RALEIGH, NC – CAHEC, a community investment organization, presented its 2026 awards at the annual Partners Conference Awards Luncheon on June 9 in downtown Raleigh. The awards honor individuals and organizations whose dedication and leadership have made a meaningful impact on affordable housing and community development. This year's recipients include Valley River Apartments, Piok Chier, North Florida School of Special Education, First Bank, and Steve Rosenblatt.
Development of the Year – Valley River Apartments
Valley River Apartments, a 56-unit affordable housing community in Murphy, North Carolina, was completed in 2025. Developed by Western North Carolina Housing Partnership (WNCHP) in collaboration with FGM Development, LLC, it represents CAHEC's seventh investment with WNCHP and tenth with FGM Development. The development received a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) award in 2021, marking Cherokee County's first LIHTC award in a decade and its first new-construction LIHTC development in 26 years. This project provides critically needed affordable housing in Western North Carolina.
Resident Spotlight Award – Piok Chier
Piok Chier, a high school freshman living at Partridge Pointe Apartments in Louisville, KY, has become a key figure in resident programming through CAHEC's partnership with the local YMCA. He helps coordinate weekly youth programs, including soccer camps and educational activities, and volunteers with the Chestnut Street Family YMCA Summer Camp. Piok is also active in the Men of Quality program, Black Achievers Teen Senate, and The African in America soccer program, and volunteers with Kentucky Refugee Ministries. His leadership and engagement have made a significant impact on his community.
Outstanding Community Impact – North Florida School of Special Education
In 2019, CAHEC New Markets provided $10.25 million in NMTC allocation to the North Florida School of Special Education (NFSSE) in Jacksonville, FL. NFSSE serves approximately 248 students and over 100 post-graduates with intellectual and developmental differences (IDD). The school's innovative programs include vocational training, internships, and life-skills education, achieving a job placement rate of 56.2% among vocational training participants. NFSSE also developed a therapeutic equestrian center and social enterprises like Berry Good Farms. Its reverse inclusion model fosters integration between individuals with and without disabilities.
Investor of the Year – First Bank
First Bank, headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, has invested over $34 million across nine CAHEC-sponsored funds over 15 years. The bank has grown from approximately $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. Its continued partnership has expanded access to affordable housing throughout the Carolinas.
Lifetime Achievement Award – Steve Rosenblatt
Steve Rosenblatt has dedicated his career to affordable housing education and compliance. Starting in the mid-1970s, he managed a Rural Development portfolio and later founded Spectrum Seminars in 1986, establishing the Rural Development STAR designation. He developed the C3P Section 42 training program, a benchmark in affordable housing education. In 1991, he founded Spectrum Compliance, now employing nearly 40 professionals. Rosenblatt has trained tens of thousands of housing professionals and contributed to numerous events by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and CAHEC. His work has left a lasting impact on the industry.
CAHEC is a community investment organization based in Raleigh, NC, and Columbia, SC, offering housing and life-changing opportunities across 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. For more information, visit CAHEC's website.
