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Strategic Policy Advisor / Deputy Practice Group Leader, Affordable Housing & Real Estate
Deborah VanAmerongen is a strategic policy advisor and deputy practice group leader of the Affordable Housing and Real Estate group, heading the firm’s Affordable Housing team. She works with attorneys in our firm and a range of clients, including developers, owners, managers, and funders, to craft creative solutions to affordable housing development and preservation issues.
I focus my practice on complex affordable housing transactions, including those that entail interaction with several governmental agencies and numerous funding sources. I also introduce clients to new opportunities and markets and build partnerships between clients and community groups where that partnership will facilitate the success of a transaction.
Our Affordable Housing team, representing both transactional and regulatory experience, works with developers, owners, public housing agencies and numerous municipal, state, and federal agencies to develop and preserve affordable housing around the country. The unique combination of our deep regulatory understanding (including HUD policies and programs) and years of experience closing complex affordable housing financial transactions puts us in the center of the affordable housing industry.
Our firm has always placed a strong emphasis on staying ahead of developments in affordable housing policy at the city, state, and federal levels. Through my role on the Executive Committee of the New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH) and on the Board of the Housing Advisory Group (HAG) along with the roles that several of the other practitioners in our firm have with other national and local housing advocacy organizations, we are able to stay in the forefront of policy discussions with the various governmental agencies. This enables us to better advise our clients and spot opportunities and risks that may impact their business.
There has been increased recognition from all quarters of the affordable housing crisis around the country. We are hopeful that in time this will also result in additional resources being provided by the federal government. The extraordinary demand on the resources available from housing agencies has forced ever more creative deal structuring, and these challenges will continue for the foreseeable future. I believe there will be a continued and enhanced emphasis on combining supportive services with affordable housing development. I also see HUD continuing its emphasis on the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, and other tools to reposition public housing developments.
Affordable Housing & Real Estate deputy practice leader and strategic policy advisor Deborah VanAmerongen of Los Angeles, partners Nate Cushman of Washington, DC and Kathie Soroka of New York City, senior counsel Steve Wallace of Washington, DC, and counsel Rebecca Simon of Washington, DC and Anthony Ruvolo of San Francisco contributed this article, which covers HUD guidance on budget-based rent adjustments for mark-to-market portfolios.
This article covers the housing funds in the New York City budget. Affordable Housing & Real Estate deputy practice leader Deborah VanAmerongen and New York City AHRE partner Erica Buckley, leader of NP’s Cooperatives & Condominiums and State Attorneys General practices, discuss the $2 billion earmarked for New York City Housing Authority upgrades and affordable housing development and affordable homeownership.
This article covers a New York Department of Financial Services’ warning to insurers that they can no longer deny coverage to owners or increase premiums for residential properties solely because they house low-income residents. Affordable Housing & Real Estate deputy practice leader and strategic policy advisor Deborah VanAmerongen discusses clients’ responses to exorbitant insurance rate increases and how an exodus by providers is possible now that the law is in effect.
This article covers a complex financing transaction that kicked off the first phase of a planned redevelopment of a Worcester (MA) Housing Authority property. Washington, DC Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Dara Histed is quoted in the coverage for representing Trinity Financial in the transaction. The NP team representing Trinity Financial also included strategic policy advisor and AHRE deputy practice leader Deborah VanAmerongen, New York City partner Kathie Soroka, Boston counsel Karla Chaffee, Boston associate Ali Sisson, Washington, DC associate David Hornstein, and Boston paralegal Vienna Kim, all of the AHRE practice.
The following article covers housing provisions in the recently-passed New York state budget. Affordable Housing & Real Estate deputy practice leader Deborah VanAmerongen and New York City AHRE partner Erica Buckley, leader of NP’s Cooperatives & Condominiums and State Attorneys General practices, are quoted in the coverage, discussing the landmark size of this housing legislation and the budget’s new enforcement unit targeted at helping to resolve Section 8 voucher complaints more quickly.
The following articles cover housing provisions in the recently-passed New York state budget. Affordable Housing & Real Estate deputy practice leader Deborah VanAmerongen and New York City AHRE partner Erica Buckley, leader of NP’s Cooperatives & Condominiums and State Attorneys General practices, are quoted in the coverage, discussing the landmark size of this housing legislation and the budget’s new enforcement unit targeted at helping to resolve Section 8 voucher complaints more quickly.
Washington, DC Affordable Housing & Real Estate senior counsel Steve Wallace and counsel Anthony Ruvolo contributed this article highlighting the latest guidance issued by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development on budget-based rent adjustment opportunities for Mark-to-Market portfolios as authorized in the 2023 Appropriations Act. The article is based on a client alert co-authored by Steve and Anthony as well as Strategic Policy Advisor and AHRE deputy practice leader Deborah VanAmerongen, New York City partner Kathie Soroka, and Washington, DC partner Nate Cushman and counsel Rebecca Simon, all of the AHRE practice.
