Bio

A partner in the Austin office of Locke Lord LLP, Cynthia Bast is nationally recognized as a preeminent attorney in the area of affordable housing finance. She leads her firm's Affordable Housing Section and is the Office Managing Partner. 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.