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Habitat for Humanity tax-credit bill draws support from builders and questions on caps and administration
Summary
House Bill 357 would create a tax credit for donations to Habitat affiliates; lawmakers discussed caps, affiliate-level allocation and strict limits on administrative spending in testimony from Habitat representatives.
Representative Franklin presented House Bill 357, a proposal creating an individual, married, and corporate tax-credit structure for contributions to Habitat for Humanity affiliates. The author described per-donor limits ($5,000 for individuals, $10,000 for married filers and $10,000 for corporations) and an overall program cap the bill places on annual credits; the committee substitute discussed in the hearing included a $20,000,000 program cap and a proposed $2,000,000 per-qualified-organization limit.
Spencer Fry (testifying as executive director of Habitat for Humanity and a licensed builder) and Representative Franklin described how the tax credit would be administered at the affiliate level, how most funding would be restricted to "sticks, bricks and dirt" (the substitute requires up to 90% of funds go to actual construction and at most 10% to administration), and the policy intent to allow affiliates to scale production of affordable homes. Representatives and staff discussed affiliate counts, cap allocations per affiliate, and how larger affiliates should not soak up all credits.
Why it matters: Supporters said the credit would increase home production, free up household budgets and generate local economic activity. Committee members asked for more detail on affiliate capacity, oversight and how the limits would work across dozens of Habitat affiliates.
The bill was presented as a hearing (no committee vote during the session).
