NLCU: Housing Acceleration Strategies

This course aims to provide public sector participants with a systematic approach to accelerating housing, where each component multiplies the impact of housing development to increase effectiveness and efficiency. Over a span of six weeks, the program will cover essential components that include governmental alignment, housing needs and market analysis, permitting processes, public financial incentives, technology integration, and strategic partnerships. 

Ideal For:   

• Housing and community development professionals 
• Economic development professionals 
• Housing finance managers and analysts 
• Housing policy advisors 
• Elected officials 

Sign up today by clicking the “Register Now” button. When completing your registration, be sure to log in to your MyNLC account and fill out all required information.

When prompted to select a registration type, please choose Student. You can then proceed with any additional information and payment, if applicable.

If you experience any issues, feel free to reach out to university@nlc.org for assistance.

Learning Objectives

• Learners will be able to conduct a housing needs assessment and market analysis by applying methodologies and using relevant data sources to evaluate rental and homeownership conditions and to develop recommendations for increasing housing. 
• Participants will be able to evaluate and apply strategies for accelerating housing development, including fast-track permitting processes, effective internal policies, and the utilization of key financial tools and public incentives. 
• Individuals will be able to integrate technology solutions such as low-code, no-code, and AI to enhance various aspects of housing projects and development. 

Course Facilitators

Don Bernards, CPA, Principal, Baker Tilly (Subject Matter Expert) Don is well-versed in structuring affordable housing transactions, including tax issues. Don is adept at creating a checklist of major issues for each project that can put a deal at risk. Immersed in the affordable housing practice, Don has a wide range of experience with projects, owners and investors and has built a wide network of contacts within the field. His enthusiasm and passion for the industry are infectious. “It’s not just about numbers,” he says, “it’s about the end product and growing capacity.” Don has worked on affordable housing transactions in 26 states. 

Matt Eckerle, Municipal Financial Advisor, Principal (Subject Matter Expert) Matt Eckerle is a Principal with Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors, LLC, specializing in capital project financing and economic development strategies for municipalities. Since beginning his career Matt has guided cities, towns, counties, and townships through complex funding solutions, including debt issuance, tax increment financing (TIF), property tax abatement, and strategic financial planning. He frequently advises on legislative impacts, compliance requirements, and incentive negotiations, and is a recognized thought leader who speaks at local government and economic development events. Matt holds a Bachelor of Science in Business with a concentration in Finance from Indiana University and serves on boards and committees for organizations such as the Indiana Economic Development Association and the National Association of Municipal Advisors. 

Kelsey Engbrecht, PSM I, PSPO III, Senior Manager, Baker Tilly (Subject Matter Expert) Kelsey is a senior product and practice leader with a proven track record in delivering software products and developing mature quality, requirements, and design thinking practices. She practices design thinking, fosters agile delivery models, advances clients’ capabilities and processes, and focuses on insight and data driven strategies to build effective digital solutions. She has experience introducing and managing software products in the healthcare, fintech, and manufacturing industries. 

Andrea Ferreira, Senior Consultant, Baker Tilly (Subject Matter Expert) Andrea works collaboratively with clients on a wide range of strategic initiatives, including affordable housing, economic, community development and real estate development. She brings five years of experience in real estate development and urban planning consulting and previously worked on engagements nationally across a range of asset classes. 

Quinn Gormley, Director, Baker Tilly (Subject Matter Expert) As a Director of Real Estate Development Advisory Services at Baker Tilly, Quinn collaborates with internal and external teams to provide strategic guidance and sophisticated financial modeling for real estate projects. By offering customized advisory services and forward-thinking approaches, Quinn delivers scalable solutions that drive operational efficiency, enhance development processes, and maximize the value of real estate investments and dispositions. Quinn has a strong background in real estate development, compliance analysis, financial modeling, and predevelopment planning, design review, scheduling, and budgets. 

