Affordable Housing Requirements
A development may be pursuing Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), state housing finance agency programs, HOME funds, state loans, or several funding sources at once.
Each program can bring its own requirements related to energy efficiency, green building, testing, documentation, and project design. These requirements can vary significantly from state to state.
In Florida, for example, Florida Housing Finance Corporation includes energy efficiency in its Housing Credit allocation criteria and incorporates green building and energy-efficiency requirements into its competitive rental programs. In Georgia, the Department of Community Affairs’ Qualified Allocation Plan also includes energy efficiency and sustainability requirements as part of the scoring criterion. Virginia Housing administers its own LIHTC process and QAP as well.
That is why early coordination matters.
On a recent affordable housing project, RunBrook was engaged early in the process, when the team had a site plan and preliminary drawings. By getting involved early, we were able to evaluate the project through preliminary energy modeling and certification scorecards and help the team understand its options before major design decisions were locked in.
The goal is not simply to check a box. It is to find a practical path to meeting funding and program requirements without making compliance unnecessarily burdensome for the project team.
And these requirements are not limited to Florida. RunBrook can support affordable housing projects anywhere in the U.S., and requirements can vary depending on the state, funding source, and program.
If you’re interested in learning more about affordable housing funding opportunities and requirements in your state, these are a few organizations to follow and connect with:
Florida Housing Coalition
Florida Housing Finance Corporation
Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Virginia Housing
Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC)
Whether you are pursuing funding in Florida, elsewhere in the Southeast, or beyond, bringing RunBrook into the conversation early can help you understand the energy and sustainability requirements, evaluate your options, and develop a path that works for the project.
Planning an affordable housing development?
Contact RunBrook at info@runbrook.
