2020 Annual Report: Powered by People | Navigate Affordable Housing Partners

OUR VISION To be an instrument of change by revitalizing communities, empowering people, and expanding housing options for all.

PURPOSE The purpose of Navigate Affordable Housing Partners is mission-driven. We seek to invest in communities, provide quality housing options, and offer services to benefit the entire housing industry.

FOCUS AREAS Community Development Property Management Government Contracting

05

Message From Our Board Chair & CEO

07

Continuity of Operations

10

Powered by People

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Property Management

14

Government Contracting

16

Community Development

18

Navigate Gives Back

JOINT MESSAGE FROM OUR BOARD CHAIR & CEO People have always been central to Navigate’s vision, and it is that concern and caring for people that informs our mission and core values. As such, our plans for 2020 included several initiatives to improve lives by providing a safe place for people in revitalized communities. COVID-19 challenged that work.

Because of the pandemic, Navigate had to change everything about its operations.

Families across the country were in the same predicament, changing everything about how they live, learn, and work.

What did not change was our commitment to the families, communities, and our

partners -- our commitment to people. To that end, “Powered by People” is a fitting theme for our 2020 Annual Report.

Our People The safety of the Navigate team and the families we serve was the priority once the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. We activated our Continuity of Operations plan, moved all work to a remote environment, and implemented CDC guidelines for keeping our publicfacing people and spaces safe. We also took numerous steps to communicate with our stakeholders (HUD, owners/agents, the public) to ensure they experienced no interruptions in service.

Concern for People

As we all responded to the pandemic, the Navigate Board of Directors believed it was important they too respond and support people in need. They put words into action and made donations to community partners in Alabama, Connecticut, Mississippi, and Virginia to help families struggling to keep food on the table. Later in the year, the Board of Directors provided additional support to community partner agencies in our four states to help families at risk of eviction due to the pandemic. By year’s end, the Board had committed $700,000 -- to help people.

In Service to People

The Navigate team responded by continuing to fulfill the mission, albeit at a more deliberate pace. The year started by marking Navigate’s 40th Anniversary in service to the community as a housing provider and regulatory partner.

We then kicked off initiatives around expanding housing choice, which included supporting the development of single-family workforce housing and supporting a home relocation program that places donated homes in neighborhoods as part of community revitalization efforts.

We planned other work to revitalize communities and improve housing, but we adjusted those plans in the interest of the team and the community's safety.

We Have Great People

It is important that we pause here and formally acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the Navigate team.

They share in the commitment to helping improve the lives of others. They are the people responsible for putting Navigate’s mission into action, and they are responsible for Navigate’s accomplishments in 2020.

As we look ahead to 2021, we reaffirm our commitment to our vision, our mission, our core values, and we reaffirm our commitment to people.

W. Spencer Ragland

Lisa M. McCarroll

Navigate Board Chair

Navigate CEO

Navigate's Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) provided the road map for continuing operations during the pandemic.

Navigate leadership moved swiftly to protect the health and safety of the team, transition to a remote work environment, and keep all stakeholders informed. As a result, there were no interruptions in operations or the ability to provide excellent customer service.

Below are just a few of the steps we took to prevent the spread of the coronavirus while keeping our stakeholders informed.

OPERATIONS March 13: Navigate suspended nonessential travel

March 16: Navigate closed all offices to the public

March 16: Navigate established disinfection protocols for team members working inside the office

PREVENTION

COMMUNICATIONS

April 6: Navigate Asset Management implemented CDC guidelines for preventing the spread of the virus.

March 16: Released customer updates on operations and pandemic-related information through official channels.

July 1: Personal protective equipment and cleaning and disinfecting supplies distributed to the Navigate team.

June 29: Initiated virtual owner/agent training & expanded stakeholder interactions and engagement across all digital platforms.

September 2: Navigate began distributing Milliken-BioSmart masks to every Team Member

Various: Increased frequency of data security measures, network monitoring & vulnerability scans to protect PIIs & sensitive information.

We closed our Birmingham headquarters to the public in April. Within 24 hours, our IT Partners had equipped our people with the technology they needed to provide quality customer service from the safety of their homes. Watch the video on the right to learn how we "navigated" the pandemic.

In June, we surveyed Owner/Agents to prepare to restart the on-site Management and Occupancy Review (MOR) process. We developed a new MOR protocol, based on CDC guidelines, in response to the O/A's concerns and out of an abundance of caution.

Navigate reported the findings in a newsletter to our Owner/Agents.

Navigate's Board of Directors donated $125,000 each to four charities for rent, utility, and mortgage assistance.

Salvation Army Birmingham Command Salvation Army Jackson Command United Way of Richmond/Petersburg United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut "COVID-19 has left many people unable to pay their rent. We hope this will help people stay in their homes," says Board Chairman W. Spencer Ragland.

CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS

IN SERVICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS & COMMUNITIES

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TRAINING HOURS

Before COVID-19, Navigate Team Members routinely conducted in-person classes for Housing Authorities and housing-related seminars, workshops, and conferences. Most organizations now hold these events online, and Navigate began offering online classes for Housing Authorities and customers within our portfolio.

