The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) is soliciting comments for changes to the current allocation plan for the GOAL Program, referred to as the Rating Criteria and Award Plan (QAP). Any proposed changes will become effective for the FY 2017 GOAL Cycle which will start in May 2016. The plan currently covers the allocation of three funding sources, the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, the HOME Investment Partnership Act, and the Senior Citizens Housing Development Fund. If AHFC is designated to receive funds through the National Housing Trust Fund, a percentage of those funds may be added to the GOAL program. GOAL Program funding is designed to provide affordable housing for lower income households, seniors and special needs populations. Comments are due by 5:00 p.m. March 4, 2016.

AHFC is interested in comments on all aspects of the Plan. Comments AHFC has received over the last year include requests to:

  1. Eliminate the requirement for low income housing tax credit (LIHTC) development teams to have LIHTC development experience within past 10 years
  2. Make the grant and tax credit reservations to the partnership, not to one or another of the individual partners
  3. Reduce the 15% developer fee allowance and require a detailed report of Developer Cost not reimbursed by construction or other funds
  4. Report each year on the success of awarded projects in meeting all the pro forma criteria in their respective applications and any applicable penalties
  5. Require that each member forming the general partner have equal authority and responsibility for construction decisions and management of operations
  6. Incentivizing greater use of the 4% tax credits, particularly in urban areas
  7. Adjustments to the unit square footage limitations

Other potential changes considered by AHFC:

  1. Re-evaluation of scoring weights and ranges used to assign points
  2. Refining incentives and standards for project cost containment
  3. Refining incentives and standards for Fair Housing compliance
  4. Establishing regional award caps to ensure geographic project diversity
  5. Other changes to ranking criteria used in the FY 2017 round based on public comments and staff recommendations

To access a copy of the current Plan which will be used as the basis for the SFY 2017 Plan, please go to AHFC’s website at http://www.ahfc.us/pros/notices/requests-comment/ .

AHFC will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 to solicit comments regarding this notice. This hearing will be held from 3:00 p.m. through 5:00 p.m. (Anchorage time) at AHFC’s headquarters in the 1st floor boardroom. Persons may attend the public hearing in person or via telephone. Persons attending the hearing via telephone will need to dial 1-877-668-4493 and enter access code 922743313 when prompted.

For those wishing to attend the public hearing in person, AHFC’s physical address is:

Alaska Housing Finance Corporation
4300 Boniface Parkway
Anchorage, AK 99504

Comments must be submitted via e-mail to Daniel Delfino at ddelfino@ahfc.us no later than 5:00 p.m. Anchorage time on March 4, 2016.

AHFC complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Individuals with disabilities who may need auxiliary aids or special modifications to participate in the public comment process should call Daniel Delfino at (907) 330-8273.