DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood & Housing Services Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Verónica R. Soto, FAICP, Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Extra Territorial Jurisdiction
SUBJECT:
Consideration of a Resolution of No Objection for LDG Development’s application to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for the Non-Competitive 4% Housing Tax Credits program.
SUMMARY:
LDG Development is seeking a Resolution of No Objection for its application to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for the Non-Competitive 4% Housing Tax Credits program for the development of Ostry Ranch, a 408-unit affordable multi-family rental housing development located at 2075 Schuwirth Road in the City of San Antonio’s Extra Territorial Jurisdiction.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs’ (TDHCA) Housing Tax Credit (HTC) program is one of the primary means of directing private capital toward the development and preservation of affordable rental housing for low-income households in the state of Texas. Housing Tax Credits are awarded to eligible participants to offset a portion of their federal tax liability in exchange for the production or preservation of affordable rental housing.
The TDHCA administers two HTC programs: a Competitive 9% and Non-Competitive 4%. This application is for the Non-Competitive 4% HTC program which is available year round unlike the Competitive 9% HTC program which has a single annual application period. The Competitive 9% HTC program assigns points based on the type of resolution provided by a municipality (Resolution of Support versus a Resolution of No Objection), but the Non-Competitive 4% Housing Tax Credit only require that a Resolution of No Objection be submitted to satisfy requirements of §11.204(4)(C) of the TDHCA’s Uniform Multifamily Rules.
In order to qualify to receive a Resolution of No Objection, the application must earn at least 60 out of 100 points from the City’s scoring criteria outlined in the Housing Tax Credit Policy adopted by City Council October 31, 2019.
ISSUE:
LDG Development is submitting an application to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) for the Non-Competitive 4% Housing Tax Credits (HTC) program for the construction of Ostry Ranch, a 408-unit multi-family rental housing development located at 2075 Schuwirth Road in the City of San Antonio’s Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) near Council District 2. The site is currently vacant.
For applicants located within the ETJ of a municipality, a Resolution of No Objection from the municipality and a Resolution of No Objection from the county is required. Therefore, the LDG Development is seeking a Resolution of No Objection from the City of San Antonio as well as a Resolution of No Objection from Bexar County.
LDG Development will be seeking a Resolution of No Objection from Bexar County in March 2021. They have been in communication with Commissioner Calvert about the project and believe the Resolution will be issued by the county.
The closest Council District to the property is Council District 2. The applicant met with the Council District 2 office to provide all pertinent information regarding the proposed HTC project. The applicant met via phone with Councilwoman Andrews-Sullivan on February 24, 2021 to talk about the project.
Any 4% HTC application earning between 60 and 100 points shall be eligible to receive a staff recommendation for a Resolution of No Objection, provided the application receives at least seven experience points under the Owner/General Partner/Property Management Experience category. The application received 15 experience points, and 78 points in total and is eligible to receive a Resolution of No Objection.
The applicant was awarded no for public engagement points.
The value of the TDHCA tax credit award to Agave would be approximately $32.3 million over a ten-year period. The total cost for this project will be approximately $84.1 million. Of the 408-units, all will be rent restricted to 70% and below of area median income as defined by TDHCA’s Rent and Income Limit tool using HUD data (e.g. a family of four will have a maximum income of $50,400).
The 4% application is anticipated to be considered by the TDHCA Governing Board in December 2021. If approved, the estimated start date will be in December 2021 and the estimated project construction completion is December 2023.
The project is projected to contain the following unit mix:
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council may elect not to approve a Resolution of No Objection which would adversely impact the ability of the developer to proceed with the project.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This approves a Resolution of No Objection for LDG Development’s application to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for the Non-Competitive 4% Housing Tax Credits program for the construction of Ostry Ranch, a 408 unit affordable multi-family rental housing development, located at 2075 Schuwirth in the City of San Antonio’s Extra Territorial Jurisdiction. There is no fiscal impact to the City’s budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends City Council issue a Resolution of No Objection for the construction of Ostry Ranch, a 408-unit multi-family rental housing development located at 2075 Schuwirth Road in the City of San Antonio’s Extra Territorial Jurisdiction.