Commissioners hold public hearing, table decision on 324-unit Palm Breeze Village apartment project

A developer seeking private activity bond financing and 4% housing tax credits for a 324-unit apartment project in the Brownsville extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) presented to the Cameron County Commissioners Court on May 20.

County staff opened a statutorily required public hearing under Texas Government Code Section 2306.67071 after the developer filed materials for the "Palm Breeze Village Apartments" at 464 North Illinois Avenue. Anthony (county staff) explained the process: the county must receive public input before considering a resolution of no objection that the developer needs for the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) application for 4% tax credits.

Jimmy Bernard (land acquisition) and Sunny Philip of AMD Development described the proposal: four three-story buildings totaling 324 affordable housing units, marketed as energy- and finish-quality comparable to market units but with TDHCA-specified rents tied to income limits. The developers said the total development cost is about $60 million, that they expect to close financing in August and to start construction within 10 days of closing, and that the affordability period would be 15 years under program rules.

Commissioners questioned who is providing the tax-exempt bond authority and management; the developers said the Cameron County Housing Finance entity (a county-created instrumentality) would be the bond issuer and general partner but county staff acknowledged the Housing Finance Corporation’s role was not clearly documented in the packet and asked the developer to provide confirmation. Commissioners also pressed for published rent levels and school, police and drainage impacts for the site; developers said TDHCA sets rent levels and that water and drainage studies had been completed but that more detail was not included in the meeting packet.

After public testimony, Commissioner Joey Lopez moved to table the resolution of no objection until the developer provides a letter of support from the Cameron County Housing Finance Corporation; the motion passed. Sunny Philip committed to deliver the requested letter by the next meeting. The court noted the developer’s project will impose service demands (roads, schools, law enforcement) because the site lies outside city limits and in county jurisdiction for some services.

The public hearing was closed and the court did not adopt the no-objection resolution at this meeting.