This article, which covers developers securing $348 million in financing to rehab 87 New York City Housing Authority buildings in Brooklyn, mentions NP as one of the organizations that advised on the transaction—representing a developer joint venture of BRP Companies, Fairstead, and Urbane. The NP team was led by New York City Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Meghan Altidor, and included Strategic Policy Advisor and AHRE deputy practice leader Deborah VanAmerongen, partners Dana Roper of Washington, DC and Darren Miller of Rochester, Rochester counsel Jennifer Berrios, New York City associates Jeremy Busch and Avery Ryou, and New York City senior paralegal Pam Villacis and paralegal Brian Murphy, all of the AHRE practice.
This article covers Merchants Capital providing more than $225 million in financing to support the New York City Housing Authority’s Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) Union Avenue Consolidated project in the Bronx, which involves the refinancing and rehabilitation of seven properties. The article mentions NP for advising on the deal. The NP team included New York City Affordable Housing & Real Estate partners Meghan Altidor and Joe Lynch, and Los Angeles Strategic Policy Advisor and AHRE deputy practice leader Deborah VanAmerongen.
This article, which covers the Virgin Islands Housing Authority and MDG Design + Construction (MDG) completing a first phase of affordable housing renovation at Walter I.M. Hodge Pavilion in St. Croix, mentions NP for serving as legal counsel to MDG. The NP team was led by New York City Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Meghan Altidor and included AHRE deputy practice leader and strategic policy advisor Deborah VanAmerongen of Los Angeles, and New York City AHRE partner Kathie Soroka and associate Alexandra Hohauser.
This article discusses updates and revisions included in a recent notice published by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, which supplements an existing revision of a Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) notice. The article was co-written by Affordable Housing & Real Estate deputy practice leader Deborah VanAmerongen of Los Angeles, New York City AHRE partner Kathie Soroka, and Washington, DC AHRE counsel Chaundi Randolph.
This article discusses updates and revisions included in a recent notice published by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, which supplements an existing revision of a Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) notice. The article was co-written by Affordable Housing & Real Estate deputy practice leader Deborah VanAmerongen of Los Angeles, New York City AHRE partner Kathie Soroka, and Washington, DC AHRE counsel Chaundi Randolph.
Affordable Housing & Real Estate deputy practice leader and strategic policy advisor Deborah VanAmerongen, of the Los Angeles office, and New York City AHRE partner Kathie Soroka contributed this article discussing public housing authorities (PHAs) and developer partners increasingly seeking to redevelop properties that have already converted assistance through HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program.
This article mentions NP for serving as regulatory counsel in Nuveen’s acquisition of a 12,000-unit affordable housing portfolio from Omni Holding Co. The NP deal team was led by New York City Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Joe Lynch and included Affordable Housing & Real Estate deputy practice leader and strategic policy advisor Deborah VanAmerongen; Boston partner Julie Stande; Washington, DC counsel Patrice Harris; associates James Allen and Avery Ryou of New York City, David Hornstein of Washington, DC, and Ali Sisson of Boston; New York City paralegal Brian Murphy; and New York City affordable housing specialist Antonik Kristofer, all of the Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice.
The following articles mention NP for serving as regulatory counsel in Nuveen’s acquisition of a 12,000-unit affordable housing portfolio from Omni Holding Co. The NP deal team was led by New York City Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Joe Lynch and included Affordable Housing & Real Estate deputy practice leader and strategic policy advisor Deborah VanAmerongen; Boston partner Julie Stande; Washington, DC counsel Patrice Harris; associates James Allen and Avery Ryou of New York City, David Hornstein of Washington, DC, and Ali Sisson of Boston; New York City paralegal Brian Murphy, and New York City affordable housing specialist Antonik Kristofer, all of the Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice.
The following articles mention NP for serving as regulatory counsel in Nuveen’s acquisition of a 12,000-unit affordable housing portfolio from Omni Holding Co. The NP deal team was led by New York City Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Joe Lynch and included Affordable Housing & Real Estate deputy practice leader and strategic policy advisor Deborah VanAmerongen; Boston partner Julie Stande; Washington, DC counsel Patrice Harris; associates James Allen and Avery Ryou of New York City, David Hornstein of Washington, DC, and Ali Sisson of Boston; New York City paralegal Brian Murphy, and New York City affordable housing specialist Antonik Kristofer, all of the Affordable Housing & Real Estate practice.
Affordable Housing & Real Estate deputy practice leader and strategic policy advisor Deborah VanAmerongen cowrote this op-ed discussing why it’s important for New York State lawmakers to approve Governor Kathy Hochul’s Housing Compact. The article notes Deborah’s previous role as Commissioner of the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal.
This article covers the grand opening of 425 Grand Concourse, a 26-story mixed-use high-rise in the Bronx and the largest passive house development in the US—making it 70% more energy efficient than standard high-rise new construction. The article mentions NP for the work of Affordable Housing & Real Estate deputy practice leader Deborah VanAmerongen and AHRE partner Joe Lynch, both of the New York City office.
State University of New York, Rockefeller College, M.P.A.
Syracuse University, Utica College, B.S.
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