Freddie Mac Muscle Moves to ‘Socially Responsible’ Housing

Former Freddie Mac national director of Expanding Markets, Vaughn Irons, is now CEO of APD Solutions, a firm established to provide capital support for socially responsible investing. The capital will be made available from Waterfall Asset Management’s billion dollar portfolio, according to a release on the matter. While APD is a business, it is rooted in activities more closely associated with charities; it’s aims are to “revitalize communities” hardest hit by the economic recession in an effort to “jump start” housing activity. Waterfall is a high-yield asset-backed securities and non-performing residential mortgage loan investment adviser with $1.1bn under management. “The current housing industry crisis has created the residual negative effect of eroding support for housing programs in targeted markets and underserved households,” said Irons. “There needs to be an ongoing commitment to providing working families a safe path to responsible housing choices,” he adds. “One of our goals is to provide strategic counsel and real estate expertise to those local governments, and organizations that have secured federal funding through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.” In order to actualize this so-called stabilization program, APD Solutions is using a two-fold business strategy. According to the firm, the first tenet is to provide strategic management services and assist with the implementation of revitalization efforts in stricken areas nationwide. Secondarily, it will provide comprehensive real estate services to institutional investors, local governments, banks, and community stakeholders. APDS services include asset management, property acquisition, real estate disposition, due diligence and valuation, and property management services. Combined with the overarching advisory and technical assistance capabilities, APDS is offering a one-stop turn-key solution for their clients and is headquartered in Atlanta, with other offices in Chicago, Dallas, Jacksonville and San Francisco. Write to Jacob Gaffney.