The Newly-Formed Council of Independent State Housing Associations (CISHA) Looks to Amplify State Voices in Washington

Founding Members Include Georgia Affordable Housing Coalition, Illinois Housing Council, New York State Association for Affordable Housing and California Housing Consortium

Atlanta, GA, September 22, 2015 – CohnReznick LLP, a top accounting, tax, and advisory firm that includes one of the most extensive and experienced affordable housing industry practices in the US, today announced a new national board of independent housing associations. The Council of Independent State Housing Associations (CISHA) will, for the first time, formally connect representatives of affordable housing associations with one another in order to combine and amplify advocacy efforts on the national stage.

The announcement was made by Robert C. Moss, Principal and National Director of Governmental Affairs at CohnReznick, who leads the firm’s federal and state government relations efforts, particularly in the area of affordable housing. Moss has extensive industry and government experience, including serving as the Chairman of the non-partisan Housing Advisory Group, which is active in preserving the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program in Congress and served as the Federal Legislative Subcommittee Chair for the Housing Credit Group of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

“We want to help shape the future of the affordable housing industry by connecting the people who can best advocate for the regulations and credits that will keep our industry strong,” said Moss. “We’re asking each state to join CISHA and add its voice to the collective.”

During the newly formed board’s meeting, the following Founding Officers were elected:

• President – Andrea Traudt Inouye, Illinois Housing Council (IHC)
• Vice President – Jolie Milstein, New York State Association For Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH)
• Secretary – Ray Pearl, California Housing Consortium (CHC)
• Treasurer – Maureen Mercer, Georgia Affordable Housing Coalition (GAHC)

Additional Founding Members include Executive Directors from the Alabama Affordable Housing Association, the California Council for Affordable Housing, the Citizens Housing and Planning Association, Housing Colorado, the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition, the Michigan Housing Council, the North Carolina Housing Coalition, the Pennsylvania Developers Council, and the Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers.

The formation of CISHA was announced during CohnReznick’s Annual Fall Affordable Housing Conference, a gathering of industry luminaries and community development leaders convening to discuss the major issues in Affordable Housing, taking place September 21 and 22, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. Representative Tom Price, House Budget Chairman, is the conference keynote speaker. For more information, please visit https://www.cohnreznick.com/events/150921-ah-annual-fall-conference and follow the conversation at Twitter: https://twitter.com/cohnreznick using #housingparty.

About the Council of Independent State Housing Associations

The Council of Independent State Housing Associations (CISHA) joins independent state housing associations with each other into a national council. Since the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit was created, many states have formed statewide associations which are strong advocates for housing policy and provide feedback to their respective state governing bodies. By coming together, CISHA can amplify state voices in Washington to strengthen support and funding for the tax credit program and link associations together to share operational commonalities and best practices.

About CohnReznick

CohnReznick LLP is one of the top accounting, tax, and advisory firms in the United States, combining the resources and technical expertise of a national firm with the hands-on, entrepreneurial approach that today’s dynamic business environment demands. Headquartered in New York, NY, and with offices nationwide, CohnReznick serves a large number of diverse industries and offers specialized services for middle market and Fortune 1000 companies, private equity and financial services firms, government contractors, government agencies, and not-for-profit organizations. The Firm, with origins dating back to 1919, has more than 2,700 employees including nearly 300 partners and is a member of Nexia International, a global network of independent accountancy, tax, and business advisors. For more information, visit www.cohnreznick.com.

Contact:

Maryellen Mooney

Goodman Media for CohnReznick

212-576-2700, mmooney@goodmanmedia.com