Corporate Trainer Vickie Bell trained organizations like Bristol Housing in Connecticut and Opelika Housing in Alabama virtually.

28K YOUTUBE VIEWS

1000 HOURS WATCHED

3430 FOLLOWERS

When SAHMA held its 2020 Annual Conference 100% online, Contract Administration Coordinators Nate Greathree and Vernell Callahan filmed a Q&A video using Zoom.

We also used Zoom for our award-winning #TuesdayTip video franchise.

March 2020 Employee of the Month Alicia Walker and Human Resources Director Dale Marcus.

Alicia is a Finance Accountant for Navigate Affordable Housing Partners.

"One thing about my job that I never thought I would be doing has to be the way I have helped so many people in ways I couldn't have imagined."

-JR Williams, Special Claims

Every year, hundreds of thousands of immigrants become United States Citizens. Executive Assistant Beth Clay and her daughter were among them in 2020. Congratulations, Beth!

"I wish people knew the importance of affordable housing.

The fact that it is needed now more than ever before."

-LaShunda Baldwin, Deputy COO

Navigate believes in Housing Affordability and protecting access to quality, livable housing choices. That's why we are empowering families, the elderly, and the disabled by providing quality housing they can afford.

Subsidiary Navigate Asset Management (NAM) is a full-service property management firm operating in the greater Birmingham, Alabama market. NAM currently manages Four Winds East and St. Charles Villas, impacting more than 300 lives.

Respect for the families we serve Respect for the communities in which they work Commitment to providing high-quality, safe, affordable housing options that are rich in support services

As a Performance-Based Contract Administrator (PBCA), Navigate is working to improve all aspects of the affordable housing industry. Our people focus on: Compliance Program Oversight The Navigate Teams works tirelessly to ensure its work as a regulatory partner and compliance agent meets program goals as well as statutory and regulatory mandates.

The Quality Assurance (QA) staff plays a vital role in executing our government contracts, reviewing 100% of the work product our Contract Administration Departments complete.

During Fiscal Year 2020, QA staff performed quality evaluations of:

404 MORS & RELATED TASKS

1229

CONTRACT RENEWALS & RENT ADJUSTMENTS

1363 SPECIAL CLAIMS

12,437 VOUCHER PAYMENTS

670 RESIDENT CONCERNS

In 2020, our Voucher Specialists reviewed and paid thousands of vouchers to ensure that rent for families was paid on time and that Owners/Agents could keep their staff on payroll.

2020 Owners of affordable housing face potential financial risk. HUD reimburses owners through Special Claims.

RECOUPED FOR RESIDENT DAMAGES & VACANCIES

From developing new homes through Navigate Communities to helping schools, Navigate is investing millions in Community Development.

BUILDING NEW HOMES

REVITALIZING A COMMUNITY

Navigate purchased the

Navigate will build three

remaining lots of Titusville's

energy-efficient homes on 1st

Goldwire Heights subdivision.

Street South, right across from

We plan to add 10 new homes

the house relocated to 100 4th.

for working people. The

The lots are within walking

designs have built-in energy

distance of Washington

efficiency and affordability.

Elementary.

INVESTING IN EDUCATION

The Board of Directors donated $100,000 to Booker T. Washington Elementary, doubling Navigate's investment in students from 2019. The school invested in tools that challenge their high achievers, help students needing extra attention and provide AMSTI training for teachers.

"Navigate came along and really encouraged our hearts," says Principal Dr. Antonia Ishman. "Our students and faculty really benefitted from the investment. It really gave us a boost and helped us do the heavy lifting that is required for our students to flourish. They're the true meaning of a community partner."

2020

$1.1M IN LOANS

Navigate established the CRF to assist local housing organizations preserve and create more affordable housing.

Navigate Gives Back is an initiative supporting the Navigate Vision.

Powered by People, NGB allows our team to be "instruments of change."

Every year, the Navigate team donates time and money to local charities. Due to COVID-19, smaller groups volunteered for the Salvation Army Tree toy distribution in 2020.

In total, Navigate employees gave $25,000 to homeless shelters and United Ways in our partner states.

Navigate contributed $250,000 to the NAHMA Education Foundation which makes scholarships available to residents of federally assisted housing.

The Foundation awarded 108 scholarships in 2020.

Nursing student Dayona Foster (right) was a 2019 recipient.

Our big push in 2020 involved empowering Partner organizations serving families in our four states during the pandemic. Early into the pandemic, the Navigate Board of Directors donated $200,000 to 17 organizations that provided food for families, children, and seniors at risk of food insecurity.

Alabama Childhood Food Solutions, Inc. Christian Service Mission Community Food Bank of Central AL Family Promise of Birmingham Cooperative Downtown Ministries Firehouse Shelter First Light Greater BHM Humane Society King's Home

Salvation Army South Shelby Baptist Church United Way of Central AL YWCA Washington K-8 Kikstart, Inc. United Way- Central and NE CT United Way- Richmond/Petersburg MS - Mississippi Food Network

On November 21, 2020, Navigate Team Members helped BuildUp students lay sod and beautify the house relocated to 100 4th.