Travis County approved a policy regarding resolutions of no objection at a meeting Tuesday morning. The policy is a practice that the Commissioners Court approved to show its support for a low-income housing tax credit application for the Del Valle 969 Apartments.

Christy Moffett, social services manager for the Travis County Health and Human Services office, said the county’s process is if a developer or corporation staff wants to appeal their housing screening results, they may provide additional data to support their decision. Community Development Block Grant staff then reviews the additional data and different areas of opportunity, including school performance, transit accessibility and jobs/employment. Staff will then provide results of the screening to whoever requested the review.

Commissioners expressed multiple concerns and made suggestions they feel will help them make a better-informed decision for these types of projects.

County Judge Sarah Eckhardt said her concern was how to gauge the opportunities for other amenities in the area.

“If we do resolutions of no objection for projects where analysis shows the market is already producing in a low-opportunity area, then I am concerned that we will not draw the kind of public infrastructure and amenities that would create higher opportunity circumstances in the area,” Eckhardt said.

Sherri Fleming, county executive for health and human services, said staff cannot guarantee what will happen in terms of future amenities for the area, but it will work with and give the best information that staff has at the time.

Precinct 1 Commissioner Jeff Travillion suggested adding criteria to the screening that questions opportunities and the context of the housing market over a long period of time.

“We need to think about these areas being invested in and at other parts of the city and look at the history,” Travillion said.

Commissioner Precinct 2 Brigid Shea suggested adding criteria that grade the developer as well.

“I’m not sure if we can grade developers, but what I’m hearing from commissioners is you would like us to provide information on what they have historically done,” Fleming said. “So, if we can demonstrate that the developer has plans and intent to provide certain amenities, you want to have that information and be able to make some kind of assessment of whether that is a plus or minus.”

Fleming and her staff will take all the suggestions provided by commissioners into consideration. The court approved the policy and made note that it is the court's policy and it does not have to follow it.

“It’s always good to make your decisions based on quality information,” Eckhardt said.