ASMARA G HABTE

Oversee a diverse portfolio of departmental functions, including operations, real estate finance, grants management, legislative affairs and communications.

• Successfully facilitated acquisition financing in private-public-non-profit partnership, leading to increased affordable housing supply for long-term affordability.
• Fostered a positive work environment by promoting collaboration, transparency, and open communication among team members.
• Improved coordination and communications across organization to increase operational efficiency.
• Ensured regulatory compliance across all departments through diligent review and monitor County Code and Regulations to ensure regulatory compliance across the department and programs.
• Advanced code and regulations amendments aimed at streamlining policy implementation and operations.
• Oversaw departmental communications and branding strategies for consistency and quality.
• Negotiated compromises between opposing viewpoints, facilitating bipartisan cooperation on important legislation..
• Streamlined the internal legislative process by monitoring pending legislation and providing timely updates to relevant parties.
• Developed comprehensive reports summarizing legislative activities for both internal stakeholders and external partners.
• Collaborated with stakeholders to gather input on proposed legislation, ensuring a well-rounded approach to crafting policy recommendations.

• Advised elected officials and City Manager on city’s affordable housing policies and supportive services programming, incorporating goals and objectives that support city’s strategic direction.
• Engaged and fostered relationships with area housing and human service providers, landlord, and real estate development community in efforts aimed at implementing city’s affordable housing supply and supportive services objectives.
• Oversaw refinance of affordable 236-unit mixed-finance development and preservation of 121-development as affordable housing through acquisition.
• Successfully advanced policy amendment standardizing MPDU set-aside requirement to 15% throughout City and longer-term preservation of affordable housing by expanding affordability period of rental MPDUs from 30 years to 99 years
• Collaborated with Montgomery County to increase funding allocation to city and expanded mental health and counseling services to Rockville based public schools as part of collaborative social services programming.
• Collaborated with local housing providers and deployed CDBG fund to ensure safety and livability of affordable housing stock
• Partnered with local organizations to expand access to social and community services.
• Provided leadership, guidance and support to staff members.

• Negotiated with developers to ensure compliance with MPDU set-aside requirements and affordability pricing structures.
• Administered city’s CDBG funded rehabilitation program.
• Restructured affordable housing requirements for senior housing products.
• Developed and implemented affordable housing policies to align with Mayor and Council initiatives on affordable housing.
• Advanced and implemented policy of expanding MPDU income limits up to 120% of AMI.
• Restructured affordable housing rental program and delegated screening and continued occupancy process to property owners for streamlined service delivery process and increased accountability to housing seeker and property owners.
• Developed and implemented audit program for monitoring of affordable housing rental program to ensure program compliance.
• Analyzed internal housing programs to evaluate program effectiveness by using outcomes-based approach and implemented necessary changes.

• Implemented and managed real estate deals from planning and entitlement to construction in mixed-finance real estate development and infrastructure projects.
• Managed affordable housing transitions with value of nearly $200 million in public and private funds (i.e., TE Bonds, LIHTC, federal, local) in mix-income/finance real estate development.
• Successfully submitted agency’s first RAD applications (2,500 units) to HUD for financing and conversion.
• Designed and implemented policy and program initiatives, impacting full range of multifamily rental housing and affordable homeownership programs; designed and coordinated human capital/self-sufficiency programming with other service providers.

• Managed diverse portfolio of real estate development projects, including mixed financed and mixed-use development projects, interim parking lots for DC Public Schools and Nationals Baseball organization, and parks and recreations and school on joint DC Housing Authority and District government projects with project budgets exceeding $50 million;
• Contributed to successful ARRA grant submission.
• Managed federal and local development funds and develop budget tracking systems on multiple development projects.

• Provided technical assistance and support to public housing agencies in areas of operations; management; real estate project management; financial management; formulation and implementation of policies and strategies to meet client’s vision and operational goals.
• Conducted organizational assessments and recommended restructuring plans for departments within agencies for optimal service delivery process by resolving obstacles to success.
• Developed CDBG spending/draw down plan to comply with expenditure timelines.