Woda Cooper Companies, Inc.

The Enclave at Main, a housing community in Whitehall, OH, has been awarded LEED for Homes Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council. Sol design + consulting provided energy efficiency consulting and green building certification services for the project, developed by Woda Cooper Companies, Inc. #sustainability #innovation #energy #LEED #affordablehousing #multifamilyhousing #SOLdesignandconsulting

United States Congressman (General) Jack Bergman joined representatives of the KEWEENAW BAY INDIAN COMMUNITY and Woda Cooper Companies, Inc., for a recent hard hat tour at Black Rock Crossing in Marquette, Michigan.  Mayor Jessica Hanley was among the local dignitaries and stakeholders who participated. Black Rock Crossing is a 50-unit affordable housing community that will serve work force, families, seniors, and other residents who qualify as earning 30% to 80% of Marquette County’s area median income (AMI), with the average being 60% AMI across the entire property.  Nine units will be reserved for members of the KBIC tribe.  MARQUETTE HOUSING COMMISSION provided 8 project based rental assistance vouchers. Primary financing for the $14.2 million Black Rock Crossing is supported by Low-Income Housing Tax Credits allocated Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). KeyBank Community Development purchased the tax credits in exchange for equity financing and Key Bank also provided a construction loan. Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust provided a first mortgage. Thanks to all who turned out for the tour!

Woda Cooper Companies, Inc. hosted a ribbon-cutting celebration to celebrate the opening of Brock Bridge Landing, a new 38 unit mixed-income townhome community in Jessup, MD. Our Housing Policy Coordinator, Dan Pontious, and our BMC Board Chair, Steuart Pittman, joined the celebration alongside the other partners who made this collaboration possible. Learn more about the Baltimore Regional Project-Based Voucher Program at https://lnkd.in/eET43E6P

Woda Cooper Companies, Inc. hosted a ribbon-cutting celebration April 3 to mark the opening of Brock Bridge Landing, a new 38-unit mixed-income townhome community located at 2001 Lazelle Drive in Jessup.   Co-developer is Interfaith Housing Alliance who also coordinates onsite services for residents. Brock Bridge Landing represents a combination of public and private investment and collaboration including Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), Bank of America, Berkadia, Anne Arundel County and Arundel Community Development Services, Inc.   A special highlight at the event was hearing comments from Heather Spears, the very first person to move into Brock Bridge Landing. She told her story of "financial redemption" and search for housing she could afford. Watch her story at this link: https://lnkd.in/gZcMQTQc

We were honored to hear that Canaan Crossing won a top management award at the recent Georgia Affordable Housing Coalition conference. Canaan Crossing, which we opened in early 2023 with Parallel Homes as co-developer, provides 60 townhomes and apartments in a campus-like setting in Madison, GA. Madison’s urban renewal agency, the Downtown Development Authority, provided a long-term lease for the land where Canaan Crossing is located in an effort to boost economic development in the area.  Funding for the $14 million property was supported through the allocation of federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credits by the GA Department of Community Affairs who also provided a HOME loan, an investment by CREA LLC. Congrats to the Canaan Crossing team!

Last week's groundbreaking for Gordon Crossing was a sunny celebration of the strong public and private backing supporting the 54-unit mixed-income housing development that’s now under construction. The $17.6 million investment represents a milestone in expanding affordable housing options within Cleveland’s dynamic Hough and University Circle neighborhoods. The groundbreaking event, held at 1862 E. 101st Street, gathered an impressive group of local leaders, including the City of Cleveland’s Mayor Justin Bibb, City Council President Blaine Griffin, City Council Member Stephanie Howze-Jones, Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne, and State Representative Terrence Upchurch, plus many other influencers and housing advocates. The great turnout of leaders committed to addressing Cleveland’s growing housing needs demonstrated the strong connections that our partners – Sheila Wright and Angela Bennett of FRONTLINE DEVELOPMENT GROUP, LLC – have in Cleveland. Thank you to all who turned out who represent the city and county, plus CEO Dr. Warren Morgan from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), and other representatives from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority, and Port of Cleveland. Also attending were representatives of Gordon Crossing financing partners including RBC Capital Markets, Dollar Bank, and CFBank. We also thank Ohio Affordable Housing Foundation, West Union Bank for its support for Gordon Crossing.  A special highlight at the event was celebrating the involvement of student interns from CMSD working at the site, along with workers representing Hard Hatted Women and other local organizations. Gordon Grossing is a four-story development that will be reserved for residents with household incomes of 30% to 80% area median income. It will feature 42 two-bedroom and 12 three-bedroom apartments, offering modern apartments and community spaces designed for both comfort and convenience.

We were excited to show Congressman Mike Carey (at left in photo) our early stages of work to adapt Columbus’ historic former downtown YMCA building into new affordable housing for 121 residents at the Lofts at 40 Long. The adaptive reuse will preserve much of the 7-story building’s historic architectural features including its complex brickwork and cut-stone exterior detailing, ornate staircases, and beautiful millwork, while creating new modern, energy-efficient general occupancy housing units of varied sizes. During the tour led by Woda Cooper’s Senior Vice President Joe DiCesare (at right in photo) and Assistant Project Manager Alex Argust (center), Congressman Carey recalled playing basketball in the YMCA gym as a youth and swimming there later as an adult. The former gym will be redesigned so that new residents will have a basketball court, a recreation area, and an outdoor-sized play structure. The Lofts at 40 Long, scheduled for completion in early 2027, will serve renters with 30% to 80% of the area median income.

Woda Cooper Companies’ Senior Vice President and Corporate Counsel Chris La Grand and housing advocate (and former Ohio Housing Finance Agency staffer) Guy Ford attended the recent National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) Legislative Conference, March 10-13, 2025, in Washington D.C. While in Washington, Guy and Chris met with 15 Ohio delegation congressional offices to advocate for support of the affordable housing credit and other pro-affordable housing policies. “Support for affordable housing appears to be at an all-time high given the widespread need for housing across Ohio,” said Chris.

There were many heartfelt moments at the recent tour and ribbon-cutting at Hawkins Pointe in Hendersonville, NC, where an estimated 1,000 structures were destroyed due to last year's flooding after Hurricane Helene. Hawkins Pointe is one of the first new affordable housing communities with funding supported by housing tax credits to open in western North Carolina following the storm. It provides 43 one and two bedroom apartments for residents aged 55 and older who have 30% to 80% area median income. Several new residents were impacted by the storm. One of them we met at the March 14 tour was Joy Rockett. She recalled waking up September 27, 2024, in ankle deep water that rushed into her former apartment, destroying many of her belongings and making her home unbearable. Joy told guests touring her new apartment at Hawkins Pointe, including Hendersonville Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Hensley, NC Representative Jennifer Balkcom, and NC Housing Finance Agency Executive Director Scott Farmer (shown in hallway photo), that it seems like landing in heaven after living in a hotel for months and months. She loves seeing a gorgeous mountain range from her windows and the modern but cozy feel of the new property. “The colors make you smile,” Joy said. Thank you to NCHFA, Wells Fargo Bank, and West Union Bank for supporting Hawkins Pointe and to all the guests who came to the visit. #Hendersonville #HeleneStorm. #NorthCarolina #AffordableHousing

Congratulations to Maia Cooper, VP - Development, for being named to the Board of Directors for the OpenDoor Women's Recovery Alliance. We are so proud to kick off Women's History Month with this announcement -- read more about Maia and OpenDoor below. There's no doubt Maia will make a great impact.