This is the second in a series of blog posts where Cindy Wasser, Home Innovation’s Senior Manager of Green Building Programs, shares updates on Home Innovation's green advocacy efforts and opportunities for NGBS Green Partners to get involved.
Home Innovation actively advocates for third-party certified, green, affordable housing by providing input for state Qualified Allocation Plan (QAPs). QAPs specify a state agency’s allocation of federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). Most QAPs include criteria for energy efficiency and green building, and nearly 30 states specify green building certification as a requirement or point-based incentive. When third-party green certification is included within a QAP, NGBS Green Certification is typically recognized alongside other credible national green building programs. NGBS Green certification is affordable to implement, making it ideally suited for affordable housing. For more information about QAPs and how to get involved, contact me.
Recent QAP Updates/Opportunities by State:
OPEN ADOVACY OPPORTUNITY! ALABAMA
The Alabama Housing Finance Authority published a draft 2022 QAP. The draft QAP includes prescriptive energy and water conservation measures, but no third-party programs are referenced.
Written comments can be submitted using the 2022 Plan Comment Form until 5PM EDT on August 27th.
We are coordinating with other energy efficiency and green building programs to request that AHFA require or incentivize third-party energy efficiency or green building programs. NGBS Green Partners are encouraged to submit comments similar to ours. Contact Cindy if you plan to submit comments and would like to view our public comment letter.
CONNECTICUT
In my May QAP Recap blog, I shared details an open advocacy opportunity for the Connecticut draft 2022-2023 QAP, which included a revamped Sustainable Design section with new sub-sections for Energy Conservation, Green Building, Renewables/Electrification/Resiliency, Operations/Resiliency, and Sustainable Development with Digital Literacy and Connectivity.
The final 2022-2023 QAP has now been Governor-approved, and that comprehensive Sustainable Design section was retained. Two points are available for NGBS Green certification at the Gold level, and three points are available at the Emerald level.
A big “thank you” goes to the NGBS Green Partners who provided feedback to CHFA on the revised Sustainable Design criteria, including Peter Harding of MaGrann Associates, as well as the Steven Winter Associates team.
LOUISIANA
Louisiana Housing Corporation released its final 2022 QAP. The QAP requires all funded projects to be certified to NGBS Green, EarthCraft, Enterprise Green Communities, or LEED. Thank you any NGBS Green Partners who submitted letters of support.
OPEN ADOVACY OPPORTUNITY! OHIO
The Ohio Housing Finance Agency has released a draft 2022-2023 QAP for public comment. The draft 2022-2023 QAP would require new construction projects to obtain certification to the NGBS (Silver level or higher), Enterprise Green Communities, or LEED (Silver level or higher). Rehabilitation projects must obtain green certification where feasible; otherwise, they can demonstrate compliance by alternative means.
Written comments are accepted through September 2nd; comments must be sent to QAP@OhioHome.org.
I submitted a letter of support that praised OHFA for their inclusion of third-party green building certifications and requested that further detail be included regarding expectations for rehabilitation projects. Contact me to view our comment letter.
In addition to our work monitoring and advocating for the inclusion of NGBS in QAPs across the country, we are active in other advocacy work as well. We have some general resources available online that our program partners are free to use for your own efforts, or you can always contact me to let me know about your local situation – maybe we could collaborate.
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