Candace M. Cunningham

Partner

  • Overview

    Biography

    Candace Cunningham practices commercial real estate finance law, with an emphasis on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Delegated Underwriting and Servicing (DUS) lender financing for apartments, senior housing, and affordable housing nationwide. She is a member of the firm’s Real Estate + Development Group. Candace is Chair of the Agency Lending Practice at Robinson+Cole.

    Real Estate Financing

    Candace represents commercial and institutional lenders, and private financiers in complex structured financings of multifamily properties and affordable housing loan programs with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) executions. She handles a range of loan structures, including fixed and floating rate debt, tax-exempt bonds, affordable forwards, and credit facilities. She has been practicing in this specialty for 22 years.

    Candace has handled several multi-million dollar loans in connection with projects nationwide. She represented a national bank, which was construction and permanent lender, for a $100 million transit-oriented affordable housing project in Florida, and a $64 million affordable housing redevelopment project in Colorado. In 2021, Candace closed an aggregate of $294 million in loans, which financed 2,636 apartment units.

    Before joining the firm, Candace represented and advised various commercial and institutional lenders regarding commercial real estate, asset-based finance; corporate, workout, and restructuring issues; revolving credit; term, demand, and commercial construction loans; and corporate finance. She also has negotiated and structured commercial leases for a national retailer at shopping malls throughout the United States.

    Pro Bono

    Candace has done pro bono work on behalf of non-profit and professional organizations. She assisted the Connecticut Rivers Alliance and the American Institute of Architects with lease negotiations. She currently represents the Connecticut Community Economic Development Fund, for which she is providing post-closing escrow dispute mediation services. Candace is involved in coordinating firm service teams at a local soup kitchen on a revolving basis.

  • Experience
    • Experience

      Experience

        Affordable Housing Finance

      • Representation of national bank as bond purchaser concerning Sheridan Station Apartments, a $27 million redevelopment of a former public housing project site in Washington, D.C., into a mixed-income housing development. The development was financed with tax-exempt bonds issued by the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency, Federal Low Income Tax Credits, American Recovery and Redevelopment Act stimulus funds, and HOPE VI funds provided through the District of Columbia Housing Authority, a subsidy loan from the District of Columbia Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, and a U.S. Department of Energy grant.
      • Representation of a national bank as construction and permanent lender regarding the Brownsville Station and Everett Stewart Jr. Village, a $100 million development of a transit-oriented affordable housing project on a former commuter parking lot in Miami, Florida. The development was financed with conventional loan proceeds, Federal Low Income Tax Credits, American Recovery and Redevelopment Act stimulus funds provided through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, and a subsidy loan from Miami-Dade County.

      • Representation of a national bank as construction and permanent lender regarding the Mariposa Redevelopment Phases I-VIII, a combined $64 million, multiyear comprehensive redevelopment of the La Alma/Lincoln Park Neighborhood located in central section of the City of Denver for six affordable housing projects and approximately 451 units. The development was financed with conventional loan proceeds, Federal Low Income Tax Credits, HOPE VI, Replacement Housing Factor and Program stimulus funds provided through the Denver Housing Authority, and Operating Subsidies from HUD.

      • Representation of national bank as permanent lender regarding a series of Targeted Affordable Housing Commercial Market Execution acquisition permanent loans to national affordable housing developer, in connection with multifamily properties Affinity at Colorado Springs, Affinity at Billings, Affinity at Mill Road, and Affinity at Covington, located in California, Washington and Colorado for aggregate loans of $90 million and 460 low income apartment units.

      • Other Experiences

      • Representation of the Connecticut Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) in the documentation, negotiation, due diligence, and closing of consecutive construction-to-permanent loans in Hartford, Connecticut.

      • Commercial Leasing

      • Representation of national retailer in shopping mall leases nationwide.

    • Professional Associations

      Professional Associations

      American Bar Association
      Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law (2006 - Current)

      American Bar Foundation
      Fellow (2012 - Current)

      Connecticut Bar Association
      Affordable Housing Committee (2005 - Current)
      Real Estate Law Committee (2000 - Current)

      CREW CT - The Real Estate Exchange
      Member (2000 - Current)
      President (2010 - 2011)

      Connecticut Bar Foundation
      Fellow (2015 - present)

      American College of Mortgage Attorneys
      Program Committee (2015 - Current)
      Title Insurance Committee Co-Chair, 2019-Current (2017 - Current)
    • Honors + Awards

      Honors + Awards

      Elected Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, 2012; limited to just one-third of 1 percent of licensed attorneys in each state, membership is honorary and based on achievements in the legal profession and community; the foundation is recognized as the premier institute for social science research on law in the country, conducting research projects that are broadly disseminated to the bar, scholars, and the public.

      AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated in Martindale-Hubbell™ (Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings is a trademark. AV Preeminent is a certification mark of Reed Elsevier Properties, Inc.)

      Selected by the New England Real Estate Journal to be featured in the publication’s 2021 “Women in Commercial Real Estate” spotlight

    • Community Involvement

      Community Involvement

      The Independent Day School
      Board of Trustees (2021 - Current)
  • NEWS + PRESS
    • Publications

      Publications

      "New ALTA 2021 Loan Policies of Title Insurance– Some Practical Considerations for Lenders," published in the Fall 2022 edition of The Abstract, a publication of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys (Fall 2022)
      • » more info

      "Fresh Lessons About Wetlands, Permits and Appeals," published in Connecticut Law Tribune, co-authored with Emilee Mooney Scott (9/22/2014)

    • Presentations

      Presentations

      "ACRELive! The New ALTA Forms Are Here at Last!," presented by the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (8/3/2022)
      • » more info

      "Title Insurance Webinar on New American Land Title Association (ALTA) Forms," presented by the American College of Mortgage Attorneys (ACMA) (6/18/2021)

      "The New (and Improved?) ALTA Title Policies: Are You Ready for Them?" moderator and panelist during the American College of Mortgage Attorneys 2019 Annual Meeting (9/6/2019)
      • » more info

      "Title Insurance; What Coverage to Get and How to (Try to) Sustain It," presented by the American Bar Association Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section (12/5/2018)
      • » more info

      "Paralegal Training, Supervision, and Best Practices Used by Real Property and Trust and Estates Lawyers," webinar, co-organized and edited; co-moderated the session along with George P. Bernhardt of Baker Hughes Incorporated in Houston (5/13/2015)

    • News

      R+C in the News

      • September 14, 2022

        Candace Cunningham Writes on Revisions and Updates in ALTA 2021 Loan Policies of Title Insurance

        • » more info
        • View article
      • September 27, 2021

        Candace Cunningham and Deirdre Robinson Featured in New England Real Estate Journal’s 2021 Women in Real Estate Spotlight

        • » more info
      • July 15, 2021

        Candace Cunningham Elected to Serve on The Independent Day School Board of Trustees

        • » more info
      • December 26, 2018

        Hartford Office Volunteers for Hands On Hartford’s Annual Holiday Party and Toy Shoppe

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      • December 12, 2018

        Candace Cunningham Presents Webinar on Title Insurance

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      • August 6, 2018

        Candace Cunningham Appointed Vice-Chair of ACMA Committee

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      • March 23, 2017

        Robinson+Cole Lawyers Attend Women's Summit at Bryant University

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      • March 30, 2016

        Robinson+Cole Lawyers Attend Women's Summit at Bryant University

        • » more info
      • June 8, 2015

        Candace Cunningham Plans and Moderates eCLE Webinar

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      • May 21, 2015

        RED Lawyers Participate in RPTE Spring Symposia

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      • November 17, 2014

        Hartford Lawyers Co-author Connecticut Law Tribune Article

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      • August 14, 2014

        Robinson+Cole Lawyers Host Networking Event at 2014 ABA Annual Meeting

      • April 23, 2014

        Robinson+Cole Women Attend Summit at Bryant University

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      • November 7, 2013

        Candace Cunningham Represents CRDA in Loan Closing for Ann Uccello Street Housing Development

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      • September 11, 2013

        Candace Cunningham Appointed to Serve on the ABA's Governing Council of the RPTE

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      • May 28, 2013

        Hartford Real Estate Counsel Hosts CREW CT Youth Outreach Program

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      • January 3, 2013

        Real Estate Attorney Elected as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation

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      • July 15, 2011

        Candace Cunningham Authors Content for American Bar Association Web Site

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      • November 14, 2008

        Robinson & Cole Gains Over 30 Former Thelen Attorneys in Hartford, Connecticut and New York City

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      R+C News Releases

      • September 11, 2019

        Norm Roos Elected President of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys

        • » more info
        • View article
      • December 5, 2018

        Robinson+Cole Elects New Partners

      • October 11, 2017

        Robinson+Cole Employees Lend a Hand to Hartford Soup Kitchen

        • » more info
        • View article
      • April 2, 2015

        Candace Cunningham Elected to American College of Mortgage Attorneys

        • » more info
        • View article
      • September 5, 2012

        Real Estate Attorneys Selected for Leadership Positions in the Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section of the American Bar Association

      • May 30, 2012

        Hartford Teen Girls Introduced to Commercial Real Estate Industry

        • » more info
        • View article
      • March 10, 2011

        Candace Cunningham New President of CREW CT–The Real Estate Exchange for 2011

        • » more info
        • View article