Crew Miami’s “Lunch & Learn” Brings Together Female Leaders Tackling Affordable Housing in Miami
- wgclients01
- Sep 30
- 2 min read
Commercial Real Estate Women Miami (CREW Miami) announces its October Lunch & Learn program, Shaping Miami’s Future: Expert Solutions for Affordable Housing, set for Wednesday, October 15, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Mayfair House Hotel & Garden (3000 Florida Ave., Miami, FL 33133).
Affordable housing is a defining issue for Miami’s continued growth. This timely session will bring together top professionals who have advanced innovative strategies across financing, development, policy, and community impact.
Featured speakers include:
Sydne Garchik, Principal, MRK Partners – A proven leader in affordable housing preservation and development nationwide, Garchik founded MRK Partners in 2015 to focus on repositioning and creating multifamily communities. She also chairs the board of BLOOM, a nonprofit dedicated to equity and upward mobility.
Heather Olson, Managing Director, Berkadia – A specialist in affordable housing debt originations, Olson has structured complex financings involving low-income housing tax credits and tax-exempt bonds. Olson helped originate Freddie Mac’s first Tax-Exempt Loan (TEL), a financing tool that streamlined 4% LIHTC deals nationwide.
Winell Belfonte, Partner, CohnReznick – With 30 years of experience advising real estate developers, investors, and nonprofits, Belfonte brings expertise in compliance, strategic planning, and financial structures supporting affordable housing. She serves on multiple housing-focused boards, including the New York State Association for Affordable Housing.
Annie Lord, Executive Director, Miami Homes For All (Moderator) – Leading the only local nonprofit dedicated solely to housing affordability, Lord has championed policies and programs that expand safe, stable housing across Miami-Dade since 2018.
In a 2024 report cited by The Real Deal, Miami-Dade was found to face a shortage of more than 90,000 affordable housing units for households earning less than 80% of the area median income — a gap that underscores the urgency of Miami Homes For All’s mission. Source
“This conversation couldn’t come at a more critical time,” said Josie Legido Correa, Director of Business Development at JWR Construction Services and 2025 Board President of CREW Miami. “Miami’s construction and real estate sectors are at the center of the region’s growth, yet we face one of the largest affordable housing shortages in the nation. By uniting voices from development, finance, and policy, CREW Miami is helping to shape solutions that address this urgent challenge.”
Event Details
Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Location: Mayfair House Hotel & Garden, 3000 Florida Ave., Miami, FL 33133
Tickets: $75 Member | $95 Walk-In | $95 Nonmember | $105 Walk-In | $50 Students
Registration closes October 14 at 12:01 a.m. Walk-in rates will apply.
Register: Event Link