Low-Income Housing Tax Credits Lose Luster in the Post-GOP Tax Reform World

Fewer people investing in low-income housing tax credits means fewer affordable housing units being built—at a time when affordable units are in extremely short supply.

1 minute read

July 18, 2019, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Construction

brizmaker / Shutterstock

When the Republican tax cuts of 2017 lowered the corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 percent, it also lowered the potential benefits of low-income housing tax credits.

According to an article by Kate Irby, those changes had a chilling effect on affordable housing development.

According to "independent data" cited by Irby, data show the GOP tax reform bill has delayed or killed 15,000 affordable housing units in California alone. Irby cites an expert for more detail:

Scott Hoekman, president and CEO of Enterprise Housing Credit Investments, LLC, a company that manages funds for the tax credits nationwide, estimated that meant companies were willing to invest about 10 to 15 percent less than they had before the 2016 election, cutting off a major source of funding and derailing thousands of projects.

Less investment means less construction:

In California, that meant about 10,000 delayed or killed housing units in 2017 and 5,500 in 2018, according to Matt Schwartz, president and CEO of the California Housing Partnership, and a 23 percent decrease in affordable housing production — from about 24,000 units in 2016 to less than 19,000 in 2018.

According to Irby, bipartisan legislation in Congress designed to increase the use of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit has stalled.

Tuesday, July 16, 2019 in The Sacramento Bee

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 25, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

1 hour ago - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

2 hours ago - Boulder Reporting Lab

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

3 hours ago - CNU Public Square

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.