NEW YORK (Aug. 18, 2023) – The New York office of leading financial services provider Merchants Capital today announces it has provided more than $320 million in financing to support comprehensive renovations at Edenwald Houses in The Bronx. The second largest New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) property in the state and the largest in The Bronx, Edenwald Houses dates back to the 1950s and currently provides affordable housing to more than 5,000 residents. “Maintaining the integrity of developments like Edenwald Houses is critical for the people of New York City, creating a haven where residents can forge their lives and futures in dignity,” said Mat Wambua, Vice Chairman and Executive Vice President, Agency Lending at Merchants Capital. “We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with our public partners, including NYCHA, HDC, HPD and Freddie Mac, on pivotal NYCHA Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) deals. Our goal as one of the nation’s top lenders is to provide innovative financing solutions that match the specific needs of our clients. Structuring this intricate deal is a testament to the creativeness of our New York originations team and our commitment as a firm to support developments of every caliber.” Merchants Capital secured a $320 million New York Housing Development Corporation (NYHDC) Freddie Mac Risk Share Loan on behalf of the property developer, Camber Property Group. The funds will support an intensive, four-year construction period to fully rehabilitate the property, one of New York City’s oldest housing developments. “The investment from Merchants Capital, Freddie Mac and the NYC Housing Development Corporation in Edenwald Houses will positively impact the lives of over 5,000 people,” said Rick Gropper, Principal at Camber Property Group. “Through our partnership with NYCHA, we will make the most of this opportunity, improving the complex and demonstrating what happens when people come together to preserve and elevate the affordable housing so many New Yorkers rely on. We are looking forward to putting these funds to good use and are grateful for Merchants Capital’s commitment to Edenwald Houses and the community it represents.” As part of the larger Edenwald Community Plan, the property will be registered on the New York state and national historic registries in an effort to unlock additional necessary funding through the Federal Historic Rehabilitation Investment Tax Credit. Also, as a new development under the PACT program, Edenwald Houses will transition to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 program enabling supplemental federal funding. To date, Merchants has provided approximately $1 billion in financing towards more than 5,300 units as part of PACT projects throughout New York City. “We are very pleased to provide financing to support the transformation of Edenwald Houses, a historic property that plays an incredibly impactful role in this community,” said Stephen Johnson, Senior Vice President, Head of Production and Sales at Freddie Mac. “Working alongside Merchants Capital, Camber Property Group, and the New York Housing Development Corporation, Freddie Mac helped ensure that one of the largest affordable rental communities in the Bronx can remain home for more than 5,000 families. At Freddie Mac, everything we do is grounded in supporting affordability and equity in the rental market, and this transaction demonstrates the critical role our renovation financing can play to revitalize communities across the nation.” Over the last several years, Edenwald Houses residents, NYCHA and the PACT team worked collaboratively to identify the scope and design of the property’s renovation. Currently underway, the $530 million scope of work for property upgrades includes masonry and facade repairs, mechanical building modifications such as improved heating and cooling systems, elevators and solar panels, strengthened security through new surveillance systems and more. Merchants Capital proudly worked alongside notable industry partners, including project sponsors Camber Property Group, SAA | EVI and Henge Development in addition to NYHDC, Freddie Mac, JP Morgan Chase, Sidley Austin, Ballard Spahr LLP, and Nixon Peabody. To learn more about Merchants Capital and its services, visit www.merchantscapital.com or find Merchants Capital on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

CARMEL, Ind. (July 20, 2023) – Merchants Capital is pleased to announce the closing of Merchants Capital Tax Credit Equity Fund 15, L.P. (Merchants Fund 15). Merchants Fund 15 represents the company’s largest and most diverse national fund with a total capital raise of $196.5 million from 14 institutional investors, including 10 repeat and four new investors. Merchants Fund 15 will infuse equity into 19 affordable housing properties that will create or preserve more than 2,300 affordable homes in 13 states. “The successful closing of Merchants Fund 15 would not be possible without the unwavering support from an extraordinary partnership of developers, investors and the Merchants team, and our shared commitment to address the critical need for affordable housing across the United States,” said Ryan Thompson, Vice President of Syndications and Investor Relations at Merchants Capital. “Since launching our national equity platform in 2021, Merchants Capital has raised more than $800 million in tax credit equity and originated over $15 billion in debt to support multifamily housing across the United States,” said Julie Sharp, Executive Vice President of Merchants Capital. “This remarkable achievement has solidified Merchants Capital as an industry leader in affordable housing finance and is a testament to the strength of our team, the steadfast support of our investor and developer partners and the innovative platform we have built.” The closing of Merchants Fund 15 comes on the heels of Merchants Capital’s recent recognition by Affordable Housing Finance as the #2 largest lender for affordable housing in the United States. “We are proud to be at the forefront of affordable housing finance,” said Linda Hill, Executive Vice President at Merchants Capital. “We are incredibly grateful to the team that made this possible and the investors and developers who have entrusted us with the financing for key affordable housing projects throughout the United States.” The 19 properties included in Merchants Fund 15 are located in Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Colorado and California. To learn more about Merchants Capital and its services, visit www.merchantscapital.com or find Merchants Capital on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

