Global Green Grades States for Green Building Practices in Low Income Housing, 29% of US States Scored an A
Global Green Grades States for Green Building Practices in Low Income Housing, 29% of US States Scored an A
( Los Angeles, CA) – (RealEstateRama) — The annual QAP Analysis Report has been released, grading each state’s 2017 Qualified Allocation Plans as a part of Global Green’s initiative to improve the environment and health aspects of publicly subsidized housing. This year, Global Green also included the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa in their analysis.
In this report, Global Green recognizes the design and implementation of low-income housing constructed under the Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program and the state-level Qualified Allocation Plans (QAPs) which set the criteria for proposed development. The categories each state was graded on included: smart growth, energy efficiency, resource conservation, and health protection. These categories, as demonstrated in the full report, illustrate the change in state trends towards sustainable building.
Ohio received a perfect score for the second year in a row, joined only by Michigan in the top tier. Colorado, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. received A’s and seven more states achieved an A-. Twenty-nine percent of states scored an A- or better in 2017 and thirty-three percent of states scored in the B range.
One major improvement results from a number of states including a requirement that mandates third-party green building certification for LIHTC applicants. The results of this year’s analysis convey green building has become a fundamental element of many states’ QAPs.
Background
Thirty years ago, the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program was established to serve as an incentive for private investment in affordable rental housing. Although a federal program, each state’s housing finance agency (HFA) assumes responsibility for the allocation of the tax credits to developers. This is typically done through a competitive process based on criteria put forth by each state in a Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP). Through our Green Affordable Housing Initiative work over the past twenty years, Global Green recognizes that the LIHTC program and the QAPs that guide the distribution of tax credits can play an essential role in increasing the national rate of adoption of green building practices in affordable housing design and construction.
Starting in 2005, Global Green has completed a regular review of the green building practices represented in each state’s QAP and published a national performance ranking of QAPs. The goal of this analysis is to identify leading policy trends, share best practices, and suggest technical, procedural, and policy options that can further increase the incorporation of green building procedures into affordable housing developments.
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About Global Green
Global Green is a national leader in advancing sustainable and resilient communities to green cities, schools, and affordable housing to help protect human health, improve livability, and support our planet’s natural systems in an effort to stem climate change. Global Green is dedicated to helping the people, places, and the planet in need through catalytic projects, transformative policy, and cutting-edge research. For more information, visit globalgreen.org and follow us @globalgreen.
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