Affordable Housing and Faith-Based Organizations Transactional Clinic

Course Description

Fieldwork

Students in the clinic will work to gain practical lawyering skills and substantive legal knowledge in the basic regulatory regimes and transactional negotiations faced by not-for-profit organizations developing land for mixed use or affordable housing. Students will be able to hone their ability to problem solve, communicate with a variety of people and organizations with an interest in the land that faith-based organizations wish to use for housing, draft and review transactional documents, use risk analysis and considerations of leverage to advise clients, and advocate in different venues.

The Clinic will represent faith-based organizations as they (1) determine whether to put any of their land, development rights, or other property to use as affordable housing, (2) evaluate how to allocate the risks of development and enter into negotiations over contract terms and agreements with potential partners, (3) seek the various approvals needed – within their own organization, and from the Attorney General’s Office, and (4) work to secure zoning or other land use approvals and financing packages for the development of affordable housing.   We may also be involved in analyzing and advocating with respect to City or State legislative policy issues affecting the development of affordable housing by faith-based organizations, or new regulations from the City’s Housing and Preservation Department.

Seminar

The seminar will include substantive information on topics such as housing economics, the basics of real estate transactions and joint ventures, land use law (with an emphasis on New York City), regulation of charitable organizations, and professional responsibility.

* 6 credits include 3 clinical credits and 3 academic seminar credits per semester.