NEW YORK (July 6, 2023) – The New York office of leading financial services provider Merchants Capital today announces it has secured $11 million in debt and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity financing for the construction of Cedarwood Homes in Pittsburgh, marking the firm’s continued expansion into new markets. The new-build property will bring 46 age- and income-restricted units to Fairywood, one of Pittsburgh’s most western neighborhoods. Together, Merchants Capital’s debt and equity teams secured an $11 million construction and equity bridge loan on behalf of the property developer, Tryko Partners. The funds will provide tax credit equity bridge financing to support construction development costs. “Securing the financing for this property represents a significant milestone for us at Merchants Capital,” said William Jones, Senior Vice President with Merchants Capital. “Since launching our tax credit syndication platform in 2021, we have been searching for projects that allow us to exercise our talents as a full-service lender. Cedarwood Homes granted us that opportunity, and it is also the first LIHTC-financed, senior affordable property in Pittsburgh’s West End in history. We are honored to have worked alongside several of the city’s top housing agencies on such an important property for the people of Pittsburgh.” Situated at the intersection of Broadhead Fording Road and Village Road, and at the former grounds of the Fairywood School, Cedarwood Homes will feature 46 one-bedroom apartments across 12 one-story buildings. Each unit will host a private, ground-floor entrance. In-unit amenities include a washer and dryer and modern, vinyl plank flooring. The property will also feature a community building with management offices, as well as a fitness center, meeting area, kitchen and multi-purpose space reserved for residents. All units at Cedarwood Homes will be age-restricted to individuals 62 years of age and older. Within the 46 total units, 39 units will be income-restricted, with five units reserved for residents earning 20% of the area median income (AMI), 19 for those earning 50% AMI and 15 for those earning 60% AMI. The remaining seven units will be offered at market rate. Merchants Capital was proud to work alongside Tryko Partners and together with Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA), Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) and Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA). “The Cedarwood Homes housing development marks a milestone for the Fairywood neighborhood and its residents,” said Susheela Nemani Stanger, Executive Director of the URA. “After the neighborhood has experienced years of disinvestment, the URA seeks to set things right by beginning a new phase of development and reinvestment into this community. This starts by providing affordable and livable housing to its senior population. We want to thank Tryko Partners, Merchants Capital, HACP, PHFA and all other involved parties that made this project possible.” “We're proud to be working with Merchants Capital, the URA and PHFA to bring sorely needed affordable, senior citizen housing to the West End,” said Caster D. Binion, HACP Executive Director. “Funding from HACP's Project Based Voucher/ Gap Financing program is supporting innovative affordable housing developments like Cedarwood Homes in neighborhoods throughout the city, as we continue to use every tool at our discretion in order to meet the growing demand for affordable housing.”  Upon completion of construction, Cedarwood Homes will certify to the 2020 Enterprise Green Communities criteria and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Zero Energy Ready Home Program, which indicates the units will be designed and built at a high performance to ensure maximum energy efficiency and savings. The property is set to debut Spring 2024. To learn more about Merchants Capital and its services, visit www.merchantscapital.com or find Merchants Capital on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Property rendering courtesy of Tryko Partners.

NEW YORK (June 6, 2023) – Leading financial services provider Merchants Capital announces the hiring of Min Park as Senior Vice President, Balance Sheet Construction. Park joins the firm’s New York office, which recently celebrated another year of record-breaking success, having closed more than $1.3 billion in debt financing in 2022. Park brings more than two decades of real estate finance and construction asset management experience to the role, having most recently served as a director at Citi Community Capital. While Merchants originates multifamily and affordable loans on a national scale, strengthening the company’s local presence in the New York market enables better decision making and customer service in this fast-growing region. Min Park “Many companies tout their production numbers, and rightfully so, but Merchants is also proud to celebrate the accomplishments and evolution of our loan servicing team who continue to provide superior service to our clients and investors as we’ve scaled the platform,” said Brian Sullivan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Merchants Capital. “The leadership team has grown through a mix of in-house talent and selective outside hires when the right person is available. Min was clearly the right fit from an experience and cultural standpoint, and we can’t wait to see the impact she’ll have on our team.” Recently, the firm surpassed $20 billion in unpaid principal balance in its servicing portfolio. With this growth, Merchants continues to strengthen its asset management team and technology platform to be best in class. Park will lend her expertise to the construction lending team to proactively oversee and manage risk nationally for the firm’s institutional investors, including parent company Merchants Bank of Indiana. In addition to her prior role at Citi Community Capital, Park also served at Hypo Real Estate Capital Corporation and Equity Office Properties. She holds an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and earned her Master of Science in Real Estate Finance and Investments from the Schack Institute of Real Estate at New York University. To learn more about Merchants Capital and its services, visit www.merchantscapital.com or find Merchants Capital on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

