The MAC Group was founded in 1978 to help New York City’s Housing Authority, Department of Transportation, and Parks and Recreation Department work together on public housing. Thirty-four years later, The MAC Group has grown into a national organization, with offices in Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Gary Indiana; San Diego California; and Minneapolis Minnesota.
Do you know which nims structure makes cooperative multi-agency decisions?
In 2000 the MAC Group completed its first project outside of the northeast region: the Central Area Neighborhood Revitalization Project for the City of Saint Paul Minnesota.
The project consisted of a comprehensive physical development plan to encourage investment after decades without major investment.
It also created opportunities for collaboration among government agencies at all levels to leverage their respective strengths while preserving unique character areas.
Here some points are discussed-
1. Multiple Agencies
States are responsible for providing a numerical minority of the nation’s public housing. Federal investments account for only 12 percent of America’s public housing stock, which is also the smallest number of units.
The MAC Group was created to encourage cooperative decision making among multiple agencies across municipal, state and federal governments. The group encourages collaboration and shared responsibilities in order to make all dollars work best.
2. Manage Funds
The MAC Group has become an organization that coaches, mentors and supports the development of the potential in public housing funds. The MAC Group continuously partners with banks and private investment firms to serve as a sounding board for financial analysis while assisting in planning over specific projects. When it is “time to sell” assets from public housing, The MAC Group helps make that sale happen by encouraging partnerships with the private sector.
3. Collaboration among Agencies
Collaboration leads to multimillion-dollar infrastructure needs for low-income housing projects that no one agency alone can accomplish alone. The MAC Group has consistently been a partner to government officials in the region over the past 35 years, helping them work to meet their goals. By working with numerous agencies, The MAC Group is often able to overcome blockades and bring your project from concept to reality.
The MAC Group has helped public housing authorities and cities around the country with their strategic plans. In 2003, The MAC Group began working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on its Blueprint for Public Housing Renewal initiative that sought to improve public housing throughout the country through a series of strategic options such as redevelopment planning and management reform initiatives.
4. Multifaceted Approach
The MAC Group has earned the reputation as a multifaceted organization. It has the ability to respond with the speed of a small business while offering the skill set of a large company.
This is especially important for Cities and Housing Authorities that are required to adhere to government regulations and directives, yet need to move quickly to keep pace with private development. The MAC Group provides:
The MAC Group announced an agreement with Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Corporate & Investment Banking and Morgan Stanley Senior Funding Inc., for $55 million in tax-exempt financing through its public housing agency partners.
The MAC Group’s Partners for Development program, which is the first-of-its-kind initiative through which The MAC Group helps housing authorities and cities develop public housing projects that otherwise would not be possible.
5. State and Local Approvals
The MAC Group has developed an extensive network of contacts to help state and city governments through the application, approval, construction and opening phases of projects. The firm assists housing authorities and cities by providing a range of advisory services, including financial management, property management, asset management, organizational development, strategic planning and policy development.
6. Cost Savings
The MAC Group “up-front” expenditures on behalf of its clients have resulted in cost savings of more than $1 billion since 2001.
The MAC Group has a long history of supporting and working with public housing authorities to develop innovative, successful and economically viable strategies for the revitalization of public housing. The MAC Group created the multifaceted Community Builders program in 1991 (which became known as The MAC Group Partners for Development Program in 1995).
The MAC Group has developed a series of comprehensive business plans, each addressing the needs of specific Housing Authorities throughout North America. These plans are tailored to the specific needs of each Authority and focus on areas such as asset management, redevelopment planning, succession planning, organizational change and financial analysis.
In order to help public housing authorities better position themselves for success The MAC Group offers guidance in seeking debt and capital markets while helping them develop their ability to be nimble decision makers.
