CAHEC, a community investment organization based in Raleigh, NC, and Columbia, SC, presented its annual awards on June 9 during the 2026 CAHEC Partners Conference Awards Luncheon 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, the North Florida School of Special Education, First Bank, and Steve Rosenblatt.
Valley River Apartments received the Development of the Year award. Completed in 2025, this 56-unit affordable housing community in Murphy, North Carolina, was developed by Western North Carolina Housing Partnership (WNCHP) in collaboration with FGM Development, LLC. Valley River represents CAHEC's seventh investment with WNCHP and its tenth with FGM Development. The development marked a significant milestone for Cherokee County, as it was the county's first Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) award in a decade and the first new-construction LIHTC development in 26 years, addressing a critical need for affordable housing in Western North Carolina.
The Resident Spotlight Award was presented to Piok Chier, a high school freshman living at Partridge Pointe Apartments in Louisville, KY, with his mother and brother. Piok has become an integral part of resident programming through CAHEC's partnership with the local YMCA, which brings weekly youth programming to the property, including soccer camps and educational activities. He has helped coordinate events, encouraged participation, and engaged enthusiastically. Beyond his community, Piok volunteers with the Chestnut Street Family YMCA Summer Camp, participates in the Men of Quality program, serves on the Black Achievers Teen Senate, and volunteers with Kentucky Refugee Ministries.
The Outstanding Community Impact award went to the North Florida School of Special Education (NFSSE) in Jacksonville, FL. In 2019, CAHEC New Markets provided $10.25 million of NMTC allocation to NFSSE to expand its campus. For over 30 years, NFSSE has empowered individuals with intellectual and developmental differences, serving approximately 248 students and over 100 post-graduates. The school's vocational training programs have achieved a 56.2% job placement rate. NFSSE also developed a therapeutic equestrian center and social enterprises like Berry Good Farms, and employs a reverse inclusion model that brings together individuals with and without disabilities.
First Bank was named Investor of the Year. Headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, the bank has invested over $34 million across nine CAHEC-sponsored funds over the past 15 years. During this partnership, First Bank grew from approximately $1 billion to over $12 billion in assets and now operates over 100 branches. The bank has also served as a construction lender on several CAHEC-syndicated developments, expanding access to affordable housing throughout the Carolinas.
Steve Rosenblatt received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Beginning his career in the mid-1970s managing a Rural Development housing portfolio, Rosenblatt became a leading trainer for affordable housing staff. In 1986, he founded Spectrum Seminars and established the Rural Development STAR designation. He later developed the C3P Section 42 training program and founded Spectrum Compliance in 1991, which now employs nearly 40 professionals. Rosenblatt has trained tens of thousands of housing professionals and contributed to numerous North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and CAHEC-sponsored events, leaving a lasting impact on the affordable housing industry.
