Contact

Karol S. Robinson

Washington, DC Office

Karol S. Robinson is a Member at R&C.  She has dedicated her entire career to working in the affordable housing space, with a focus on not-for-profit entities, limited-equity cooperatives, and other workforce housing. She routinely advises her clients on corporate governance, day-to-day operational, transactional, and housing agency regulatory compliance matters. Karol’s practice includes representing clients in housing financing and preservation transactions involving federal, state, and/or city loans, subsidies, and grants, often combined with private financing sources. Karol is known for her dedication and hands-on working relationships with her clients. In her work on behalf of her affordable housing clients, Karol has developed close working relationships with representatives from various federal, state, and city regulatory housing agencies.

Major Prior Work Experience

In a notable transaction, Karol represented a New York City supervised limited-equity cooperative development in the Far Rockaway section of Queens, New York that was severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy in its securing of  $46.1 million in Federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Funds, at the time one of the first and largest storm recovery block grants issued from the New York City Housing Development Corporation and supported by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

She also represented a New York State supervised limited-equity cooperative in a combined $33 million dollar refinancing, comprised of a  $20.4 million dollar subsidy loan from the New York State Housing Financing Agency, a $577,000 grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and a $12.3 million dollar loan from a private lender. The refinancing provided the development with funds to restructure its existing debt and for major capital improvements that will help stabilize and ensure the long-term  affordability of the development.

Karol has been recognized by Legal 500 for her experience and professional excellence in Real Estate.

Speaking Engagements

  • Presenter, “A Primer on Community and Economic Development: What it Means to be a CED Practitioner,” ABA Affordable Housing Forum, November 2018
  • Presenter, “Current Issues in Affordable Housing in New York City”, New York City Bar Association, Housing and Urban Development Committee, May 2023 and May 2024

Awards and Professional Activities

  • Member, American Bar Association, Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Economic Development; Governing Committee Member (2020- to present); Diversity and Outreach Committee Co-Chair (2023 – present)
  • Member, New York City Bar Association, Housing and Urban Development Committee, Co-Chair  (2021-2024)
  • Member, League of Women Voters of the City of New York (LWVNYC), Board Chair (2023-present)
  • Member, New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH)
  • Cornerstone Award for outstanding service to nonprofits that improve the quality of life for low-income New Yorkers, issued by Alliance for New York, 2020

Contact

(202) 349-2696

krobinson@renocavanaugh.com

Education

  • Rutgers – Newark School of Law, J.D
  • Vassar College, A. B., History

 

Bar Admission

  • New York
  • United States District Court, Southern District of New York
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • District of Columbia

Hometown

Washington, DC