Cynthia Bast

About Cynthia Bast

Partner In Charge for the Austin office of BakerHostetler, Cynthia Bast is nationally recognized as a preeminent attorney in the area of affordable housing finance. She co-leads the firm\'s Community Development Practice Team and its Affordable Housing team. For more than 30 years, Cynthia has been assisting clients with complex affordable housing and community development transactions using a variety of financing tools, including housing tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, HUD programs, and other federal, state, and local resources. In addition to her transactional work, Cynthia actively represents clients before relevant governmental authorities and advocates for affordable housing issues with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and Texas Legislature. A primary focus of her practice has been working with clients to reposition affordable housing properties that are nearing the ends of their regulatory compliance periods or in need of financial restructuring. Cynthia uses her vast experience to write on matters related to affordable housing and speak at conferences around the country. In 2014, her contributions were acknowledged by the receipt of the Jean W. MacDonald Lifetime Achievement Award, given by the Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers.

Experience

1. Partner

   BakerHostetler

   Jan 2025 — Present · Austin, TX, US

Education

• The University of Tulsa

  MBA, Management and Marketing

  1987 — 1988

• The University of Tulsa

  BA, Economics

  1984 — 1987

• The University of Texas at Austin

  JD, Law

  1988 — 1991

Skills

• Affordable Housing Preservation
• Finance
• Commercial Real Estate
• Real Estate Transactions
• Asset Management
• Due Diligence
• Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (Lihtc)
• Affordable Housing
• Financial Structuring
• Dispositions
• Tax Credits
• Tdhca
• Real Estate Financing
• Real Estate Economics
• Contract Negotiation
• Apartments
• Real Estate Development
• Year 15
• Real Estate