CAHEC, a community investment organization based in Raleigh, NC, and Columbia, SC, presented its annual awards on June 9 during the 2026 CAHEC Partners Conference Awards Luncheon in downtown Raleigh. The awards celebrate individuals and organizations whose dedication and leadership have made a meaningful impact on affordable housing and community development.
The Development of the Year award was given to Valley River Apartments, a 56-unit affordable housing community in Murphy, North Carolina, completed in 2025. The development was led by Western North Carolina Housing Partnership (WNCHP) in collaboration with FGM Development, LLC. Valley River represents CAHEC's seventh investment with WNCHP and tenth with FGM Development. Its completion marked a significant milestone for Cherokee County, as it was the county's first Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) award in a decade and the first new-construction LIHTC development in 26 years, addressing a critical need for affordable housing in Western North Carolina.
The Resident Spotlight Award was presented to Piok Chier, a freshman in high school living at Partridge Pointe Apartments in Louisville, Kentucky. Piok has become an integral part of resident programming through CAHEC's partnership with the local YMCA, which brings weekly youth programming to the property, including soccer camps and educational activities. Piok helps coordinate events, encourages participation, and volunteers with the Chestnut Street Family YMCA Summer Camp. He also participates in the Men of Quality program, serves on the Black Achievers Teen Senate, and volunteers with Kentucky Refugee Ministries.
The Outstanding Community Impact award was given to the North Florida School of Special Education (NFSSE) in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2019, CAHEC New Markets provided $10.25 million of NMTC allocation to NFSSE to expand its campus. For over 30 years, NFSSE has served individuals with intellectual and developmental differences, now supporting about 248 students and over 100 post-graduates. Its vocational training programs have achieved a job placement rate of 56.2%. The school also operates a therapeutic equestrian center and social enterprises like Berry Good Farms, using a reverse inclusion model that brings together individuals with and without disabilities.
First Bank was named Investor of the Year. Headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, First Bank has invested over $34 million across nine CAHEC-sponsored funds over 15 years. The bank has grown from about $1 billion to over $12 billion in assets and operates over 100 branches. Beyond investing, First Bank has served as a construction lender on several CAHEC-syndicated developments, expanding access to affordable housing throughout the Carolinas.
Steve Rosenblatt received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Beginning in the mid-1970s, he managed a Rural Development housing portfolio and later became a leading trainer for affordable housing staff. In 1986, he founded Spectrum Seminars and established the Rural Development STAR designation. He developed the C3P Section 42 training program and founded Spectrum Compliance in 1991, which now employs nearly 40 professionals. Rosenblatt has trained tens of thousands of housing professionals and contributed to numerous events sponsored by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and CAHEC.
CAHEC is a community investment organization that offers housing and life-changing opportunities throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Its product areas include investing in low-income housing tax credits, historic tax credits, new markets tax credits, and renewable energy credits. CAHEC also provides loan programs, wellness and education initiatives, affordable housing development, and property management services. More information is available on CAHEC's website.
