Press
Multi-Housing News – What’s Sparking Private Investment In Affordable Housing
How Well Can You Do by Doing Good? by Patricia Kirk
Multifamily impact investing’s accelerating as private capital shoulders more of the affordability burden.
May 28, 2025
What’s sparking private investment in affordable housing
“But few private investors were interested in this sector until fairly recently. The pivot point for private capital investment in distressed communities was the George Floyd tragedy, suggested Deborah La Franchi, founder & CEO of fund manager SDS Capital Group. That’s when corporations and other institutional investors started asking how they could make a difference in low-income communities.
About this same time, many of the earliest impact platforms focused on delivering risk-adjusted, market rates of return now had track records demonstrating that the approach can work “with the right team,” La Franchi continued.
Then a few years ago, public pension funds became interested in impact investing, and SDS’ capital partner American South Capital Partners, an affordable housing fund based in the U.S South, along with Vintage Realty Co., landed five of them. “This migration of pensions into the space illustrates how some impact funds are now breaking through to very untraditional investors due to performance,” said La Franchi.”
Press ReleaseMulti-Housing News – What’s sparking private investment in affordable housing
How Well Can You Do by Doing Good? by Patricia Kirk
Multifamily impact investing’s accelerating as private capital shoulders more of the affordability burden.
May 28, 2025
What’s sparking private investment in affordable housing
“But few private investors were interested in this sector until fairly recently. The pivot point for private capital investment in distressed communities was the George Floyd tragedy, suggested Deborah La Franchi, founder & CEO of fund manager SDS Capital Group. That’s when corporations and other institutional investors started asking how they could make a difference in low-income communities.
About this same time, many of the earliest impact platforms focused on delivering risk-adjusted, market rates of return now had track records demonstrating that the approach can work “with the right team,” La Franchi continued.
Then a few years ago, public pension funds became interested in impact investing, and SDS’ capital partner American South Capital Partners, an affordable housing fund based in the U.S South, along with Vintage Realty Co., landed five of them. “This migration of pensions into the space illustrates how some impact funds are now breaking through to very untraditional investors due to performance,” said La Franchi.”
Woodfield And American South Capital Partner On 840 Woodrow Development
Woodfield JV to Begin Affordable Project in Atlanta Mikayla Sciortino
June 17, 2025
Woodfield Development has entered a joint venture with American South Capital Partners for the land purchase of 840 Woodrow SW, a parcel located along Atlanta Beltline’s Westside Trail. The site will see the development of 840 Woodrow, a planned 326-unit mixed-use affordable community. Vida Cos. sourced the plot for the buyers.
840 Woodrow has been in been in planning for three years, and the community is set to break ground within the next five to six weeks. When completed, it will feature 326 apartments, 66 of which will be reserved for affordable and workforce housing. Approximately 16 apartments will be designated for residents using tenant-based vouchers. An anticipated full build-out is expected in late 2027.
Aside from increasing affordable housing units in the area, the 840 Woodrow will provide commercial space and job opportunities for residents. For the BeltLine, the ongoing construction will make 500 construction jobs available as well as over 40 permanent jobs when the community comes online. The project also includes a $1.5 million investment for brownfield remediation, site revitalization and environmental protection to make it construction-ready.
Woodfield and American South Capital partner on 840 Woodrow development
Woodfield JV to Begin Affordable Project in Atlanta Mikayla Sciortino
June 17, 2025
Woodfield Development has entered a joint venture with American South Capital Partners for the land purchase of 840 Woodrow SW, a parcel located along Atlanta Beltline’s Westside Trail. The site will see the development of 840 Woodrow, a planned 326-unit mixed-use affordable community. Vida Cos. sourced the plot for the buyers.
840 Woodrow has been in been in planning for three years, and the community is set to break ground within the next five to six weeks. When completed, it will feature 326 apartments, 66 of which will be reserved for affordable and workforce housing. Approximately 16 apartments will be designated for residents using tenant-based vouchers. An anticipated full build-out is expected in late 2027.
Aside from increasing affordable housing units in the area, the 840 Woodrow will provide commercial space and job opportunities for residents. For the BeltLine, the ongoing construction will make 500 construction jobs available as well as over 40 permanent jobs when the community comes online. The project also includes a $1.5 million investment for brownfield remediation, site revitalization and environmental protection to make it construction-ready.
Closed $4.23 M Financing For Acquisition And Renovation Of 168-Unit Affordable Housing Complex In Charlotte
American South Capital Partners(“ASCP”), a joint venture of SDS Capital Group and Vintage Realty Company, has provided Infinity Real Estate Advisors with $4.23 million of preferred equity for the acquisition and renovation of Randolph Hills, a 168-unit affordable housing community in Charlotte, NC.
