RESOLUTION confirming support for the proposed development of certain properties as Affordable Rental Housing, each located in the City of Houston, Texas, and the submittal of applications for Housing Tax Credits for such developments - TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COHEN

The Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) recommends approval of a Resolution of Support for each of the 40 applications in the City of Houston for competitive 9% housing tax credits (HTCs) allocated by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). Numerous applications will be submitted to TDHCA and the amount of available 9% HTCs is limited.  It will not be known which, if any, of these projects will receive HTCs until the end of July 2019 when awards are announced.

Only preliminary information is available regarding the applications and HCDD has not underwritten these projects for financial viability. HCDD reviewed the applications to determine whether they meet the community development policy objectives of the City and meet certain Minimum Standards. Applications were required to meet a total of 8 points of the criteria outlined below to receive a Resolution of Support.

•  Sites located within Houston city limits (this excludes sites located within the Houston ETJ) - 2 points
•  Sites located within 4 miles of City Hall - 1 point
•  Sites located within the boundaries of a Complete Community or TIRZ. Sites located in overlaying areas of a Complete Community or TIRZ will not receive combined points - 2 point
• Sites located within an underserved area described as the following:
  •  Within a census tract that has no other affordable housing development funded with HTCs - 1 point
  •  Within a census tract if the contiguous census tracts do not have any affordable housing developments funded with HTCs that is less than 15-years old (2004 or after) - 2 points
•   Sites that promote access to mass transportation options described as the following:
  • Sites located within 1/4 mile of any public transportation stop - 1 point
  • Sites located within 1/2 mile of a high frequency public transportation stop. High frequency transit service is defined as service arriving every 15 minutes on average from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm seven days a week - 2 points
• Sites with reduced poverty concentration described as the following:
  • Site census tract is less than 15% - 2 points
  • Site census tract is less than 20% - 1 point
• Site zoned to an A or B rated school based on Children at Risk rankings
  • Elementary School - 2 points
  • Middle School - 2 points
  • High School - 2 points
• Developments which promote a mixed income composition whereas:
  • A minimum of 10% of the units to be unrestricted - 1 point
  • A minimum of 20% of the units to be unrestricted - 2 points
• Written documentation of community support  that the applicant has sought, received and implemented (if needed) views and recommendations, regarding the proposed project, from locally organized groups formed to primarily serve the interest of the proposed neighborhood. Letters of support will not be accepted from organizations directly affiliated with the project. - 1 point

Based  on these criteria, the projects listed below have achieved the minimum of 8-point threshold and qualify for a Resolution of Support

The details of this request were presented to the Housing and Community Affairs Committee on January 29, 2019.

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Tom McCasland, Director

Roxanne Lawson

Phone: (832) 394-6307