BIG WIN for the Community of Brownsville; $20 Million Housing Tax Credit Awarded
(PRESS RELEASE) – The Housing Authority of the City of Brownsville (HACB) was awarded a $20 million Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) allocation by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) Board on July 26, 2018.
This was the largest allocation of the 2018 round and the largest award Brownsville has received for an individual project.
“Our housing authority is leveraging federal, state and local funds to create a holistic development that will improve the quality of life for the families who will reside there and for the neighborhood that surrounds the development. We will build a development that is safe, decent and affordable but more importantly we will build a community where families will thrive and succeed”, said Carla Mancha, CEO for HACB.
Conveniently located within walking distance of schools, grocery stores and neighborhood amenities, Poinsettia Gardens at Boca Chica will serve 150 families in the community. The total project investment is approximately $25,000,000. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2019.
“Quality affordable housing is essential to the prosperity and health of our families and the local economy,” said Brownsville Mayor Tony Martinez. “I commend the Housing Authority of the City of Brownsville on this tremendous achievement to increase housing for the residents of our community as Brownsville continues to grow and develop.”
The award is the result of three years of work that began with the creation of HACB’s 2020 Strategic Plan adopted by the HACB Board in 2015. The project will greatly benefit the families of the Buena Vida neighborhood and will also contribute to the ongoing revitalization efforts of Brownsville’s Downtown District.
“HACB is making a housing difference in Brownsville” said HUD San Antonio Field Office Director, Zuleika Morales-Romero, “And for these funds to be used to implement Buena Vida’s Choice Neighborhood is also a success for HUD.”
Cognizant of the need for affordable housing in our growing community, HACB and the City of Brownsville announced the creation of our city’s first ever Comprehensive Housing Plan in mid-July. Population estimates indicate that Brownsville will be home to an additional 10,000 families by 2030. This $20M award is an important step in our efforts to prepare for Brownsville’s future housing needs.
This achievement was made possible due to the engaged participation and support of our residents, community partners, the Mayor and City Commission, City of Brownsville staff, the HUD Team, and the guidance and vision provided by the HACB Board.
ABOUT HACB
The Housing Authority of the City of Brownsville is a HUD Choice Neighborhood Planning and Connect Home Nation Awardee. The Choice Neighborhood Program is focused on three core goals: Housing, People and Neighborhoods. The purpose of the Choice Neighborhoods Program is to support locally driven strategies to address struggling neighborhoods with distressed public or HUD assisted housing through a comprehensive approach to neighborhood transformation. The Connect Home Nation Program is focused on bridging the digital divide and creating opportunities for families via connectivity.
The Housing Authority of the City of Brownsville is a High Performing Housing Authority for both the Housing Choice Voucher and Public Housing program. HACB serves over 3,600 low-income families in our community and is the largest PHA south of San Antonio, Texas. HACB has authority to administer 2,582 Housing Choice Vouchers, operates and manages four Public Housing developments, six RAD properties and is the General Partner to nine tax credit developments all located within the City of Brownsville. It is the mission of the HACB to provide access to affordable, quality housing, and achieve self-sufficiency through education and collaborative partnerships, for all residents of our community.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Carla Y. Mancha at (956) 214-1530 or email at cmancha@hacb.us.
