Southeast Preservation Academy

Enterprise is launching the Southeast Preservation Next Academy (“the Academy”) in Metro Atlanta (Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale Counties) and South Florida (Miami-Dade and Broward Counties) in October 2023, and will run through April 2024. The Academy is a series of virtual and in person, no-cost trainings and peer learning sessions designed to help developers and housing providers build their capacity to acquire, rehabilitate, and preserve affordable yet unsubsidized small to medium multifamily (SMMF) rental properties and stabilize the residents and communities that depend on this housing stock. In addition to preserving the affordable housing stock, Enterprise aims to increase the capacity of BIPOC-led organizations and organizations advancing preservation and resident stability in communities of color. As part of this training series, Enterprise will bring in locally relevant experts and practitioners that have proven success in preserving SMMF properties.

Southeast Preservation Academy Session Descriptions

The Academy’s public training sessions will be open to developers, affordable housing operators, and housing providers interested in or actively pursuing acquisition and preservation of SMMF properties; existing SMMF owners and operators looking for strategies to stabilize their portfolio; and practitioners and advocates interested in learning more about the preservation development process. Sessions are anticipated to occur approximately every three weeks, for 1.5-2 hours.  

Note: The number, dates, and content of these Preservation Next Academy trainings listed below may be subject to change.

Part 1. Defining the Opportunity

October 17, 2023 from 10:00am-11:30am ET | Preservation Next Academy Kickoff – Register
This session will set the stage, providing participants with an overview of the Academy including goals and session topics, as well as presenting the issue of SMMF preservation and making the case for its importance. Enterprise will also highlight Enterprise’s Preservation Toolkit, providing an overview of content and resources, as well as present case studies of SMMF preservation.

November 14, 2023 from 10:00am-11:30am ET | Preservation Deals: Organizational Sustainability and Business Planning – Register
The Academy will provide participants with tools needed to develop a preservation business plan and sustainable strategy for their organization and portfolio. The session will present challenges and thresholds for considering SMMF acquisition, rehabilitation, and operations and will also introduce different SMMF preservation business models.

December 5, 2023 from 10am to 11:30am ET | Property Identification, Evaluation, and Acquisition of SMMF Properties – Register
Participants will learn strategies and tools to effectively identify, evaluate, and acquire SMMF properties based on property-, community-, and market-based considerations. Participants will use an evaluation framework to assess potential acquisition deals and hear from a local developer or nonprofit organization about successful SMMF acquisitions.

Part 2. Preparing for Preservation

January 16, 2024 from 10am to 11:30am ET | Preservation Development Models – Register
The Academy will dive more deeply into potential preservation models, providing an overview of traditional rental models, joint ventures, shared equity, and community ownership models. Content will include a particular highlight on the engagement of community land trusts (CLT) in SMMF preservation in Georgia, including an overview of the CLT model, financing structures and their inclusion of residents in the long-term ownership plan.

February 6, 2024 from 10am to 11:30am ET | Policy and its Impacts on Preservation and Housing Stability – Register 
The Academy will provide an overview of how the policy landscape can impact the preservation of SMMF buildings and help provide stability for the residents who live in them, including key local, state, and national policies. This session will also highlight case studies and best practices and ways partners can promote policies that create a better enabling environment for preservation and housing stability.

Tentatively scheduled for February 27 and 28, 2024 | In-Person Session - Financing Small to Medium Multifamily Preservation – TBA
This in-person session will take place in Atlanta, GA. Learn and network with the Southeast’s affordable housing preservation community including funders, policymakers, practitioners, and national experts. Guest speakers will highlight local and state financing resources to support a preservation project and highlight strategies to meet financing gaps and preserve affordability. Please stay tuned for additional details.

Part 3. Tackling A Project

March 19, 2024 from 10am to 11:30am ET | Navigating Rehabilitation and Sustainability of SMMF Properties – Register
The Academy will provide an overview of factors that may impact rehabilitation and long-term success of a preservation project, including the unique rehabilitation needs of SMMF buildings, local building and zoning regulations, and effective engagement of existing residents. Participants will hear from a contractor or developer who has experience rehabilitating SMMF properties.

April 9, 2024 from 10am to 11:30am ET | Sustainability, Resilience and Health Considerations for Small to Medium Multifamily Preservation – Register
The Academy will dive into considerations in Sustainability, Resilience and Health in the Georgia and South Florida context, including climate resilience and environmental factors. Participants will learn how to integrate health, green building, and/or resilience practices within their SMMF preservation project, from rehabilitation to ongoing management.

April 30, 2024 from 10am to 11:30am ET | Property and Asset Management – Register
The Academy will provide an overview of property management models that minimize operating costs, asset management to improve the long-term financial health of SMMF properties, and eviction prevention best practices that keep residents stably housed.

Contact Us

For general questions about the Preservation Academy sessions and Enterprise’s Preservation Next program, please reach out to Gabriella Lott and Jessie Wang.

For questions about the Academy Action Plans and grant administration, please reach out to Gabriella Lott and Mahala Baker.