El Paso City Council Special Meeting on Low-Income Housing Tax Credits – October 6, 2025
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El Paso City Council Special Meeting on Low-Income Housing Tax Credits – October 6, 2025
A special meeting of the El Paso City Council was held on Monday, October 6, 2025, from 9:01 a.m. to 9:12 a.m. to discuss and vote on a resolution approving the nine percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) evaluation procedures. The meeting included debate over an amendment that would remove a provision allowing council to award points to proposals that do not meet minimum thresholds. The amendment failed, and the main resolution passed unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments or testimony were recorded.
Discussion Items
- Resolution on LIHTC Evaluation Procedures: The council discussed a resolution approving the procedures for evaluating nine percent low-income housing tax credit applications, as outlined in Attachment A. Councilmember Limon noted that the only change from the original staff proposal was the addition of five extra credit/bonus points for local businesses. He expressed strong support for staff's proposal.
- Amendment on Best Application Optional Section: Councilmember Canales moved to strike the “Best Application Optional” section on page 11 of the policy, arguing that it creates a loophole that could allow council to award points to proposals that do not meet the minimum thresholds set elsewhere in the policy. She stated that recent applications had scored in the 30s, 40s, and 50s under a previous rubric, and that the policy should encourage high-quality proposals near services, grocery stores, transit, and schools. Councilmember Limon opposed the amendment, reiterating support for staff’s recommendation. After discussion, the amendment failed 6-2.
- Main Motion: Councilmember Limon made a motion to approve the resolution as presented, which was seconded by Alternate Mayor Pro Tem Pierro. The motion passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- The amendment to strike the “Best Application Optional” section was defeated (2 votes in favor: Canales, Acevedo; 6 votes against: Chavez, Maldonado Rocha, Boyetrejo, Nino, Pierro, Limon).
- The main resolution approving the nine percent low-income housing tax credit evaluation procedures passed unanimously.
- The meeting was adjourned at 9:12 a.m.
Meeting Transcript
Senator presiding in council chambers along with Mayor Protem Chavez, Representative Acevedo, Representative Boría Trejo, Representative Nino, and Representative Limon. Representative Madonado Rocha is running a few minutes late. It is 9 01 a.m. Mayor, we have a quorum. Okay. Let's take uh this special the item that we have. Thank you. So America. Which is stats. One nation under God. In the visible liberty and justice for all. Sorry about that. Item number one is discussion in action on a resolution approving the nine percent low-income housing tax credits. Light evaluation procedures as set forth in attachment A of the resolution. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Representative Limon? Did you want to do a good morning first? Or I can just continue. Mayor, after uh Mayor on Friday, I had a chance to meet with Nicole. We reviewed everything. The only thing that's changed from the original staff proposal is that we've added the five points extra credit, bonus credit, bonus points for local businesses. With that in mind, sir, I'd like to make a motion to approve the ordinance as presented. Thank you. Okay, there's a motion and a second call for the vote. Yes. Ms. Prime? Oh, what representative canales? Oh, good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Representative Pietro joined the meeting at 9.02 and Representative Canales at 903. But before we take the vote, I just want to uh first say I apologize to staff that we're we're having this meeting again. And to council, I just want to remind everyone that we do get briefings on every agenda item. But I think part of the reason why we're here is the agendas on the agendas and the amendments on the amendments that we keep going through and it causes us to be here today. So I apologize that you guys are even here in council chambers today. So we will try to get through this one today, but I will also ask council if you need additional briefings from staff to go ahead and get those. But um nevertheless, we are here today, so we will try to get through this. Represent Canales. Thank you, Mayor. Um I I still, as I did last week, take issue with the best application section labeled optional on page 11. Um last week I made a the uh motion to strike that and replace it. Um I understand if council doesn't like the replacement for offering city-owned property, um, I still think it's important that we don't offer a way for uh not just ourselves but future councils to offer support to uh a proposal that is bad that doesn't meet the minimum thresholds like we're we're setting new thresholds to say these are the minimum scores that we need in order to award points to uh to uh a proposal and then offering uh an exit route and saying but if none of them are good enough then we'll just we can award to the best one. Um I don't think that we should award to uh a project if it's not good enough. And so uh I move to amend the language to strike that best application optional section uh on page 11 in its entirety. Okay, is there a second all right? Well Ms. Brian hearing then all second you a second just because call for the vote on this one, Miss Prime, this amendment on the amendment, yes, sir.
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