The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (the “Department”) is seeking input from the public for possible amendments to the 2017 Qualified Allocation Plan and Uniform Multifamily Rules through an online forum at https://tdhca.websitetoolbox.com/.  Staff will continue to update the Forum over the coming days, as possible amendments are developed.

For reference, the 2016 Qualified Allocation Plan and Uniform Multifamily Rules may be found on the Department’s website http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/multifamily/nofas-rules.htm.

Proposed Changes Include:

  • De-Concentration Scoring
  1. A development in an urban area that is not claiming points under Proximity to the Urban Core may claim 5 points if there is no other development within five miles subject to a land use restriction agreement or similar restriction because it has received assistance under any of the following: low income housing tax credits, private activity bonds, or State or Federal programs designed to create or preserve affordable housing;
  2. A development in a rural area that is not claiming points under Proximity to the Urban Core may claim 5 points if there is no other development within twenty miles subject to a land use restriction agreement or similar restriction because it has received assistance under any of the following:  low income housing tax credits, private activity bonds, or State or Federal programs designed to create or preserve affordable housing
  • Undesirable Site Features: This section has changed the distance a project can be from certain undesirable site features before becoming ineligible. For example, projects cannot be within one-half mile of a junkyard, whereas previously the distance was 300 ft. Requirements have become more stringent across the board in this section. Oil refineries able to produce 100,000 barrels a day was also added to the list of undesirable site features, and the proposal is developments may not be sited within 2 miles.
  • Tiebreaker: Factors such as opportunity score, educational excellence score, and tenant services score have been added to the tiebreaker.

Please contact Sharon Gamble, Competitive Tax Credit Administrator, at sharon.gamble@tdhca.state.tx.us should you have any questions.