Low-income housing projects unlikely to receive tax credits

Plans for two low-income housing developments in the Westheimer Lakes North area are unlikely to receive requested competitive tax credits, according to a document released June 2 by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

The Landings at Westheimer Lakes, a multi-family low-income housing unit, and HomeTowne at Westheimer Lakes, a low-income senior community, were met by community opposition at public hearings for the proposed projects held in April in Austin and Houston.

Out of 23 applicants for the $10.1 million in tax credits, the LAnding at Westheimer Lakes ranked 23rd, while HomeTowne ranked 20th.

The eight applicants with the highest scores would consume the entire $10.1 allocation.

Final decisions about which developments will receive the tax credits will be determined by the TDHCA board on July 28, but there will still be opportunities for applicants to appeal final scores.

“There are three to four developers who don’t get the tax credits for every one that does. This is a very competitive application process,” Gordon Anderson, spokesperson for TDHCA. said.

Jeff Wiley, president of the Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council, said that just by looking at the current scores, he thinks there would be no chance the two developments will receive the funding.

“I would say everyone is cautiously optimistic at this point,” Julie Boyd, a Westheimer Lakes resident of two years who has been heading the community opposition to the developments proposals, said.

The two proposed developments were planned for the area south of FM 1093 and FM 723, a highly trafficked area, raising concerns about mobility and other population issues among local residents.

“It’s an extremely busy intersection. There’s construction vehicles going and there is no way for anyone to get to and from the nearest grocery store by bicycle or on foot. And it would just add more traffic to an already busy intersection,” Boyd said. “And when you look at demographics of similar developments, not everyone has transportation and that’s not in the plan.”

Boyd said she shared her concerns about a lack of public transporation in the immediate area with Craig Lintner, vice president of development for Pecdor Investments, the company that filed for tax credits for The Landings, and Lintner told her he had no concerns for the residents.“I was really taken back by that,” she said.

Capitol Report | New Mexico » Gov. Martinez loses in NM Supreme ...

“Today’s ruling is a victory for our constitution and the people of New Mexico. The principle of separation of powers is the cornerstone of our government. The balance of power is equally divided among the three branches of government and the court’s decision reaffirmed this by preserving the legislature’s exclusive appropriating authority.”

Spokesman for Gov. Martinez, Scott Darnell, told Associated Press that the governor’s vetoes had “protected taxpayers from “higher taxes and excessive spending.”

“The court has now given guidance that the only way for the governor to prevent these types of excessive spending measures is to veto the entire amount. The governor is hopeful that the Legislature will work with her to prevent such vetoes from becoming necessary in the future,” said Darnell.

There is still one other case concerning vetoes before the high court — one in which Martinez rejected a $128 million tax increase on businesses to pay for unemployment benefits. Lawmakers argue that the unemployment bill ( HB59 ) does not allocate any money and that only a bill that specifically calls for spending is eligible for a partial veto from the governor’s office.

The unemployment program is projected to run out of money in early 2012, and the higher taxes were to take effect next January.

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