The AHEPAN Summer 2023 - 25

HOUSING
Summer Promises Progress, Opportunity to Advance Mission
ASL President and CEO Steve Beck
We are excited as we anticipate significant
developments to occur over the summer
for AHEPA's housing program.
First, we aim to close on our newest
HUD Section 202 community in Des
Moines, Iowa, in late summer. It will be
a three-story, 90-unit building located
on 4.4 acres on the site of an old mall.
Architectural drawings are done, and a
contractor has been selected. We look forward
to starting construction soon after
we close. My compliments to longstanding Board Members Jim
and Christy Karthan for their ongoing dedication to the AHEPA
Housing program.
In Indiana, we eagerly await the state to make housing tax
credits available in late July, which will allow us to compete
for financing to complete the deal for a new 72-unit building
in South Bend. It will be located right next door to AHEPA 100
Senior Apartments. Board member Panos Niarchos has been
diligently involved.
This year, we also expect to hear from HUD if we were successful
on our Capital Advance grant application to build our
fourth property in Albuquerque, New Mexico. If so, it will be
our first four-story building located behind AHEPA 501 Phase
III Senior Apartments. It is planned to be 64 units.
The need and demand for affordable senior housing is real.
We are at close to 99% occupancy across our entire portfolio
and our nationwide waitlist exceeds the total number of units
we have in our portfolio.
Also, this summer, we expect to close on a " RAD for PRAC "
deal that will allow us to perform major
renovations on three AHEPA 310 properties
in Mobile, Alabama. We will also
take steps toward a similar renovation
project for our three Montgomery properties.
Alabama will finally release its tax
credit allocation this summer, allowing
us to go after financing to complete the
Montgomery deal. We are excited about
what these major renovations will mean
for the enhanced quality
of living for our residents.
In May, HUD announced it is making sizable
funding available under its Green and
Resilient Retrofit program. We look forward
to taking advantage of the opportunity to
invest in technologies, such as solar panels,
heat pumps, wind-resistant roofing, insulation, and other
measures that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make
properties healthier and safer for residents in the face of more
severe weather and a changing climate.
Finally, by the time of this publication's deadline, we will
have held meetings in Washington with key legislators and
HUD officials. A two-way, open line of communication with
Washington is vital. It is important for us to keep these key
audiences up to date about our projects and to share our experiences,
including the challenges of producing or preserving
affordable housing for seniors. We'll have more on our visit,
which included the participation of Board Chairman Ike Gulas,
in the next issue.
AHEPA Senior Living Announces Promotions
AHEPA Senior Living is pleased to announce the promotion of Sandra Dzankovic to
Director of Operations for Independent Living and Michael Taliaferro to Assistant Director of
Compliance, said ASL President and CEO Steve Beck.
Prior to her promotion, Dzankovic served ASL as Region II Director, overseeing 17 properties
in Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, California, and New Mexico. She started her ASL career in
2014 as a property manager in Ankeny, Iowa. In 2020, she was promoted to regional manager.
Taliaferro joined AHEPA Senior Living in November 2020 as a temporary employee managing
accounts payable. In January 2021, he was promoted to the role of Accountant.
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Summer 2023 · THE AHEPAN | 25

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The AHEPAN Summer 2023

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