Michael Novogradac is the managing partner in the San Francisco office of Novogradac & Company LLP. He has more than 25 years of experience specializing in affordable housing, community development and renewable energy. Mr. Novogradac’s focus is in real estate taxation and accounting. He is the author of numerous real estate-related tax and accounting articles and books, including the New Markets Tax Credit Handbook and the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Handbook. A frequent speaker at tax credit conferences and forums throughout the country, Mr. Novogradac is very active in advocating for the inclusion of affordable housing, historic, new markets and renewable energy tax credits in federal and state policy and broadcasts a weekly podcast that focuses on tax credit issues. In addition, he serves as advisor on industry and governmental affairs for the NMTC Working Group and the LIHTC Working Group. Mr. Novogradac also serves on the executive committee of the Housing Advisory Group and the boards of directors of the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition, the National Housing Conference, the NMTC Coalition and Historic Tax Credit Coalition, as well as being an original member of the National Multifamily Housing Council’s Affordable Housing Committee. He previously served on the boards of directors of A Hand Up and the Berkeley Chess School, the board of governors of the California Housing Consortium, as an advisory board member of the National Leased Housing Association, the Federal Housing Policy Council and Housing and Development Reporter. He was also a member of the National Housing & Rehabilitation Association NMTC Steering Committee, the National Trust for Historic Preservation Tax Policy Council and the California State Treasurer's Housing Finance Advisory Board, as well as a board member and chief financial officer of the Housing Industry Foundation. Mr. Novogradac graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a bachelor’s degree in economics. He received an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. He is licensed in California, Oregon, Maryland and Texas as a certified public accountant.

Orlando Cabrera advises clients including financial institutions, investors, syndicators, developers, public housing authorities, housing finance agencies, community development agencies, cities and counties on successfully navigating complex affordable housing matters. Mr. Cabrera has significant experience with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulatory matters (including Native American housing issues), housing finance agency issues, low-income housing tax credits (LIHTCs), private activity bonds, debt financing, non-federal state financing programs, tribal financing programs and general real estate. Mr. Cabrera’s experience includes serving as the president and CEO of a major affordable housing developer that operated in six states. He raised more than $50 million for capital improvements for the company and $100 million in general equity investment for new and rehabilitation construction, restructuring of the company’s finances and successfully developing or rehabbing more than 2,500 units during his four-year tenure as CEO. From his Senate confirmation in late 2005 through early 2008, he served as assistant secretary for Public and Indian Housing at HUD. As assistant secretary, Mr. Cabrera oversaw the administration of a $24 billion program, which included public housing, Section 8 vouchers, moderate rehabilitation (Mod Rehab) and most federal housing programs for Native American tribes nationwide. He is one of three recipients of the Office of Inspector General’s Golden Eagle Award for Public Integrity. Before his role at HUD, Mr. Cabrera served as executive director and CEO of the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, the nation’s fourth-largest housing finance agency, where he developed policies for managing the allocation of the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC), private activity bonds, HOME Investment Partnership Fund, State Housing Trust Fund and Local Government Housing Trust Fund. During his tenure at Florida Housing, he also served on the board of the National Council of State Housing Agencies. Mr. Cabrera also has extensive experience in the area of disaster recovery. Before heading Florida Housing, Mr. Cabrera was the chairman and vice chairman of Florida Housing’s board of directors and a partner in the real estate department of a major Florida-based law firm. He has acted as developer, investor or lender’s counsel for hundreds of real estate transactions throughout his career. Mr. Cabrera has extensive experience in most areas of real estate law, including airport, office, commercial, and single and multifamily residential development. He has been a frequent speaker and presenter before various committees in the U.S. Congress, the Florida legislature, many state and local governments, and many affordable housing and real estate industry trade groups. He has served, and still serves, on the board of directors for a variety of industry-related groups. Mr. Cabrera is a member of the American Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar Association, The Florida Bar, the Illinois State Bar Association and the State Bar of Wisconsin.

Rick Lazio served four terms in the United States House of Representatives, where he chaired the Housing Subcommittee of the Financial Services Committee, was Deputy majority whip and assistant majority leader. Following his service in Congress, Mr. Lazio held positions with several financial services entities. Mr. Lazio’s practice focuses on issues of affordable housing and related housing finance. He leads the firm’s housing and housing finance industry team and serves clients in the real estate, banking and financial services, and government relations practices. He serves as head of the firm’s New York office. Before joining Jones Walker, Mr. Lazio served as president and CEO of the Financial Services Forum and was a member of the executive committee of JPMorgan Chase. He also served as managing director with the real assets group of JPMorgan Asset Management. Mr. Lazio is admitted in the state of New York. Mr. Lazio earned his bachelor’s degree from Vassar College and his juris doctor from American University Washington College of Law. 

Richard Goldstein, a partner in the Tax Credit Finance and Syndication Group of Nixon Peabody LLP in Washington, DC, has been deeply involved in the low-income housing tax credit since its enactment in 1986 and is a national authority on that program. Mr. Goldstein represents syndicators, investors, developers and other participants in transactions involving the housing tax credit. His leadership in the affordable housing industry was recently recognized by Affordable Housing Finance Magazine, which named Mr. Goldstein to its Affordable Housing Hall of Fame in 2014.

Mr. Goldstein focuses his practice in two areas: transactions and public policy, both with the low-income housing tax credit in common. This unique combination has direct benefits to the firm’s clients. Mr. Goldstein can counsel clients on detailed and complex transactional matters, and can also advise them on how public policy affects current and future business matters.

On the transactional side, Mr. Goldstein has been representing syndicators, investors and developers in housing tax credit deals since 1987, including acquisitions of project partnerships, dispositions and “upper tier work.” With his breadth of experience, he generally focuses on more complex transactions.

His lobbying involves representing the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition, a major Washington, DC trade association in the housing credit industry. Mr. Goldstein’s transactional experience gives him exceptional credibility in advocating for the housing tax credit from the perspective of a professional in the field. Mr. Goldstein has developed deep relationships with a number of members of Congress, including those in leadership positions. 

Prior to his entry into private law practice, Mr. Goldstein served as a legislative assistant to Congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts and later as a counsel to a House subcommittee chaired by Mr. Frank which did legislative oversight of HUD. Rick earned his bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo and his law degree from Boston College Law School.