Comunidad Partners Named Freddie Mac’s Impact Sponsor of the Year

Comunidad Partners, a minority and women-owned real estate investment firm that specializes in workforce and affordable housing communities in culturally diverse neighborhoods, has been selected as Freddie Mac’s inaugural Impact Sponsor of the Year for 2021.

The newly created award recognizes Freddie Mac Multifamily borrowers working to preserve or create affordable rental housing that includes unique initiatives to advance tenants’ interests.

“Being awarded Freddie Mac’s Impact Sponsor of the Year recognition is truly an immense honor,” said Antonio Marquez, managing partner at Comunidad Partners. “This award speaks to the commitment by Freddie Mac to bringing housing and social impact resident services to those in underserved communities and enhances our ability to serve our impact housing mission through our partnership together.”

Last September, Comunidad Partners, a for-profit enterprise with a social mission, secured a $300 million financing commitment through Bellwether Enterprise and Freddie Mac that supports the creation or preservation of affordable workforce housing throughout the United States. The unique initiative was backed by Freddie Mac’s Tenant Advancement Commitment, which offers competitive financing to operators who agree to maintain or enhance affordability and provide supportive resident services for the duration of the loan purchased by Freddie Mac.

The affordable housing firm has offered a variety of services, including after-school programs, workforce skills training, and health programs, at its communities. “It’s hard to overstate the pioneering work that Comunidad has undertaken to both address the affordable housing crisis while also developing unique programs that advance tenants’ interests,” said Lauren Garren, vice president of business management for Freddie Mac Multifamily. “We applaud the work of Antonio Marquez and the entire Comunidad team, which has proved itself a leader. Freddie Mac is recognizing their efforts in the hope that it will encourage other operators to similarly innovate.”

Texas-based Comunidad Partners specializes in revitalizing affordable and workforce apartments in infill locations and implementing its specialized cultural management platform, which includes cultural upgrades, community investment initiatives, and ESG/social impact programs.

More information about Freddie Mac Multifamily’s Impact Sponsor Award is available online. Freddie Mac expects to will open the nominations process for its 2022 award in the coming weeks.

Source: Affordable Housing Finance: https://www.housingfinance.com/news/comunidad-partners-named-freddie-macs-impact-sponsor-of-the-year_o