Posts tagged Tax Breaks
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The Housing Production Trust Fund, explained
The Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF) is a pot of money used to build affordable housing in DC. Since 2001, money from the fund has helped to produce or preserve nearly 10,000 units of affordable housing. Keep reading…
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Our property tax system rewards neglect and punishes investment in struggling neighborhoods
Here's a startling fact I've learned about new development in many struggling older cities. I had to be told this several times, by several credible sources, before I really believed it, because it just didn't seem possible: There are whole cities where every single private development project receives some sort of tax abatement or incentive. Keep reading…
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Top posts of 2018: Surprise! The Mortgage Interest Deduction is now even more of a handout to the wealthy
Now that taxes have been filed (phew), we’re starting to get a look at how changes to the tax code made by the Republican Congress are affecting key programs. Keep reading…
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The DC Council just cut $20 million for homeless services to fund tax breaks for commercial properties
On December 4, the DC Council moved to divert an estimated $20 million in new tax funds it had pledged for homeless programs to instead reduce the property tax rate for commercial entities valued at $10 million or more. That could have funded permanent supportive housing for about 730 people or long-term housing vouchers to about 1,000 very low-income families. Keep reading…
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How corporate tax incentives work and why cities spend so much on them
Amazon’s nationwide HQ2 contest has brought concerns about taxpayer-funded incentives for big businesses to the fore. Some of the region’s residents are furious that companies making millions of dollars a year would be offered millions more to come to town, rather than those funds being spent on social services. But how do these corporate incentives actually work? Keep reading…
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Surprise! The Mortgage Interest Deduction is now even more of a handout to the wealthy
Now that taxes have been filed (phew), we’re starting to get a look at how changes to the tax code made by the Republican Congress are affecting key programs. One of these, the Mortgage Interest Deduction (MID), is a provision that doesn’t achieve its purported goal to increase homeownership and also skews its benefits towards richer households. Keep reading…
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The first DC Council candidate debate brings affordable housing, and candidates’ experience levels, to the fore
Battle of the newbies, battle of the wonks: the DC Council debate highlighted passionate appeals about housing affordability, homelessness, and similar issues — as well as the candidates' contrasting experience levels. Keep reading…
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Charles Allen wants more transparency when the public subsidizes parking spaces
Under this proposal, TIFs can go forward with parking — since sometimes that might really be necessary — but the developer has to justify in a transparent way why the parking is needed. Keep reading…
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The GOP tax plan would make housing and infrastructure more expensive
One of the tax breaks the GOP eliminated in their tax code overhaul proposal would have deep ramifications for funding infrastructure and affordable homes in the region. Keep reading…
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What the new GOP tax bill means for housing and urbanism
Details and analysis are still coming out about the new GOP tax bill, and there's a lot that applies to homeownership, affordable housing, local budgets, and cities in general. Here’s what we know so far about how it will impact the Washington region. Keep reading…