Site Characteristics—Proximity to Transit
Applicants can earn 3 points in the competition for
federal 9% low-income housing tax credit by being within a half-mile walk from
a rapid rail transit station as part of the 18-point Quality Growth Initiatives
section of the Georgia Dept. of Community Affairs' 2010 qualified allocation
plan (QAP).
Site Characteristics—Walkability
Applicants can win up to 10 points for being located
within a mile of amenities as part of the 18-point Quality Growth Initiatives
section of the QAP.
Site Characteristics—Infill Versus Greenfield
Applications can earn 3 points for being infill or rural
Smart Growth developments. Applications could lose points for being an infill
project in the wrong place—within a mile of things including heavy
manufacturing, noise at over 70 decibels, or abandoned or deteriorated
buildings—as part of the 18-point Quality Growth Initiatives section of the
QAP.
Project Construction—Energy-Efficient Construction
Applicants can earn up to 4 points for earning a
sustainable communities or green building certification under programs such as
Earth Craft Communities or the Leadership in Energy and Efficient Design for
Neighborhood Development as part of the 4-point Sustainable Developments
Section.
Likelihood of Success Without Sustainable Development
Applicants for tax credits can earn up to 22 points for a
variety of sustainable features out of a maximum 94 points. Sustainable
development is a huge part of the competition.
Trends, Changes
Georgia is one of the few states that cut back on
its green building criteria in 2010, slightly reducing the points available for
sustainably developed projects and eliminating the point that was available for
"energy-efficient building certification." Yet, green projects still have a huge advantage in Georgia's competition for tax credits.