Century Launches Note Program To Fund Affordable Housing
Investors are offered an investment-grade opportunity to support Century’s efforts to address social inequalities associated with housing shortages worsened by the COVID pandemic
Culver City, CA (February 1, 2021) — Century Housing, a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) dedicated to creating quality affordable housing throughout California, today announced the launch of an offering of up to $50 million of Century Sustainable Impact Notes (Notes), giving retail and institutional investors the opportunity to support Century’s efforts to address social inequalities associated with housing shortages worsened by the COVID pandemic, while promoting sustainable development. The Notes have received an investment-grade rating from Fitch and S&P and are available in denominations as small as $1,000.
In June, Century became the first CDFI to be rated by both Fitch and S&P, two of the world’s leading providers of independent credit ratings, earning a rating of AA Stable and AA- Stable, respectively. A second-party opinion by Sustainalytics also confirmed the environmental and social benefits attributed to Century-financed affordable development. All net proceeds will be used to support the financing of affordable housing in underserved communities.
Alan Hoffman, Senior Vice President and CFO of Century Housing, said, “The shortage of housing options for low-income households and the related chronic homelessness are being compounded by the COVID pandemic. A stable home is the first step to recovery, and the benefits produced by affordable housing, including improvements in health, education, and employment, are undeniable.”
Century-financed communities typically provide affordable housing to low-income families, seniors, veterans, and youth and offer on-site services, including health clinics and case management. Of the 4,278 homes Century financed in 2019, 76% had a green component, such as high energy-efficiency standards, sustainably sourced materials, and close proximity to transit in order to limit greenhouse gas emissions caused by long commutes. On average, these apartments are affordable to households earning half the median income in the areas where they live.
Century Sustainable Impact Notes are expected to be available beginning on or about February 1, 2021, with maturities that range from six months to 20 years through Incapital, LLC, a leading underwriter and distributor of securities.
“Century’s Notes offer investors the opportunity to address critical social and environmental needs while earning a financial return,” said Ron Griffith, President and CEO of Century Housing. “We are excited to be working with Incapital to give more investors the ability to increase the supply of critically needed affordable housing and to participate in our mission of serving our most vulnerable community members.”
Century provides financing for all stages of the creation and preservation of affordable housing and specializes in early-stage financing, including acquisition and bridge loans. For more than 25 years, Century’s expertise has reliably allowed affordable housing developers to secure important financing, take advantage of current programs, including COVID-related federal aid like Project Homekey, and navigate other state and city resources necessary for affordable housing communities to thrive.
The offering will be made only pursuant to a prospectus and pricing supplement. Copies of the prospectus and the relevant pricing supplement may be obtained from Century’s website at century.org/invest. In addition, financial professionals may obtain copies of the prospectus and relevant pricing supplement through Incapital’s Legacy™ platform. The S&P and Fitch ratings should not be the only factors investors rely upon in making an investment decision in the Notes. Before you invest, you should carefully read the prospectus and the relevant pricing supplement for more complete information about Century and the offering. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
