HDF’s mission is to facilitate the development of affordable rental and homeownership opportunities. HDF accomplishes this mission through assisting households in becoming and remaining owners of affordable homes, and through financing affordable rental opportunities for low and moderate income households.
With help from HDF, first time homebuyers become homeowners through free counseling and unique lending products, developers build affordable housing units with competitive financing, and homeowners are encouraged and supported through innovative programs.
Public and private investment through HDF is making sustainable homeownership a reality, one #HDFHome at a time. HDF leverages private investment to make public subsidy dollars work harder to create affordable housing, offering lenders the opportunity to invest in the sustainable ownership of our communities. We work with state and local governments to develop innovative housing solutions and to identify qualified homebuyers for affordable housing and homebuyer assistance programs.
HDF is a HUD-Certified counseling and lending agency. We are certified by the US Treasury Department as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), a Chartered Member of NeighborWorks America, a CARS rated agency (AA +2), and a member of the Opportunity Finance Network and the Housing Partnership Network. HDF is an equal opportunity lender.
History
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The Housing Development Fund, Inc was established in 1989 as a nonprofit organization to finance the development of affordable housing in Stamford, CT.
Early on, we provided financing for developers of affordable housing, downpayment assistance loans for first time homebuyers, and were instrumental in establishing inclusionary zoning in both Stamford and Norwalk. In 1999, we merged with Adopt-a-House and began to provide free homeownership counseling services to homebuyers. Since then, through a series of strong local partnerships, HDF’s services have become available to an increasing number of homebuyers.
Today we have offices in Stamford and Bridgeport, providing unique lending products and free homeownership counseling. With more than $151 million in funds under management, our programs include the pre-development, acquisition, rehabilitation, and construction of affordable housing, as well as downpayment and closing cost assistance loan programs for low- and moderate- income families.
Our service area includes the entire state of Connecticut as well as the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, Putnam, and Westchester counties in New York state, and the five boroughs of New York City.
Staff
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Joan Carty
President & Chief Executive Officer
BIO
Joan Carty
President & Chief Executive Officer
Since taking the helm at HDF in 1994, Ms. Carty has grown its funding pools from $8.5 million to more than $151 million. Throughout her career she has established successful relationships with private lenders, government funding sources and corporate and foundation donors. Ms. Carty holds her Bachelor’s degree from the College of New Rochelle, an M.S. in urban affairs from Hunter College, and a law degree from Fordham University School of Law. Joan is currently serving her fourth term on the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston’s (FHLBB) Board of Directors and is Chair of the Housing and Community Development Committee for the FHLBB. She is also a member of the Executive Committee and Human Resources and Compensation Committee. As a board member of the Housing Partnership Network and a Loan Committee member of the National Neighborworks Association (NNA), Joan is involved in current and critical housing policy issues on a national level. Joan served as a member of the Transportation Finance Panel for the Governor’s office in Connecticut in 2015.
Jaclynn Marie Alves
Director of Residential Lending
BIO
Jaclynn Marie Alves
Director of Residential Lending
Mrs. Alves joined HDF in 2011 as a homeownership advisor and moved into the lending department in 2014 as a loan processor. After becoming licensed in NMLS for the states of CT, NY, MA and VT, she became a loan underwriter with HDF in 2016. In 2019, she took the position of Assistant Residential Lending Manager overseeing the daily activities of the lending department and marketing. In 2021, Jackie became the Director of Residential Lending responsible for the residential lending policies and compliance. Jackie has a B.S. in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Rhode Island.
Gina Delano
Interim CFO
Elizabeth Frost
Director of Development and Communications
BIO
Elizabeth Frost
Director of Development and Communications
Mrs. Frost joined HDF in 2016 as the Grants Manager and has held the position of Director of Development and Communications since August of 2018. Mrs. Frost came to HDF with over ten years of experience in various aspects of Nonprofit management including grants management and compliance, fundraising, event planning, marketing, and communications. Before her time at HDF, Mrs. Frost managed grants at Boston’s Children’s Hospital and provided fundraising support to the Major Gifts Department at Harvard University’s Development Office. Mrs. Frost holds a B.A. from Franklin and Marshall College where she majored in Government.
Roxana Ubillus
Director of Homebuyer Development
BIO
Roxana Ubillus
Director of Homebuyer Development
Roxana Ubillus is HDF’s Director of Homebuyer Development and oversees HDF’s pre-purchase counseling and education programs. Prior to that Roxana served as a Senior Homeownership Counselor at Housing Development Fund, where she provided financial assistance and counseling to first time homebuyers. Roxana helps clients become mortgage ready by identifying the areas that are preventing clients to become successful homeowners, and by developing a detailed action plan for her clients to help them achieve homeownership. Roxana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science from Mercy College, and a Certification from Pace University in Financial Planning. Roxana’s native language is Spanish, and is an active member of the Hispanic Advisory Council of Greater Stamford.
Chris Bogacki
Data & Administrative Manager
Chris Bogacki
Data & Administrative Manager
Johanna Cabrera
Staff Accountant
Johanna Cabrera
Staff Accountant
Mary Alice Dinho
Homeownership Advisor
Mary Alice Dinho
Homeownership Advisor
Gina Feliz
Princeton Fellow / Development Assistant
Gina Feliz
Princeton Fellow / Development Assistant
Kayte Graveline
Underwriter
Kayte Graveline
Underwriter
Ana Martinez
Accounting Assistant
Ana Martinez
Accounting Assistant
Jerry Morgan
Senior Homeownership Advisor
Jerry Morgan
Senior Homeownership Advisor
Maxine Murray
Loan Closing Specialist
Maxine Murray
Loan Closing Specialist
Brianna Norman
Loan Processor
Brianna Norman
Loan Processor
Eliot Pacheco
Controller
Melanie Ramos
Intake Specialist
Melanie Ramos
Intake Specialist
Maria Sanchez
Servicing Coordinator
Maria Sanchez
Servicing Coordinator
Wanda Smiling
Counseling Support Specialist
Wanda Smiling
Counseling Support Specialist
Richard Zelinsky
IT Business Line Data Analyst
Richard Zelinsky
IT Business Line Data Analyst
Board
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Michael Chambers
The Per and Astrid Heidenreich Foundation
Michael Chambers
The Per and Astrid Heidenreich Foundation
Clay Fowler
Spinnaker Companies
Clay Fowler
Spinnaker Companies
Charles F. Howell
Attorney
Charles F. Howell
Attorney
Michael Hunter
Trinity Financial
Michael Hunter
Trinity Financial
Barbara Kelly
Citibank
Annie Lazarus
Landmark Partners
Annie Lazarus
Landmark Partners
Willard Miley
First County Bank
Willard Miley
First County Bank
Marjan Murray
People's United Bank
Marjan Murray
People's United Bank
Kathleen Romagnano
Nexos National Bank
Kathleen Romagnano
Nexos National Bank
Lisa Sanders
TD Bank
Michael Weinstock
M&T Bank
Michael Weinstock
M&T Bank