A new program is beginning to aid emerging Polk County developers in learning the intricacies of developing multifamily projects.

The first phase of Develop the Developer Launchpad, sponsored by Polk County Housing Trust Fund, includes a two-week boot camp that will provide participants with fundamental knowledge in multifamily development and access to local industry experts with extensive backgrounds in development-related areas.

Curriculum used in the bootcamp was developed by Freddie Mac, a government-sponsored enterprise that supports the U.S. housing market. The Polk County Housing Trust Fund’s new program is among the first in the country to use Freddie Mac’s new multifamily developer curriculum.

The new program was sparked by interest from people new to development about learning of the challenges developers face and how to maneuver through them, said Julian Neely, director of advancement and community investment for the housing trust fund. The nonprofit housing trust fund works to increase the supply of affordable homes by allocating funds to build and preserve housing. It also supports local programs that help with housing stability and advocates for policies that promote affordable housing.

“The trust fund is uniquely positioned to offer a program that can make the process easier,” Neely said. The housing trust fund has relationships with experienced developers, lenders, architects and philanthropists “who can help [new developers] through the process of going through zoning, understanding site selection, understanding financing and building a financial stack.”

The two-week bootcamp begins on Dec. 1.

Bootcamp participants will be eligible to apply for the program’s second phase, a joint venture development fellowship, that will begin in spring 2026. The fellowship will pair three to five fellows with experienced Polk County developers to complete a joint venture project.

The housing trust fund will invest money in the joint venture project on behalf of the fellow, Neely said. “Those fellows will have equity in the project. It will be something that they can add to their portfolio.”

The Polk County Housing Trust Fund plans on offering the bootcamp annually and fellowships tied to a joint venture project, every 18 months or so.

The housing trust received a $500,000 grant from Wells Fargo to help launch the program.
Registration for the bootcamp, which has 30 spots available, is open through Nov. 15. Cost is $500. For more information or to apply to the program, click here.