1 |
An analysis of ways to maximize the efficiency of the NEPA environmental process at the Texas Department of Housing and Community AffairsRamphul, Ryan Christian 15 November 2010 (has links)
In light of the substantial sums of money that the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) was awarded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, ways to maximize the efficiency of the agency’s various processes are highly sought after. The TDHCA environmental review process, which is required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), is one of the longest processes that people applying for federal funding through TDHCA must face. It is, therefore, a process that would substantially benefit the agency by being made more efficient. In this report, areas where applicants find the TDHCA environmental process to be difficult are illustrated by a systematic tabulation of the deficiency reviews sent to a sample of applicants from 2009. Additionally, survey data collected from people who submit environmental applications, and also people who review environmental applications, provides quantitative data about specific areas of the process where applicants meet with difficulty; and also qualitative data about where survey-takers feel the process could be made easier and more efficient. The data seems to indicate that applicants have significant difficulty knowing how to start the environmental process, the documents necessary, and how to fill out the necessary documents. In terms of suggestions, the results indicate that a more elaborate, user-friendly environmental webpage, complete with examples of required documents, and examples of how to fill them out, would make the environmental process exponentially easier for applicants. With the process being easier for applicants, TDHCA Environmental Specialists will hopefully not need to send out as many deficiency reviews to applicants, and will instead be able to review applications faster and issue environmental clearance quicker; thus making the process more efficient. / text
|
2 |
Creative financing & strategies for mixed-income transit oriented development in Dallas, TexasPartovi, Lauren Neda 12 December 2013 (has links)
This study evaluates the current environment for mixed-income transit oriented
development along DART rail within the city limits of Dallas. A close look at income
and racial disparity is used as the foundation for advocating for a more proactive and
aggressive approach to the development of affordable units proximate to affordable
transportation choices. Assembling financing for mixed-income TOD projects is
especially challenging, and multiple layers of federal, state, and city funding mechanisms
are required for achieving the capital requirements of the development. Both typical
affordable housing funding methods and new and nontraditional funding methods for
multifamily housing were researched and evaluated with the intention to propose
possibilities for catalyzing development in DART station areas within the City of Dallas
that have, to this point, experienced underdevelopment. / text
|
Page generated in 0.0135 seconds