$850
Sponsorship Benefits
Limited to 8 sponsors
Includes 2 webinar participant registrations
Logo on promotional emails with link to website
Logo on Event page at taahp.org with link to website
Logo Branding on PowerPoint Presentation During Webinar
Exclusive “sponsor slide” with short company description at end of presentation
Mailing list of all attendees (does not include emails)
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Event Description
The Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs’ (TDHCA) draft Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) is out for 2024. Join us for this webinar where TAAHP’s QAP Committee Co-Chairs, along with our moderator , Education Committee Co-Chair Darren Smith will dive into the details. We’ll cover proposed changes, areas of concern and discuss potential calls to action to address various provisions before the close of this year’s public comment period.
A Recording Will Be Made Available to All Registrants
Members
- Registration closes at 2:00pm on October 4th
Non Members
- Registration closes at 2:00pm on October 4th
Student Members
- Student members are eligible to attend all webinars and the Texas Housing Conference at no charge. Student memberships are $60. Sign up and make your payment online and send your proof of enrollment (examples include a current student ID (must show enrollment status), current course schedule or other document showing current enrollment) to info@taahp.org.
Sponsorship
- Includes 2 Attendees. Payment Online Required.
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Our Speakers

Darren Smith, Auxano Development
Moderator

Kathryn Saar, The Brownstone Group
Panelist

Deborah Welchel, Volunteers of America
Panelist

Darren Smith, Auxano Development
Moderator
Throughout Darren’s career, he has been successful in executing more than $1 Billion in total development cost of multi-family housing projects throughout the country. His ability to work with non-profit, government agencies, and for-profit partners has been instrumental in his success. His experience has involved projects that included but not limited to traditional bank financing, HUD, Freddie, Fannie, and loan assumptions. Other programs essential in his success include LIHTC Section 42, Workforce Housing structures, Tax-Exempt Bond Financing, HOME funds, CDBG funds, Historic Preservation, Brownfield credits, Solar Energy credits, and city & county subordinate funds.
While developing multi-family real estate for Paramount Financial Group – a subsidiary of GMACCH and Bank of America CDC, Darren has been involved in all facets of the development process including site selection, strategic planning, feasibility analysis, site contract & acquisition, entitlements & zoning changes, and negotiations with all third-party professionals.

Kathryn Saar
Panelist
Kathryn Saar has spent more than 15 years in the affordable housing industry and has broad experience in both the public and private sectors. She joined the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs in 2009 at the inception of the TCAP and Exchange programs. After managing a portfolio of Multifamily HOME loans, Kathryn moved into the newly formed Asset Management division where she coordinated project management of TCAP and Exchange deals, underwrote Cost Certifications, and helped create many of the tools and processes for the new division. In her final role at TDHCA, she managed the 9% Tax Credit program for the 2014 and 2015 cycles. In 2015, Kathryn began consulting for the Brownstone Group, and joined their development team in 2020. Since entering the private sector, Kathryn has procured 9% LIHTC allocations generating more than $161MM in tax credit equity, and more than $241MM in associated financing, successfully producing more than 1,400 units. She has extensive experience with various funding sources, including Fannie, Freddie and HUD loans, USDA loans, Mixed Finance, RAD conversions, HOME and CDBG funding, and Historic Tax Credits, both State and Federal. Kathryn manages developments from initial concept, through construction, lease-up, and long-term property operations. She was part of an executive team that started Brownstone Residential, LLC, which currently manages more than 3,100 units across Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, where she currently serves in an advisory capacity.

Deborah Welchel, Volunteers of America National Services
Panelist
Over twenty – six years of public and private sector financing experience have provided Deborah Welchel with a broad knowledge of the structure, development and management of a variety of residential housing transactions. Currently as a Senior Development Director for Texas she is responsible for the sourcing, acquisition or preservation of affordable housing utilizing Federal, state, local and private funding sources that include LIHTC and conventional debt in Texas. This includes analyzing markets, determining financial feasibility, assisting with funding applications and lender/investor selections, overseeing construction draw process, and permanent loan conversion.
Her prior experience included her role as Vice President – Asset Manager for Mayfair Management Group, LP and provided general oversight to the management of each assigned property, Director at Edgewater Affordable Housing, where she served in multiple capacities, and Senior Vice President with The Siegel Group where she provided financial services to real estate oriented non-profit and for-profit organizations.
Deborah began her career in affordable housing as Manager of Credit Underwriting at the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. For four years she was responsible for the administration of credit policies and underwriting standards and for determining risk and viability for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, Multifamily Private Activity Bonds, HOME, CDBG, and Housing Trust Fund programs. There she prepared detailed underwriting analyses that included review and verification of operating proformas and development costs as well as appraisal evaluations, market studies, environmental assessments, and engineering reports.