Notices, Plans & Reports

None at this time.

The Housing Needs Assessment articulates a strategic effort to support the revitalization of four Houston neighborhoods impacted by the I-45 expansion project. The initiative is rooted in the broader context of the North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP), a significant infrastructure upgrade managed by TxDOT, which will cause some residents and businesses to be displaced, disrupting the existing community landscape. To mitigate these effects, $28.5 million in grant funding will be allocated through TxDOT’s Affordable Housing Grant Program to support neighborhood resilience and housing stability.

AB Land Planning LLP was selected by Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC) through a Request for Proposal (RFP) for its expertise in urban planning and community engagement to conduct comprehensive needs assessments in Independence Heights, Near Northside, Greater Fifth Ward, and Greater Third Ward (Figure 1). These neighborhoods, each with rich cultural identities and unique vulnerabilities, form the foundation for targeted revitalization strategies. The assessment process was designed to gather community-driven insights through diverse engagement methods, including workshops, surveys, stakeholder interviews, and on-the-ground observations, resulting in a robust, participatory data collection.

Findings from this assessment will inform the subsequent development of the Housing Revitalization Plan, ensuring that strategies are aligned with community needs and aspirations. The report emphasizes accountability, serving as a baseline to measure success and ensuring that future initiatives reflect the voices of residents. This collaborative approach aims to preserve neighborhood character, foster housing stability, and promote equitable growth.

Ultimately, this initiative exemplifies a commitment to inclusive planning, leveraging comprehensive analysis and community input to guide meaningful revitalization efforts. The joint effort between TSAHC and ABLP underscores a shared commitment to fostering resilient, vibrant neighborhoods that can withstand the pressures of infrastructure development while maintaining their social and cultural integrity.

The Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (the “Corporation”), a nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of the State of Texas, is implementing a qualified mortgage credit certificate program (the “Program”) within the State of Texas (the “Program Area”) to assist eligible purchasers. A Mortgage Credit Certificate (“MCC”) is an instrument designed to assist persons better afford home ownership.  The MCC Program allows first-time homebuyers an annual federal income tax credit equal to the credit rate for the MCC multiplied by the amount of interest paid by the holder on a home mortgage loan during each year that they occupy the home as their principal residence.

An eligible purchaser of a residence located within the Program Area may apply to the Corporation for an MCC through a participating lender of his or her choice at the time of purchasing a principal residence and obtaining a mortgage loan from a participating lender.

To be an eligible purchaser to receive an MCC, a purchaser must meet the following criteria:

(1)  Be one of the following:

(a)  A person living in Texas whose annual household income does not exceed 100% of area median family income (“AMFI”) (for families of two persons or less) or 115% of AMFI (for families of three or more persons); or

(b)  A full-time Texas classroom teacher, teacher’s aide, school librarian, school nurse, school counselor, or an allied health or nursing faculty member whose annual family income does not exceed 100% of AMFI (for families of two persons or less) or 115% of AMFI (for families of three or more persons); or

(c)  A full-time paid fire fighter, peace officer, corrections officer, juvenile corrections officer, county jailer, EMS personnel, veteran, or public security officer, working in the State of Texas whose annual family income does not exceed 100% of AMFI (for families of two persons or less) or 115% of AMFI (for families of three or more persons).

Visit www.tsahc.org for a more complete description of the maximum income limits.

(2)  The applicant for the MCC cannot have had an ownership interest in his or her principal residence during the three-year period ending on the date the mortgage loan is obtained.

(3)  The applicant must intend to occupy the residence with respect to which the MCC is obtained as his or her principal residence within 60 days after the MCC is issued.  The MCC issued to an applicant will be revoked if the residence to which the MCC relates ceases to be occupied by the applicant as his or her principal residence.

(4)  The MCC cannot be issued to an applicant in conjunction with the replacement or refinancing of an existing mortgage loan.  The MCC can, however, be obtained in conjunction with the replacement of a construction period or bridge loan having a term of less than 24 months.

(5)  Federal law imposes limitations on the purchase price of homes financed under the program.  These limitations are periodically adjusted. Visit www.tsahc.org to view the current maximum purchase prices allowed. Two-family, three-family and four-family residences are also eligible, provided that one of the units will be occupied by the mortgagor as his or her principal residence and that the residence was first occupied for residential purposes at least five years prior to the closing of the mortgage.

Anyone receiving an MCC and selling his or her residence within nine years of the issuance of the MCC may be required to return all or a portion of the tax credit received in connection therewith to the Internal Revenue Service.

To defray the costs of implementing the Program, the Corporation will charge applicants a compliance fee, plus an MCC issuance fee.

The Corporation strongly encourages anyone who believes that he or she qualifies for an MCC to apply at the offices of a participating lender.  For more information regarding the Program and its restrictions, including a list of current participating lenders, please contact Joniel LeVecque, Senior Director of Single Family Programs, at (512) 477-3561 or by email at jlevecque@tsahc.org.

For a copy of the IRMA letter, click on the link below.