617 224 0609
rrubin@kleinhornig.com



 Special Needs Housing
 HOPE VI/Mixed-Finance Public Housing
 Tax Credits
 Cooperatives and Condominiums
 Zoning and Land Use
 Construction Contracts and Related Matters

Roberta L. Rubin became Of Counsel at Klein Hornig in 2004. Roberta is also an adjunct professor at Northeastern University School of Law, teaching affordable housing law and modern real estate development, and at Tufts University, teaching courses on housing policy and homelessness. Previously, she served as Deputy General Counsel of The Community Builders, and was a Member at the Boston firm of Brown Rudnick Freed and Gesmer (now Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels).

Both in private practice and at The Community Builders, Roberta has structured and negotiated complex, multi faceted affordable housing transactions, with a particular emphasis on HOPE VI/public housing revitalization, special needs housing and low income housing tax credit projects in many states. She has been at the forefront of emerging areas within the HOPE VI program, including homeownership and community oriented commercial development. In private practice at both Brown Rudnick and Klein Hornig, Roberta has represented developers, institutions and nonprofit organizations in a wide variety of transactions, including acquisitions, development, conventional and tax exempt bond financing, commercial leasing, zoning, land use planning, and environmental matters. She also has advised housing clients on property management and asset management issues including admissions and occupancy related matters, compliance with various programmatic requirements, restructuring of troubled developments, and fair housing compliance.



 Massachusetts



 Harvard Law School, J.D., 1987, magna cum laude; Harvard Law Review,
  1986–1987
 Brown University, A.B., 1982, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa


Represented non-profit organization in development of LEED-certified community center and educational facility, utilizing New Markets Tax Credits

Served as lead counsel and senior advisor on numerous HOPE VI/mixed finance developments in various cities across the Northeast and Midwest, including multi family rental housing and homeownership initiatives

Represented a large national non profit developer in the acquisition of a former state mental hospital facility and negotiated public/private partnership with quasi governmental agency for multi phase redevelopment of this 600 acre site

Counsel to a variety of nonprofit and for profit developers in affordable housing projects utilizing Federal low income housing tax credits, including new construction, scattered site rehabilitation, transitional housing, and elderly and special needs housing

Represented nonprofit clients in seeking and obtaining relief from zoning and permitting restrictions, including relief under M.G.L. c. 40B, M.G.L. c. 121A, and waivers from the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board and Boston Landmarks Commission

Drafted legislative proposals and comments to regulatory initiatives regarding Federal affordable housing and economic development programs, including mixed finance regulations Deconcentration regulations; New Market Tax Credits; and Mixed Finance model documents

Represented educational institutions in issuance of educational bonds by Massachusetts Health and Educational Finance Agency to finance facility expansion

Managed multi million dollar REIT transaction for publicly traded retailer, involving securitized leases in 38 states


Housing, Homelessness and Hope: An Initiative to Increase Access to Housing (co-authored with Bonnie Heudorfer and Judy Perlman), December, 2008 (forthcoming).

“Take and Give,” Shelterforce, spring 2008 issue.

“Nonprofit Guaranties in Tax Credit Transaction,” (co authored with Jonathan Klein), Journal of Affordable Housing and Community Development Law, initially published fall 1999 (9:1) issue, reprinted summer 2000 (9:4) issue

“Nonprofit Guaranties Redux,” (co authored with Jonathan Klein), Journal of Affordable Housing and Community Development Law, summer 2000 (9:4) issue

“Nonprofit Guaranties in Tax Credit Transactions: A New Era?” ( co authored with Jonathan Klein), Journal of Affordable Housing and Community Development Law, summer 2006 (15:4) issue

“Public Housing Occupancy Related Issues in Mixed Finance Transactions,” ABA Forum, Course Materials for 1999 conference, “Note – Measure of Damages in Constitutional Torts,” Harvard Law Review (Vol. 100:1986)


American Bar Association Forum on Affordable Housing and Homelessness, annual conference, panelist on multiple occasions on issues ranging from homeownership development to occupancy issues in public housing; in 2003, participated as one of five practitioners asked to conduct special training session for HUD attorneys on mixed finance transactions

Citizens Housing and Planning Association, panelist on affordable housing issues

Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, panelist in presentation on contract disputes and drafting contracts to avoid litigation


Board of Directors, Little Sisters of the Assumption Family Health Services of Massachusetts, Inc. (d/b/a Project Hope), Past Chair

Director, Homeowners Rehab, Inc.

Director, Somerville Homeless Coalition

Medford Housing Task Force

Attorney Advisor to Northeastern University Law School Social Justice Projects

Public Housing Practice Committee, American Bar Association Forum on Affordable Housing and Homelessness

Committee on Homelessness, Citizens Housing and Planning Association


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