learn more about Nixon Peabody’s Affordable Housing practice, and how the firm can assist on issues involving the use of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, tax-exempt bonds, Section 8 contract renewals and rent increases, RAD conversions prepayment and preservation transactions, as well as development and construction of new affordable housing.
