I have a project located in a Qualified Census Tract. Qualified Census Tracts are those in which 50% of its households have incomes below 60% AMGI (Area Median Gross Income). The LEED requirement for Option 1 Path 1 requires that the project is in a census tract in which average household income is at or below 80% AMI (Area Median Income). Does this mean that all projects located in a QCT automatically meet the requirements of this credit?
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Emily Purcell
Sustainable Design LeadCannonDesign
LEEDuser Expert
318 thumbs up
February 22, 2022 - 12:34 pm
Seems reasonable to say that all QCTs meet the LEED standard - it's not a perfect statistical equivalent, but the difference would be splitting hairs.
Older versions of LEEDv4.1 did have QCT as one of the options under this credit. And you are allowed to use any version of LEEDv4.1 while it is in pilot. So it may be best to just reference the Januray 2019 version. Here's the text, I have the PDF but not sure if it can still be found on the USGBC website (so many versions!!)
Option 2. Priority Designation (1 point BD&C except Core and Shell, 2 points Core and Shell)
Locate the project on one of the following:
a site listed by the EPA National Priorities List;
a Federal Promise Zone;
a Qualified Opportunity Zone;
a Department of the Treasury Community Development Financial Institutions Fund Qualified Low-Income
Community (a subset of the New Markets Tax Credit Program);
a site in a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Qualified Census Tract (QCT)
or Difficult Development Area (DDA); or
a local equivalent program administered at the national level for projects outside the U.S.