Washington, DC Office   direct phone: (202) 349 2474 direct fax: (202) 349 2475	Education: Saint Louis University School of Law, J.D.   Washington University in St. Louis, B.A.     Bar Admissions: District of Columbia bar Maryland bar      Hometown: Tallahassee, FL
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Laura Schwarz practice focuses on representations of public housing authorities involved in mixed-finance developments.  In addition to providing mixed-finance counsel, Laura assists housing authorities to address regulatory issues ranging from the creation of tax-exempt instrumentalities to Uniform Relocation Act compliance.  Laura also continues to assist recipients of Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds in developing and implementing their programs. Selected Recent Transactions   Closed a 78-unit development in upstate New York involving Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Project-Based Vouchers, seller financing proceeds, state public housing modernization funds, state housing trust and weatherization funds, and other sources. Assisted recipient of over $30 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 funding in structuring their program, drafting program manuals, form developer agreements, option contracts, loan agreements, use restrictions, and other documents. Prior Work Experience   Law clerk, Saint Louis University School of Law Housing Clinic: Laura represented Habitat for Humanity at residential closings and attended board meetings.  She also researched the possible disparate impact of zoning code revisions. Summer Associate, Reno & Cavanaugh, PLLC: As a Summer Associate, Laura drafted Mixed-Finance ACCs, Regulatory and Operating Agreements, and other transactional documents. She also researched the regulatory background for affordable housing development, focusing on HOPE VI, the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. Chicago Public Interest Law Initiative Intern, Business and Professional People for the Public Interest (BPI): Over the course of her internship, Laura drafted model administrative code for implementation of the Illinois Affordable Housing Planning and Appeals Act. She also researched municipal inclusionary zoning policies, focusing on fees-in-lieu and density bonuses as incentives for creating affordable housing. Research Assistant, Illinois Legislative Research Unit:  In her capacity as a research assistant, Laura investigated public policy issues for members of the Illinois General Assembly.  She focused on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and social services.                                          Speaking Engagements/Publications Author, Community Planning and Development: Emerging Neighborhood Stabilization Programs, in Navigating HUD Programs: A Practitioners’ Guide to the Labyrinth, ed. Julie McGovern and George Weidenfeller (American Bar Association Press), forthcoming Spring 2012. Panelist, “Developing Student Interest in Affordable Housing”, Legal Educators’ Committee Meeting, 20th Annual Conference on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law, Annual Meeting (May 2011).  Panelist, "Public Housing Redevelopment: How to Make a Public-Private Partnership Work". Upstate New York Housing Preservation Symposium (New York State Association for Affordable Housing). April 5, 2011. Author, The Neighborhood Stabilization Program: Development Opportunities for Community Economic Development Organizations, ABA Committee on Community and Economic Development eNewsletter, Winter 2011. Author, The Neighborhood Stabilization Program: Land Banking and Rental Housing as Opportunities for Innovation.  Journal of Affordable Housing & Community Development Law (Volume 19, Number 1, Fall 2009). Author, The 2007 National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act: A National Fund for a National Need, Journal of Affordable Housing & Community Development Law, Spring 2009. Co-Author, Affordable Workforce Housing- An Agenda for the Show Me State: A Report from an Interactive Forum on Housing Issues in Missouri, 27 Saint Louis University Public Law Review 45 (2007). Awards, Community Activities and Professional Activities Member, National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) Member, American Bar Association Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law Winner of the ABA Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law's Writing Competition, May 2008 Executive Editor, Saint Louis University Public Law Review, Fall 2008-Spring 2009    Saint Louis University School of Law Mel Friedman Fellowship in Real Estate Law Saint Louis University School of Law 1843 Scholarship (3 year, full tuition scholarship) Phi Beta Kappa