Housing Advisory Group

About the Housing Advisory Group

First organized by Herb Collins, Jack Manning and a number of their industry colleagues in 1995, the Housing Advisory Group (HAG) is a very select group of housing interests dedicated to protecting and improving affordable housing programs. Key architects and forefathers of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), these visionaries worked with President Reagan, Senate Finance Chairman Senator Bob Packwood and others to create the LIHTC program in 1986 in the midst of massive real estate tax reform.

The HAG was established during the 1995-96 budget negotiations which threatened the survival of the LIHTC. Through its efforts, the HAG created a strong foundation of support for the continued permanence of the credit program, and the eventual increase in the credit cap from $1.25 to $1.75 at the end of the legislative session in 2000. For the past 15 years, the HAG has worked in a non-partisan fashion to educate the Administrations and members of Congress on the benefits of the LIHTC. The HAG is unique because of its direct relationships and credibility with members of Congress and their staffs.

Building on the significant victories achieved in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the HAG continues to work hard to promote measures that will stimulate the LIHTC equity markets and increase production of affordable housing across the United States.

In 2011, the HAG's priorities include educating the large number of new Members of Congress and Senators that will set the legislative course for the 112th Congress. Tax reform and deficit reduction are high on their lists so the HAG will proactively lay out the benefits of its housing programs as job creators and economic engines in their communities. In addition, the HAG will focus on current proposals that are up for review such as the 9% credit floor. On the regulatory side, the HAG is working with its industry colleagues to promote changes in the CRA program to help broaden the effectiveness as well as quality of the program. The HAG also supports the working group looking at potential accounting rule changes which would positively impact the program.

Membership entails an annual commitment of $3,500. Please click the link below for additional information on the HAG as well as an application.

Join the Housing Advisory Group (HAG) or learn more
Read the latest Housing Advisory Group e-news updates

How does the LIHTC work?

Click here to learn about the LIHTC.
Click here to view an illustration of how the LIHTC works.
Click here to learn more about the program, why we need it and why it works.
Click here to view a NAHB two-pager and learn more about the LIHTC and its positive impact on local communities.
Click here to view Affordable Housing Finance's 2011 Report, Housing for All Americans, an introductory narrative of the LIHTC program for Members of Congress and other elected officials.

Special Report: LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT: Assessment of Program Performance & Comparison to Other Federal Affordable Rental Housing Subsidies

Low Income Housing Tax Credit: Assessment of Program Performance & Comparison to Other Federal Affordable Rental Housing Subsidies, a study commissioned by the Housing Advisory Group (HAG) and authored by Novogradac and Company LLP, finds that low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC)-financed properties have a remarkable track record, particularly when compared to the performance of other federal government subsidies of affordable rental housing. The study's findings substantiate the strength of the LIHTC program; with its 25-year track record, the LIHTC program stands out as a model of how the tax code can and does, very efficiently, benefit society. Please click here to download the report, or click here to view a narrated video overview on YouTube.

Current legislation and initiatives

Click here to view the latest information and resources from our industry consensus group, including our a list of issues presented to policy makers on Capitol Hill.

A Marketing Tool to Keep Congress Informed of Developments/Investments

To educate the large number of new Congressmen and Senators in the 112th Congress on the importance of the LIHTC program, the HAG encourages its members to participate in a simple yet effective marketing exercise. Click the links below to view template announcements which can be sent to the district, state and Washington offices of elected officials where you are developing or rehabilitating LIHTC properties. Aside from the typical information on the location and characteristics of the property, it's important to include job creation and economic impact information. This information will resonate with every member of your congressional delegation and trumpet the LIHTC program as a job creator. Included is the formula by which you can calculate the temporary and permanent jobs created by each development as well as the report by NAHB from which the statistics were derived.

Click here to view a template release on new construction developments.
Click here to view a template release on rehabilitated developments.
Click here to view a Ground Breaking/Grand Opening template announcement for elected officials.
Click here to view a sample release distributed by Boston Capital.
Click here to view a sample outreach letter from a developer to an elected official.
Click here to view a list of US Senators.
Click here to determine the Congressional Member (use zip code where development is located!)
Click here to view a US Senate Suite and Telephone List.

Important Legislative Contacts

As legislative initiatives warrant, we ask our HAG members to contact their Congressman, Senators and members of the House Ways and Means and Financial Services Committees, as well as the Senate Finance and Banking Committees. Below are links through which you may obtain the relevant contact information for the Congress and the specific committees. As a reminder, email, phone and fax are the preferable methods of contact as U.S. mail to Capitol Hill is delayed up to two weeks due to security measures.

For more information, please contact:

David Gasson, Executive Director
(617) 624-8896

Allison E. Marino, Communications Associate
(617) 624-8678