* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Clarke
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
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Request for State Action - Low Income Housing Tax Credit Qualified Application Plan
FOR the purpose of urging the Maryland CDA to refrain from committing to the significant policy change embodied in the proposed Qualified Action Plan Section 4.3.3 Housing in Communities with Indicators above Statewide or County Averages at this time, in order to allow for a full and open consideration of how this change would affect the ability of disadvantaged communities to fairly compete for Low Income Housing Tax Credits.
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Recitals
The Baltimore City Council has long recognized the need for affordable housing in Baltimore City and the invaluable role which the Department of Housing and Community Development's Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program plays in its development. Without LIHTC funding, revitalization in our communities would be most difficult, if not impossible. Ensuring that projects in Baltimore have a fair opportunity to compete on a level playing field for LIHTC funding is therefore essential.
CDA's current Qualified Application Plan (QAP) embodies this level playing field in a competitive balance in which all areas of the state have a fair chance to compete for funding. It has come to this Council's attention, however, that CDA has very recently proposed adding to the QAP Section 4.3.3 Housing in Communities with Indicators above Statewide or County Averages, which threatens to upset this balance and make it more difficult for projects in the City to compete effectively for funding.
This proposed change is a serious matter, and one which should be carefully considered. It is critical that all stakeholders have clear notice of the proposed change and receive the opportunity to understand its implications for their communities. Most importantly, they need the time and the opportunity to be heard in a full and open consideration of this issue. There is reason to fear that is not the case here.
CDA's revision of the QAP has been underway for months, but apparently this serious change has just been proposed in the final few weeks of the revision process. It was not on the table from the beginning as it should have been. This is an unnecessarily hurried way to deal with such serious change, and this Council must voice a strong objection to it. There should be a full, open and complete debate on this issue, and that cannot happen when the proposed change is introduced in the final few weeks.
It is therefore important that CDA not incorporate the addition of Section 4.3.3 Housing in Communities with Indicators above Statewide or County Averages into the QAP at this time. There is plenty of time to have a proper, open process of consideration regarding this issue, and such a discussion would be welcomed. However, adopting the proposed addition in such an unnecessarily hurried fashion is simply inappropriate.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Maryland CDA is urged to refrain from committing to the significant policy change embodied in the proposed Qualified Action Plan Section 4.3.3 Housing in Communities with Indicators above Statewide or County Averages at this time, in order to allow for a full and open consideration of how this change would affect the ability of disadvantaged communities to fairly compete for Low Income Housing Tax Credits.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Maryland Secretary of Housing & Community Development, the Assistant Secretary of Development Finance in the Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development, the Director of Multifamily Housing Programs for the Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development, the Director of Housing Development in the Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development's office of Multifamily Housing Programs1, the Mayor, and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
1 These are the titles for the 4 officials that Kevin Bell wanted the letter sent to. DLR's protocol is to refer to people by their titles rather than their names when listing them in an official capacity.
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DRAFTED BY DLR 22NOV10 DRAFTED BY DLR 22NOV10
dlr 10-2255~intro/22Nov10
ccres/LIHTC/kb:tw
DRAFTED BY DLR 22NOV10 DRAFTED BY DLR 22NOV10
dlr 10-2255~intro/22Nov10
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ccres/LIHTC/kb:tw