At Cohen Liuzzo, we provide strategic, no-nonsense legal guidance to help developers navigate the complexities of affordable housing law. Our expertise spans new construction, acquisitions, financing, compliance, and more — ensuring deals close efficiently and effectively.

Our team has collectively worked on over 200 acquisition-rehab 4% LIHTC transactions in over 30 States. We regularly negotiate purchase and sale agreements, review title and survey, and help to structure/navigate complex financing transactions. We have helped countless clients navigate the complex “related party” and “substantial user” rules as well many other nuances, including creation of employee grant agreements that satisfy those rules. Our varied experience has allowed us to develop relationships across the country with bond counsels, issuer counsels, equity counsels, agency and lender counsels that we continue to rely on and build upon in connection with expeditiously closing your transactions.

We regularly represent clients in the acquisition of existing LIHTC transactions. These transactions require sophisticated attorneys who understand what to look for when stepping into the shoes of an operating entity with an existing LIHTC investor and financing.

We often represent clients in connection with properties nearing the end of their tax credit compliance period. We understand that repositioning these projects can be vital to their long-term success and affordability. We have negotiated LP ‘buyout’ agreements with numerous investors and work with our clients to understand the various implications of and requirements necessary to do so. In connection therewith or separately, we have represented developers in refinancing transactions with local banks, national banks and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lenders.

Our attorneys have negotiated partnership agreements on behalf of developers with over 20 different investors and syndicators. When our clients ask “what do you think is market” we have the unique ability of knowing exactly what the answer to that is. We also have extensive experience helping clients prepare LPA comment checklists for their LOI negotiations.

We regularly represent clients in transactions financed by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Our attorneys have worked with clients on Borrower channel memos, preferred sponsor changes, and are very familiar with the loan documents and processes of both agencies and their DUS Lenders.

We regularly assist clients with applying for and negotiating Article XI tax exemptions with the City of New York, by and through its Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

Having negotiated purchase and sale agreements for both land and existing operating properties on some of the most complex transactions, we provide sophisticated yet practical advice to our clients without “over lawyering”. Responsiveness is essential when negotiating a purchase and sale agreements on transactions that usually involved multiple offers.

Underlying every successful transaction is a careful review of due diligence, particularly title and survey. We counsel our clients as to issues, as well as potential issues to anticipate so they don’t delay the transaction.