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Even with concerted public and private initiatives, the affordable housing shortage has persisted in cities and communities across the U.S. Arbor’s Affordable Housing Trends Report Spring 2023, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics, analyzes the challenges and assesses the outlook of a sector that has gained more investor attention amid growing economic headwinds.

Freddie Mac multifamily loans provide customized, innovative multifamily financing solutions for use in the purchasing and refinancing of properties with rentable housing units. From Small Balance Loans to Floating-Rate, commercial real estate borrowers can benefit from excellent terms and conditions. Among a wide range of Freddie Mac options available through Arbor, these five loan programs have key advantages worth considering.

Founded in 2017, Project Destined has a mission to transform underrepresented young people into owners and stakeholders in their own communities. Today, it works with more than 2,500 students per year from over 350,000 colleges, universities, and high schools in more than 35 markets across the U.S., Europe, and Canada. Through its internship programs, Project Destined molds the next generation of real estate leaders by giving them an opportunity to directly interact with today’s leaders. For the last two years, Arbor employees have volunteered with Project Destined and received much more in return than they ever would have expected.

A new update to Freddie Mac Green Advantage®, an attractive loan program in a rising interest rate environment, has added new incentives to going green to more multifamily borrowers than ever before. Freddie Mac recently announced a 15 bps pricing benefit to borrowers on top of any affordability benefits currently offered. At the same time, all previous affordability requirements were lifted, opening to door to more investors seeking to improve the sustainability of our communities.

Arbor Senior Vice President, Special Projects, Governance and Risk, Leah Fisher was the 2023 sole honoree at the second annual Family & Children’s Association (FCA) Long Island Women in Philanthropy breakfast and fashion show on March 30 at The Mansion at Oyster Bay in Woodbury, New York. Ms. Fisher gave a keynote speech at the event that encouraged attendees to get involved in their communities.

While the 2008 financial crisis prompted a cyclical shift in U.S. housing — impacting everything from home prices to who can qualify for a mortgage — an equally impactful demographic change was just taking shape. The unprecedented wave of Baby Boomers that began retiring would disrupt the balance of the housing market.

As secondary and tertiary markets continue to gain parity with larger primary cities around the nation, they offer investors a significant potential for return on investment, even as the U.S. and global economic landscapes face notable headwinds.

The small multifamily sub-sector ended 2022 on a high note with originations falling just behind 2021’s peak. As economic storm clouds continue circling, small multifamily appears fortified from any reverberations that may result.

Arbor Senior Vice President, Special Projects, Governance and Risk, Leah Fisher recently spoke on a thought-provoking panel discussion at InnovateESG 2023, a conference focused on environmental, social, and governance missions, hosted by NYU Stern’s Chen Institute for Global Real Estate Finance.

SFR will maintain exposure to the cyclical disruption brought on by the housing market’s softness and rising interest rates, even though its structural growth outlook remains positive and unchanged.