Once known as “the finest hotel in the Rio Grande Valley,” Brownsville’s historic El Jardin Hotel sat vacant for more than three decades before an ambitious redevelopment brought it back to life. Today, the landmark has been transformed into much-needed affordable housing through a more than $30 million investment and a creative capital stack combining federal and state Historic Tax Credits (HTCs) with Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs).

In the latest Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits, Heritage President Cindy Hamilton takes readers inside the project—from the challenges of rehabilitating a long-vacant historic structure to the financing strategy that made the transformation possible. The result offers a compelling example of how preservation and affordable housing can work together to breathe new life into a landmark while creating lasting community impact. Read the full article to see how El Jardin went from historic hotel to new housing for Brownsville families.