Peabody Properties, a full-service real estate and property management firm, announced today that Kristen Fowler has earned the Specialist in Housing Credit Management ® (SHCM®) designation, issued by the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA).

Fowler, a resident of Whitman, is Resident Services Manager at Braintree Village in Braintree, a community of 324 apartment homes that offer supportive services and coordinated activities.

The SHCM certification was developed by NAHMA for management professionals involved with properties developed and operated under the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. According to NAHMA, the Specialist in Housing Credit Management (SHCM) certification program is designed by management professionals for management professionals to ensure they have attained the knowledge, experience and competence required to excel in the housing credit property management industry.

The LIHTC program is the primary production tool for creating new affordable housing properties across every state in the country, and it is also the most sought-after funding source for rehabilitating and preserving the nation’s existing stock of aging affordable housing. The SHCM certification assists management professionals in the affordable housing industry to master the complex regulatory requirements of the LIHTC program. Twelve hours of instruction time is required, with a minimum of two years of housing credit management employment experience necessary through the application process.

“We are so proud of Kristen,” said Kristin Pine, Director of Training and Education for Peabody Properties. “The SHCM Certification is a great accomplishment, and we appreciate the effort and commitment shown by her to the Braintree Village community, Peabody Properties in general, and her own professional development.”