Blogs| Smart Ways LIHTC Professionals Build and Grow Their Network
Written by
Sajan Sharma
Published
Jul 31, 2025
Topics
LIHTC
Relationships aren’t just helpful but also fundamental in the affordable housing industry. The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program is inherently collaborative. Every phase of a project, from site selection, financing, compliance, asset management, and syndication, requires coordination across multiple stakeholders. Developers rely on equity partners. Syndicators depend on consistent pipeline visibility. Asset managers need transparency across project teams. State housing agencies work best with professionals who are already plugged into the process.
In the LIHTC landscape, technical knowledge and regulatory expertise are essential, but they don’t operate in a vacuum. A well-established network can reduce friction in deal execution, strengthen your position in competitive funding rounds, and improve long-term outcomes across your portfolio. It also keeps you connected to shifts in policy, capital markets, and on-the-ground realities.
While professional LIHTC certifications and training programs contribute to your credibility, they rarely lead to meaningful industry relationships on their own. Building a network takes intentional effort. It means engaging with the right people, showing up consistently, and contributing to conversations that go beyond your immediate project work.
This article outlines practical, proven ways LIHTC professionals strengthen and expand their network. These approaches are rooted in the way the industry actually operates. These are not theoretical tactics or surface-level suggestions. They reflect how trusted relationships are built in a space defined by long timelines, complex compliance, and high-stakes public-private partnerships.
Networking in the affordable housing space is not limited to conferences or training programs. It takes shape in the everyday workflows of LIHTC professionals—inside deal rooms, advisory boards, community forums, and collaborative projects.
Here, we have listed the core spaces where meaningful industry relationships are built and maintained.
The most reliable way to build your network is to attend the events where deals get discussed and industry leaders show up. Think of major conferences like the Novogradac Housing Tax Credit Conference or your state’s Housing Finance Authority meetings.
These meetings and conferences aren’t just lecture halls but relationship hubs. The networking breakfasts, breakout sessions, and post-panel coffee chats are where you can meet other professionals who do what you do—or who can bring you into their next deal.
Quick tip: Don’t just attend panels. Introduce yourself to speakers, ask thoughtful questions, and always follow up afterward on LinkedIn or email. One good conversation can lead to five warm intros down the road.
National and regional industry groups do more than issue policy updates; they give you a seat at the table with the people influencing the future of affordable housing.
These organizations regularly host roundtables, member-only briefings, and working groups. Attending these isn’t just good networking—it’s visibility with intent. It tells others that you’re committed to space long-term.
Not every connection happens at a formal event. A lot of the industry conversation is happening online and in places like:
On the ground, ULI District Councils and regional planning associations often host smaller meetups, working breakfasts, or tours of LIHTC properties. These are easier to access, more personal, and lead to repeated interaction over time.
Pro tip: People remember consistency. Commenting on others’ posts, sharing industry updates, or simply showing up at multiple local meetings builds familiarity and, eventually, trust.
Mentorship in the LIHTC space isn’t just for young professionals. It’s a two-way growth channel. If you’re early in your career, look for someone who’s structured a few deals or manages a portfolio. Ask about shadowing them on a deal review or asset walkthrough.
If you’re more seasoned, mentoring a newer professional keeps you connected to the next generation, often leading to referrals, partnerships, or invites to collaborative projects.
Relationship tip: Start informal. Invite someone for coffee or a virtual chat. Ask for their perspective on a regulation update or asset trend. Those conversations often turn into long-term relationships.
One of the most effective ways to network in LIHTC? Work together.
Joining a project or partnering on a co-deal puts you in close contact with a team working toward a common goal. It’s a natural, organic way to build rapport and shows people how you work under real conditions.
Even if you’re not leading the project, supporting someone else’s deal (through review, due diligence, or introductions) can open the door to future collaboration.
You don’t have to be a policy expert to serve on a committee. Many nonprofits, coalitions, and even state agencies have:
These aren’t just feel-good opportunities. They’re where funding priorities are debated, policy changes are proposed, and leaders are watching.
Serving on one of these committees puts your name in rooms that matter. It also gives you regular facetime with other industry professionals you might never meet at a general event.
Most professionals skip this part: staying in touch. You attend a panel, chat with someone afterward, and then… nothing. Real networking happens in the follow-up. After meeting someone:
Also, don’t wait for others to organize events. Host your own small gathering—a peer coffee roundtable, an online meetup, or a monthly asset management check-in with 3–4 people you trust. These don’t have to be big. They just have to be consistent.
In the LIHTC industry, your network is not a secondary asset; it directly influences your ability to operate efficiently, secure financing, navigate compliance, and access future opportunities. Relationships built on trust, visibility, and shared experience are often the difference between a delayed project and a smooth closing.
The strategies outlined here are not one-time efforts. They reflect how the most effective professionals in the space stay relevant—by participating in the right conversations, collaborating across functions, and maintaining long-term engagement with peers and partners.
Whether you’re expanding into new markets, strengthening your investor base, or simply trying a new LIHTC software to stay ahead of regulatory shifts, investing in your network is a practical step with measurable impact. And like every part of the LIHTC ecosystem, it works best when intentional.
If you’re looking to position yourself more strategically within the affordable housing space, start by connecting where real work happens—at the intersection of deals, data, and people.
Fill in your email address to subscribe to our newsletter. Get expert insights, the latest LIHTC news, and valuable resources delivered directly to your inbox.
No spam—just valuable information.