Michael Hellier, Manager, Baker Tilly (Subject Matter Expert) Michael, a graduate of Georgia Tech’s master’s in city and Regional Planning program, specializes in consulting with and assisting developers in applying for various sources of funds to build multifamily, affordable housing developments. He provides advisory services on real estate transactions that typically involve tax incentives such as LIHTC. Michael has more than seven years of experience in all project phases and a variety of project types, including new construction, adaptive reuse, historic preservation, single and multifamily housing development and mixed-use projects. As co-chair of the diversity, inclusion, belonging and societal impact (DIBS) committee, Michael is tasked with setting individual and real estate advisory team goals that align with the firm’s DIBS initiatives. 

Caitlin Humrickhouse, SWP, Principal, Baker Tilly (Subject Matter Expert) Caitlin Humrickhouse is a Principal with Baker Tilly’s public sector advisory practice. She is a strategic workforce planner with a deep understanding of succession planning and strategic human capital management. Caitlin’s other areas of expertise include benchmarking, organizational redesign and system needs assessment and selection. Prior to joining the firm, she worked at the University of Illinois at Chicago performing program and market analyses for an online education unit. 

Jacquelyn McCray, Ph.D., AICP, Director, Baker Tilly (Subject Matter Expert) Jacquelyn has been a key staff member on myriad projects analyzing development review processes, creating strategic plans, facilitating community engagement, and performance measurement and organizational review. She is particularly adept at development review and process improvement projects and has successfully worked in 15 cities identifying recommendations for streamlining operations and reducing cycle times. She is a skilled civic engagement, focus group and group process facilitator and has served various civic and professional groups in this capacity. Jacquelyn has more than 25 years of experience in local government management. Nine of those years were with the City of Cincinnati, where she was a budget analyst, project manager, and land-use planner. She is a member of the American Planning Association. 

Marta Purdy, AICP, Director, Baker Tilly (Facilitator) Marta joined Baker Tilly in 2021 and has more than 15 years of experience in urban redevelopment, housing and execution of public private partnership (P3) projects. Marta is a strategic thinker who leverages creative insights to achieve economic and social impacts. She leads interdisciplinary teams to manage complex redevelopment strategies, analyze housing needs, develop effective financing strategies, and deliver client results. Before joining Baker Tilly, Marta worked at a boutique urban planning and economic development consulting firm for 12 years, working throughout the Midwest. 

Neal Richardson, MBA, Director (Subject Matter Expert) Neal Richardson is a dynamic economic development executive and corporate finance advisor with more than 15 years of experience leading transformative real estate and community investment strategies. At Baker Tilly, Neal serves as Director within the Development and Community Advisory practice, where he provides strategic guidance on economic development, project underwriting, and incentives initiatives. 

Spencer Skinner, Director, Baker Tilly (Subject Matter Expert) Spencer has over 20 years of experience design and real estate development advisory, specializing in managing the entire development life cycle—from financing and design through construction. He focuses on coordinated design work to ensure projects meet schedule and budget expectations efficiently. 

Kristian Vaughn, Ph.D., EDFP, ENV SP, Senior Manager, Baker Tilly (Subject Matter Expert) Kristian is an experienced economic development strategist, urban science researcher and project manager with 10 years of experience in community economics, real estate finance, land use management and public policy in the governmental, private consulting and not-for-profit sectors. His specialties include financial structuring of impactful community-based real estate, economic impact modeling of investments, engaging stakeholders in facilitated discussions and focus group sessions and supporting municipal staff and neighborhood organizations in the development and implementation of economic strategies to catalyze reinvestment in commercial corridors and residential neighborhoods. 

Al Zelinka, FAICP, CMSM, Director, Baker Tilly (Subject Matter Expert) Al brings a wealth of experience in both local government leadership and consulting to his work with Baker Tilly’s public-sector advisory team. He served most recently as city manager for the California cities of Huntington Beach and Riverside. Key accomplishments in those roles include creating a nationally recognized and award-winning one-stop shop (and associated zoning code updates and streamlined process improvements) garnering 96% customer satisfaction, overhauling outdated administrative policies and procedures, improving financial health, developing public infrastructure, advancing strategic planning and succession planning, advancing policies on equity and homelessness and promoting community engagement. Al also served as community development director for the cities of Riverside and Fullerton, creating more efficient and effective processes and improving operations.