Closed $4.23 M financing for acquisition and renovation of 168-Unit affordable housing complex in Charlotte
American South Capital Partners(“ASCP”), a joint venture of SDS Capital Group and Vintage Realty Company, has provided Infinity Real Estate Advisors with $4.23 million of preferred equity for the acquisition and renovation of Randolph Hills, a 168-unit affordable housing community in Charlotte, NC.
Urban Land Article Access To Capital: Solutions For Black Developers To Overcome Funding Challenges
January 2024 By Carisa Chappell
View online at Urbanland.uli.org
La Franchi’s firm has money available to smaller developers. For example, SDS Capital provided New Orleans–based developer VPG with $2.7 million of preferred equity for a project whose cost was just under $20 million. “That was [small, even] for us, frankly,” she says. “But it was a really talented team [whose founders] all came out of Tuskegee University with engineering degrees and wanted to have their own company. We hope to keep funding them year after year to help them grow.”
Urban Land Article Access to Capital: Solutions for Black Developers to Overcome Funding Challenges
January 2024 By Carisa Chappell
View online at Urbanland.uli.org
La Franchi’s firm has money available to smaller developers. For example, SDS Capital provided New Orleans–based developer VPG with $2.7 million of preferred equity for a project whose cost was just under $20 million. “That was [small, even] for us, frankly,” she says. “But it was a really talented team [whose founders] all came out of Tuskegee University with engineering degrees and wanted to have their own company. We hope to keep funding them year after year to help them grow.”
Elizabeth Property Group Investment In Six Low Income Texas Housing Properties
Elizabeth Property Group Investment in Six Low Income Texas Housing Properties
Wilmington NC Investment Life At Lakeside Villas
Multifamily Housing News 1.27.2023
ASREF partners with Olive Tree on purchase of 429-unit affordable housing townhome community. Located in Wilmington, North Carolina, “The Life at Lakeside Villas,” is the latest joint venture between ASREF and Olive Tree Holdings. This $29M purchase marks their fifth project partnership of impact investments in affordable housing in the South.
Wilmington NC Investment Life at Lakeside Villas
Multifamily Housing News 1.27.2023
ASREF partners with Olive Tree on purchase of 429-unit affordable housing townhome community. Located in Wilmington, North Carolina, “The Life at Lakeside Villas,” is the latest joint venture between ASREF and Olive Tree Holdings. This $29M purchase marks their fifth project partnership of impact investments in affordable housing in the South.
12hundred Studios Ribbon Cutting In Atlanta Hunter Hills
Tenth Street Ventures And Partners Celebrate Ribbon Cutting With Atlanta Mayor Andre On 12hundred Studios On Mobile St In Atlanta’s Hunter Hills The 40-unit apartment complex has been revamped with attainable rents at 60% AMI; American South Fund Management impact fund supports affordable housing developments for low-income residents throughout the South.
12hundred Studios Ribbon Cutting In Atlanta Hunter Hills
Tenth Street Ventures And Partners Celebrate Ribbon Cutting With Atlanta Mayor Andre On 12hundred Studios On Mobile St In Atlanta’s Hunter Hills The 40-unit apartment complex has been revamped with attainable rents at 60% AMI; American South Fund Management impact fund supports affordable housing developments for low-income residents throughout the South.
$12.5 Million To Develop Workforce Housing In Flagler Beach Florida
The Preserve at Flagler Beach Press Release 6.2022
Piedmont and American South Fund Management Announce Newest Investment in Florida; $12.5 Million to Develop Workforce Housing. The Preserve At Flagler Beach ground-up development to construct 240-unit garden-style workforce apartment community.
$12.5 Million to Develop Workforce Housing in Flagler Beach Florida
The Preserve at Flagler Beach Press Release 6.2022
Piedmont and American South Fund Management Announce Newest Investment in Florida; $12.5 Million to Develop Workforce Housing. The Preserve At Flagler Beach ground-up development to construct 240-unit garden-style workforce apartment community.
$23M Investment Partnership With Olive Tree Holdings
ASREF II ANNOUNCES FIRST INVESTMENT – IN HOUSTON
ASREF II ANNOUNCES FIRST INVESTMENT – IN HOUSTON
FIRST CLOSE FOR AMERICAN SOUTH REAL ESTATE FUND II
FIRST CLOSE FOR AMERICAN SOUTH REAL ESTATE FUND II
NOVOGRADAC Journal Of Tax Credits Nov. 2020
NOVOGRADAC Journal of Tax Credits Nov. 2020
Friedrich Lofts San Antonio, TX
Article: April 2023 San Antonio Business Journal
Article: San Antonio Express-News
Article: San Antonio Biz Journal
Article: CoStar
Friedrich Lofts San Antonio, TX
Article: April 2023 San Antonio Business Journal
Article: San Antonio Express-News
Article: San Antonio Biz Journal
Article: CoStar