Publications
White Plains Housing Authority to Rehab Lakeview Apartments
The White Plains Housing Authority plans a $6.5 million rehabilitation of the Lakeview apartments. The renovation of the apartments in the 95-unit complex at 120 Lake St. will be accomplished by privatizing the public housing with the authority still the controlling partner in the new private entity...more
C. Ray Baker & Associates, Inc. Empowers Residents and Brings New Focus to Gary Housing Authority
C. Ray Baker & Associates, Inc. (CRB) is winning kudos from residents and community stakeholders as they complete their management contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)...more
HUD's role in rental affordability deserves more attention
Our elected leaders on both sides of the political aisle are going to have a lot to say about President Obama's proposed federal budget in the weeks and months ahead. But one area is likely to continue escaping attention in the wake of the proposal's release: the availability of affordable rental housing...more
Central Park Towers Groundbreaking – Love Funding
Love Funding is proud to be deeply involved with the RAD program, with several transactions now behind us and more headed to the closing table...more
Senior housing project underway in Elgin
There are groundbreakings, and there are heartfelt groundbreakings -- like the one that took place for new affordable housing for seniors in Elgin...more
C. Ray Baker & Associates Forges Unprecedented Financial Alliance for Housing Authority of Elgin
Elgin, Illinois, January 20, 2015/ PR Newswire - Eight private and public sector sources have stepped forward to fund the renovation and expansion of Central Park Tower (CPT), an 11-story, 150-unit senior high-rise building operated by the Housing Authority of Elgin (Illinois). C. Ray Baker and Associates, Inc., a real estate development and management consulting firm, headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, forged the partnership to provide the approximately $33 million dollars for this effort...more
Avenues to Affordability, Vol. 21, Issue: 1 2014
During a recent trip to Washington, D.C., I had dinner with my son. During our dinner conversation, he taught me a new word. That word is "reboot". This young, up-and-comer in the video game industry helped me understand that successfully managed assets in the video game industry are intellectual properties that grow into franchises. As the theory goes, once a consumer is captivated by a series they will prefer the next installment over a new game they don't recognize, giving birth to sequels, prequels, and remakes. I learned that sequels and prequels are a real challenge because they have to be consistent with the original story and, as we all know, remakes don't leave much to the imagination. My son explained that reboots are different because they let the creators keep the fundamentals that made the original story great yet allows them to take the story in a fresh direction, making it relevant for the new generation of gamers. We finished dinner; said goodbye, and left the restaurant. Walking back to the hotel, I reflected on our discussion. An analogy formed in my mind and I engaged in a thought experiment. I asked myself the following question. If RAD were a video game; would it be a sequel, or would RAD be a reboot? I wondered...more
HUD AWARDS CHOICE NEIGHBORHOOD GRANT IN GARY
WASHINGTON – Building on a commitment to help local communities redevelop distressed public or assisted housing and transform neighborhoods, U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julián Castro announced seven new Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant awards, including $500,000 to the City of Gary, Indiana. These awards will help grantees craft comprehensive, locally driven plans to revitalize and transform distressed neighborhoods. Part of the Obama Administration's effort to build Ladders of Opportunity to the middle class, HUD's Choice Neighborhoods Initiative promotes a comprehensive approach to transforming neighborhoods struggling to address the interconnected challenges of distressed housing, inadequate schools, poor health, high crime, and lack of capital...more
SBA Honors Detroit Emerging Leaders Graduates
DETROIT – The U.S. Small Business Administration will recognize 11 small businesses in the SBA Emerging Leaders graduation ceremony on November 10, 2014 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Tech Town, located at 440 Burroughs, Detroit, MI 48202. Emerging Leaders is a nationwide training program targeting promising urban-based small businesses with a curriculum designed to create jobs and stimulate local economies...more