Howard J. Smith, Principal and co-founder of Smith NMTC Associates, LLC, draws on 30 years’ experience in real estate development law, finance, construction and a JD from Washington University School of Law. Formerly a practicing attorney, Howard has worked as a CFO at a regional realty company; a developer and Development Counsel at a national design-builder, and since 2006 as principal of Smith NMTC Associates, LLC, which specializes in the use of New Markets Tax Credits and other creative capital funding sources to capitalize for-sale affordable homeownership projects and community development initiatives throughout the country. Armed with a groundbreaking idea shaped through his ongoing work with Habitat for Humanity St. Louis, Howard developed the NMTC Housing Model, which applies federal New Markets Tax Credits (NMTCs) to for-sale affordable homeownership projects as a funding vehicle for Habitat for Humanity affiliates and other not-for-profit affordable for-sale housing developers. His ability to simplify and streamline an extremely complex federal tax program has enabled the continual and flexible flow of funds into distressed communities throughout the country. In 2007, Smith NMTC partnered with Habitat for Humanity International in a CDE Smith operated and managed for HFHI that received and fully deployed 3 NMTC allocations totaling $103M. Smith successfully wound up that CDE’s final transaction in 2019. Currently, Smith NMTC partners with and administers the Community Development Entities (CDEs) for The Housing Partnership Network (a peer to peer member organization of high performing nonprofit developers), receiving $120M in allocation; Community Housing Capital (a NeighborWorks Financing Arm), receiving a first award of $30M in 2020 allocation; and the National Housing Trust (an association focusing on Land Trusts dedicated to sustaining affordable for-sale housing), with a first application submitted in 2021. In partnership with each CDE, Smith NMTC has submitted applications to the CDFI Fund in the 2021 round for an award of NMTCs to deploy in for-sale affordable homeownership transactions. Howard has also structured and facilitated NMTC transactions funding university housing and science laboratory buildings; nonprofit social service agency office buildings; office and warehouse buildings, science and technology business incubator facilities, community centers; early childhood care and education facilities; and other uses. To date, Smith NMTC has sourced, facilitated, and closed over $499M in NMTC transactions driving construction of over 4,200 for-sale affordable homes across the country. Howard also served as president, general counsel and continues to be a board member of Habitat for Humanity St. Louis for over 20 years; and in 1999, he was among three attorneys in Missouri to be awarded the Pro Bono Publico Award for his work in affordable housing issues throughout the state. He also served on the board of directors and as president of Central Reform Congregation in the City of St. Louis; and, for 7 years as adjunct professor at St. Louis University Law School teaching Advanced Real Estate Transactions.

Nikki Merkerson is a Community Development and Housing Specialist. She is a real estate investor & developer, advocating for and empowering others to make smart investments. Nikki is passionate about making wealth-building opportunities attainable. She is the founder of Urban Leisure, a co-living space based out of Brooklyn, New York. Co-living is one of the best and most direct means to achieve optimal density using a shared housing model that encourages social interaction, collaboration and connections. Nikki is also the founder of Pairgap, an innovative web platform that matches ideal partners to one another with the intent of buying property together. The platform makes homeownership both accessible and affordable. Nikki strongly believes that by leveraging today’s shared economy and matching potential buyers to one another, more people will have the opportunity to build wealth through co-ownership. Prior to pursuing her entrepreneurship ventures full-time, Nikki spent 23 years in the financial services industry. She most recently held the role of a Community Reinvestment Officer at JP Morgan Chase covering the Northeast markets and was responsible for building long-term relationships supporting key community stakeholders and assisting low and moderate income individuals with greater economic opportunity. In her former role, Nikki worked on many initiatives with partnerships between public officials; city, state, and government agencies; financial institutions, and community organization partners to help raise public awareness, target outreach to the unbanked and underbanked, and expand access to financial education. Prior to JP Morgan, Nikki served as a Loan Officer for 15 years at various financial institutions.

Julia Stevenson is a commercial real estate professional, urban development advocate, and finance geek committed to life-long learning. As the Originator of Fund Management for the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) strategic investments' affiliate, LISC Fund Management, Julia is responsible for the deployment of impact capital and investment analysis. Julia has forged a career from real estate project management in the Baltimore Metropolitan area to impact investing nationwide. She specializes in financial analysis, deal structure, strategy, and market research. She also underwrites sponsors with sole member, join venture, and GP/LP equity structures.

Nikki A. Beasley is the Executive Director of Richmond Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. She joined the organization in 2016 after retiring from a 25 year career in banking and financial services. Under her leadership, RNHS has doubled its property management rental portfolio for low-to-moderate income families through multifamily acquisition, established the organization’s Changing the Narrative of Homeownership Initiative, started the Lender Ready program in 2017 assisting over 100 new first time homebuyer‘s secure ownership, established RNHS Money Matters Series, and became small-site infill developers in 2018. RNHS has also become a staple in the housing conversation throughout the Bay Area and region advocating for tenant and landlord rights, consumer affairs, fair housing, and through working with municipality to address zoning and creating equable programs for its residents. The organization’s mission and focus to lift up homeownership as a tool to addressing housing needs was realized as RNHS launched its Filbert Promise Homeownership project in 2018. This acquisition started the organization’s conversation and advocacy around uncoupling race and income related to the lack of production of homeownership projects targeting 80- 120 % AMI (aka Missing Middle, Workforce Housing) and related the wealth gap and disparity in communities of color. This development project has sparked a new initiative that Nikki launched in 2020, the Emerging Developers program, which assists Black developers and addresses the barriers new developers face in securing projects.