Tax reform is moving through Congress, with pressure to renew provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act. Tax-exempt bonds, especially Private Activity Bonds (PABs), face potential elimination. CDFA and national stakeholders are working to protect these bonds. Join CDFA on February 26 from 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Eastern for an engaging and important CDFA Advocacy Briefing as we explore the threat to tax-exempt bonds and how you can get engaged to help preserve and protect this bedrock development finance tool.

Muni bond advocates are intensifying efforts to protect the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds, fearing potential budget cuts from the Trump administration that could raise financing costs for infrastructure and affordable housing projects. With proposals targeting the exemption potentially saving $250 billion, advocacy groups are fighting back through campaigns and education. Lawmakers are working to preserve the tax exemption, and new legislation has been introduced to restore tax-exempt advance refunding, aiming to safeguard vital community investments. Read the article to learn more. The Bond Buyer has a 60% off subscription promotion through Feb 21. Visit The Bond Buyer at bondbuyer.com to subscribe.

The Caren S. Franzini Fellowship was established to cultivate and celebrate exceptional women in development finance, recognizing their leadership and commitment to advancing the industry. Administered by the CDFA Foundation, this six-month fellowship is open to women employed by a CDFA member organization with less than 10 years of experience in the field. Apply by Friday, March 14!

Join CDFA for our upcoming Bond Finance Week! The Intro Bond Finance Course will take place on March 10-11 followed by the Advanced Bond Finance Course on March 12-13. Register for one or both of these courses to learn from experts about how to bring economic growth to your community by utilizing the vast resources of the bond finance industry.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has significantly increased its financial commitment to brownfield redevelopment. In September 2024, the EPA announced the allocation of $232 million in grants through its Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (MARC) programs. The agency anticipates awarding approximately 200 grants, with individual awards ranging from $500,000 to $4 million. Additionally, the EPA has opened applications for the Fiscal Year 2025 Brownfields Job Training Grants. These grants aim to equip residents of communities affected by brownfields with the skills necessary for employment in environmental remediation and related fields.

Uncertainty can cause concern. But it can also provide opportunities. This is why we're hosting the annual CDFA Federal Policy Conference this April 15-16 in Washington D.C. This is your chance to hear from—and be heard by—the people influencing the development finance industry at the federal level. This isn't just a networking conference with informative breakout sessions, it's a chance to sit at the table and talk with representatives from federal agencies. Save your seat at this important meeting of the minds, and help us turn uncertainty into opportunity. Register today!

Catastrophe bonds, whose returns have consistently trounced those of high-yield debt markets in recent years, are about to become accessible to a wider group of investors. An exchange-traded fund based on a portfolio of as many as 75 of the 250 so-called cat bonds outstanding is due to start trading on the New York Stock Exchange next month, marking a world first. "It's a very nuanced asset class and our goal is to demystify it," Rick Pagnani, co-founder and chief executive of King Ridge Capital Advisors Inc., which will manage the ETF, said in an interview.

Based in Washington, D.C., the Executive Vice President, Head of Sustainable Markets will play a pivotal role as OFN's chief executive focused on advancing clean energy, climate resilience, and disaster recovery/response initiatives. The EVP will report to the Chief Executive Officer and supervise the SVP, Environmental Programs. We are seeking candidates with at least 10 years of senior leadership experience, with a minimum of 5 years in roles directly related to climate finance, sustainable investing, or environmental impact, ideally within the nonprofit, community development, or impact investing sectors.

The Director will oversee the operation of the newly established Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs (OTLA) within the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. OTLA develops resources for renter applications and tenants to know and exercise their legal rights. OTLA is responsible for creating and updating annually a tenant bill of rights, adopting regulations for first right of refusal legislation, accepting notices as required by law from landlords, maintaining a website to host all tenant resources, and implementing a strategic communications and outreach effort to educate tenants and landlords. OTLA may also implement fair housing testing and identify and refer landlords who violate tenancy laws to relevant law enforcement. OTLA also navigates and refers eligible tenants to legal services, financial and housing counseling, and financial assistance programs.

The Program Associate assists in the implementation of program operations to support several sub-programs or funding sources using independent judgment and analysis to review and process applications, and prepare, process, and file program documents. The Program Associate works closely with the program staff and interacts with applicants, energy auditing companies, other DHCD staff, and other parties to provide guidance and clarify program requirements. The Program Associate also assists in the development and revising of program regulations, policies, procedures, and operational guidelines. The Program Associate coordinates and prepares periodic and ad-hoc reports for both internal and external stakeholders. 

The Project Manager organizes, coordinates, and manages the funding and execution of energy efficiency initiatives for energy conservation projects within program requirements. The Project Manager applies their expertise of building construction and assemblies, energy diagnostic and modeling methodologies, and energy conservation measure recommendations to successfully manage a project from application, through funding, and construction. The Project Manager reviews and approves funding requests, product specification sheets, payment requests, performs cost benefit analysis, and work progression inspections.

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