CARMEL, Ind. (May 10, 2023) – Leading financial services provider Merchants Capital proudly announces the success and growth of its Capital Markets platform, led by Senior Vice President Evan Gibson. Since its inception in 2020, the group has executed over $3 billion in securitizations and has accumulated over $900 million in assets under management. The platform focuses on providing liquidity and capital relief for parent company Merchants Bank of Indiana, to support growth in its direct bridge and construction lending. As a result of successfully executing on this strategy, the Capital Markets team has evolved into creating proprietary permanent debt solutions that supplement Merchants Capital’s balance sheet and agency lending product offerings. Gibson started the Capital Markets group in March 2020, and the team has since grown to seven who work out of the company’s Carmel and New York offices. Notable hires included Vice Presidents Dean Ramsamooj and Darren King in 2021 and 2022, respectively. On March 30, the Capital Markets team, alongside leading seniors housing and healthcare lender VIUM Capital and structuring agent and sole bookrunner ATLAS SP Partners, closed a private synthetic securitization of over $1.1 billion of first-lien floating-rate skilled nursing and seniors housing bridge loans. Merchants Capital will continue to service these loans. Merchants Bank of Indiana issued and sold $158 million aggregate principal balance of Senior Credit Linked Notes, representing approximately 14% of the reference pool. The resulting reduction in risk weighted assets for this pool of loans supports further growth and lending capacity at Merchants Capital and VIUM Capital. This synthetic securitization comes just six months after closing a securitization of $1.2 billion in multifamily bridge loans in September 2022. “Having the opportunity to lead our growing Capital Markets group is an honor, and I am proud of the impact our team has had across the Merchants platform in just our third year of operation,” said Gibson. “Our role in creating innovative solutions directly contributes to the success of the Merchants lending platform and supports the firm’s status as an industry leader in financing both multifamily through Merchants Capital, and healthcare through its partnership with VIUM Capital. This integrated platform is unique in the industry and allows us to continue servicing our clients from coast to coast with an increasing array of solutions and capacity.” In 2021, the Capital Markets group closed its first Freddie Mac Q-Series transaction, a $262 million deal that securitized 15 workforce housing loans for properties across the nation, supporting the preservation of critical housing infrastructure. In 2022, the group executed on its second and third Q-Series deals, a program that Merchants Capital expects to continue to leverage with Freddie Mac in the future. Both 2022 Q-Series transactions were designated by Freddie Mac Multifamily for their Social Bonds program, which has a framework validated through Sustainalytics’ second-party opinion. These transactions have helped define criteria for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) qualifying investments in affordable multifamily. “The growth of our Capital Markets group has been instrumental in our ability to lead the industry as one of the nation’s top multifamily financing providers,” said Brian Sullivan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Merchants Capital. “The maturation of the platform in just three years is a true testament to the work ethic and ingenuity of Evan, Dean, Darren and the team. This group has transformed the possibilities of our lending platform, widening our reach in the market and working towards our larger goal of increasing access to safe, high-quality housing for individuals and families nationwide.” To learn more about Merchants Capital and its services, visit www.merchantscapital.com or find Merchants Capital on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

CARMEL, Ind. (May 1, 2023) – Leading financial services provider Merchants Capital today announces the company has earned a top-ranking position on the prestigious Affordable Housing Finance (AHF) Top Lenders listing, ranking in as the #2 lender nationwide for 2022 – up from #8 last year. Recently, Merchants Capital announced that the firm closed $8.95 billion in debt production in 2022, shattering 2021’s previous record of $7 billion, a 27% increase in a year the industry contracted by 11%, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Throughout 2022, Merchants Capital saw significant growth despite a turbulent year for the industry. This included a 77% increase in Merchants Bank balance sheet lending with over $7 billion, a 48% increase in Freddie Mac Targeted Affordable Housing (TAH) production, and a total affordable debt production of $5.9 billion (a 90% increase from 2021). “This recognition would not have been possible without the determination of our team members and the confidence our clients have in Merchants,” said Dwayne George, Executive Vice President, National Head of Production at Merchants Capital. “Being recognized by Affordable Housing Finance as the #2 lender in the nation further solidifies our place in this industry. We are humbled by the accolade and look forward to another year of executing for our clients and counterparties.” Merchants Capital’s innovative and tailored financing solutions help bring critical multifamily housing projects to life across the country. In addition to expertise in tax credit equity syndications and affordable housing, the firm also specializes in bridge and agency financing to support market-rate developments. “The work we do at Merchants Capital helps provide individuals and families with the high-quality, safe and affordable housing they deserve,” said Mathew Wambua, Merchants Capital’s Vice Chair & Head of Agency Lending. “This honorable ranking as the #2 affordable housing lender in the country is a direct result of our dedication to our mission. We’re incredibly grateful to our team all across the U.S., as well as to our valued partners who have entrusted us with the financing of key developments throughout the nation. We look forward to continued success in affordable housing finance for years to come.” AHF Top Lenders is a comprehensive ranking of the top 25 affordable lenders. The annual list was compiled through surveys submitted by lenders in early 2022, detailing the organizations’ 2022 total volumes in affordable debt production. The full ranking can be found here. To learn more about Merchants Capital and its services, visit www.merchantscapital.com or find Merchants Capital on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.