By: Collier H.B. No. 4189       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the allocation of low income housing tax credits.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 2306.6710(b), Government Code, is   amended by adding section 2306.6710(b)(4) and (4-a) to read as   follows:          (4)  the Department shall develop a scoring incentive for   competitively awarded low income housing tax credits that includes,   on an equal basis, points for either:                (A)  developments in primary attendance zones for   elementary schools that have achieved combined ratings of B or   better under the system administered by the Texas Education Agency;   or                (B)  developments in market areas from which the   development is projected to attract 51 percent or more of its   tenants where those market areas encompass significant features   that will:                      (i)  promote household success;                      (ii)  promote neighborhood pride and   cohesiveness; and                      (iii)  promote an affordable and healthy   lifestyle for residents.          (4-a)  the features that will promote:                (A)  household success are:                      (i)  established neighborhoods from which the   proposed development is likely to draw a significant number of its   tenants;                      (ii)  neighborhoods that include places of   worship, established civic organizations, established mentoring   programs, or established parent teacher organizations whose   established membership includes a significant proportion of person   or households who would be income eligible for the proposed   affordable housing; and                      (iii)  neighborhoods that encompass mass transit   stops that would enable residents of the proposed development to   commute to areas of work opportunity;                (B)  neighborhood pride and cohesiveness include:                      (i)  Designation of the neighborhood as an   historical neighborhood;                      (ii)  An active partnership between local law   enforcement and neighborhood organizations to cooperate in   addressing crime where that partnership has experienced   demonstrable success in reducing crime and building positive   relations between the community and law enforcement as acknowledged   by the organization; and                      (iii)  Activity during the prior year to   remediate historic infrastructure issues such as inadequate street   lighting; lack of sidewalks; installation of flood control   measures; construction of new public facilities such as police   stations, fire stations, indoor recreation facilities, transit   stops for light rail;                (C)  an affordable and healthy lifestyle for residents   include:                      (i)  full service grocery stores;                      (ii)  pharmacies;                      (iii)  Public parks;                      (iv)  Hospitals; and                      (v)  Health clinics.          SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only   to an application for low income housing tax credits that is   submitted to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs   during an application cycle that is based on the 2018 qualified   allocation plan or a subsequent plan adopted by the governing board   of the department under Section 2306.67022, Government Code. An   application that is submitted during an application cycle that is   based on an earlier qualified allocation plan is governed by the law   in effect on the date the application cycle began, and the former   law is continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.