Mary Grace Folwell

Real Estate, Housing, Government Relations, Regulatory Affairs and Contracting, Real Estate Finance, Tax

Mary Grace Folwell is an associate in the Real Estate Department and a member of the Housing, Real Estate Finance, Tax, and Government Relations, Regulatory Affairs and Contracting Groups.

Working primarily with public housing authorities, Ms. Folwell advises clients on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulatory and statutory matters and compliance with HUD programs.  She has considerable experience with the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, the Capital Fund Program, the Public Housing Operating Fund Program, mixed-finance transactions, the Moving to Work Program, HUD procurement requirements, the Uniform Relocation Act, HUD OIG audits, HUD Davis Bacon requirements, HOME, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Programs, the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, fair housing compliance, and formation and compliance of nonprofit affiliates.

Ms. Folwell frequently supports the intergovernmental staff of housing authorities to track legislation, appropriations, and policy changes from local, state, and federal levels of government, and advises staff on advocacy in these areas. 

Before joining Ballard Spahr, Ms. Folwell was an American Planning Association fellow at the U.S. Senate, Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and she assisted the director of housing policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in legislative advocacy and analysis of the Section 8 program. She also worked at the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia, where she oversaw the development of affordable homeownership projects and land condemnation in North Philadelphia.

Pro Bono Experience

Ms. Folwell represents a neighborhood group in northwest Washington, D.C., that represents tenants, community organizations, and churches in its relationships with District representatives and private interests involved in the redevelopment of the community organization's neighborhood. The so-called Northwest One Neighborhood has been designated as one of the District of Columbia's New Communities and is the focus of District planning assistance and a commitment of $6 million in Housing Production Trust Fund monies.

Professional Activities

Member, Task Force to Study the Feasibility of Creating Urban Senior Care Communities in Baltimore City

Publications

"Proposed FY 2012 Budget: Challenge and Opportunity for Public Housing," Ballard Spahr Housing Alert, February 17, 2011

Co-author, "HUD Issues Proposed Regulations for the Housing Trust Fund," Ballard Spahr Housing Alert, November 12, 2010

Co-author, "HUD Submits Draft Transforming Rental Assistance Legislation to Congress," Ballard Spahr Housing Alert, May 21, 2010

Co-author, "HUD Issues Revised Proposal for Transforming Rental Assistance Initiative," Ballard Spahr Housing Alert, April 20, 2010

Co-author, "House Releases First Draft of Economic Stimulus Legislation; Includes Affordable Housing and Community Development," Ballard Spahr Housing Alert, January 2009

"Affordable Assisted Living Can Promote Choice for Seniors While Saving States Money," Maryland ABA Journal, January 2009

Speaking Engagements

"Carrots or Sticks: Using the Lease as a Social Policy Tool," Housing Development Law Institute, April 2011

"Strategies for Developing Affordable Housing in the Current Political and Fiscal Environment," Colorado Bar CLE: Public Projects: Advanced Real Estate Issues, Denver, March 25, 2011

"Neighborhood Stabilization Program: Acquisition and More," National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (Colorado and Mountain Plains Chapter), Annual Conference, Snowmass, Colorado, June 17-19, 2009

"Developing Affordable Housing in a Challenging Economy," Ballard Spahr presentation, Denver, April 2009

"Politics of Housing: Opportunities and Future Directions," National Association of Local Finance Housing Agencies, April 2009

"ARRA: Implications for Affordable Housing Projects and Public Housing Authorities," Ballard Spahr webinar, February 2009

"Alternative Sources for Providing Service-Rich Housing," Ballard Spahr Housing Authority Summit, November 2008

"Opportunities for Housing Authorities in Distressed Real Estate," Ballard Spahr Housing Authority Summit, November 2008

"Bringing Home the Benefits of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program," Ballard Spahr webinar, October 2008

"Turning Around Bad Assets:  Acquiring Foreclosed Properties with New Federal Funds," National Housing and Redevelopment Association, October 2008

"Tools for Asset Repositioning:  Elderly Assisted Living," Ballard Spahr Housing Authority Summit, November 2007

"Energy Issues," Ballard Spahr Housing Authority Summit, November 2007

"Federal Lobbying Requirements," NAHRO Train the Trainers, December 2006

"Public Housing Models in Different States," presentation to Task Force to Study the Feasibility of Creating Urban Senior Care Communities in Baltimore City

George Washington University Law School (J.D. 2005, with honors)
Member, Public Contract Law Journal

Swarthmore College (B.A. 1991)

District of Columbia

Maryland