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meets the but-for test and, if so, what an appropriate level and type of TIF assistance may be based on the <br />information submitted by the applicant. <br /> <br />Following thorough evaluation of the project as provided allows the City to be prepared to make an informed <br />“but-for” decision based on the likelihood of the project needing assistance, as well as the appropriate level of <br />assistance. To complete this analysis, we reviewed the applicant’s provided operating proforma and <br />constructed similar ten-year project proformas, showing a result if the project received financial assistance as <br />pay-as-you-go (reimbursement for TIF eligible costs) and showing a result if the project did not receive <br />assistance. Our analysis of the proformas include a review of the development budget, projected operating <br />revenues and expenditures, and the project’s capacity to support annual debt service on outstanding debt. The <br />purpose of evaluating the operating proformas is to understand the potential cash flow performance through <br />initial development of the project and the annual operations of the project over a 10-year period to assist with <br />determining if the project is financially feasible and in need of public participation. <br /> <br />Measuring project feasibility is typically accomplished by analyzing a combination of 1) projected rate of return – <br />both annual and cumulative and 2) estimated debt coverage ratio (DCR). Rate of return analysis illustrates the <br />projected return to the investor using the available cash flow after payment of operating expenses and debt as a <br />measurement to the initial equity investment. Industry standards for development types indicate the level of <br />investment a developer is willing to make based on projected returns from the project. Should the projected <br />annual and cumulative returns fall below those standards, the project would require a reduced level of equity <br />participation and/or increased cash flow to be feasible. Debt Coverage Ratio (DCR) is a calculation detailing <br />the ratio by which operating income exceeds the debt payments for the project. If the DCR is greater than 1.0 it <br />indicates the project has operating income that is greater than the debt-service payment by some margin; <br />conversely if the DCR is less than 1.0, it indicates the project is incapable of meeting its debt-service payment <br />and would need to seek additional revenue sources in order to pay its debt. Typical lending standards will <br />require a DCR of greater than 1.0 as a measure of cushion in the event actual revenues and expenses are <br />different than projected. <br /> <br />We reviewed the financial information as provided by the applicant to assist with making the determination 1) <br />that tax increment assistance is necessary and 2) what is an appropriate level of assistance. We analysed the <br />financial information as provided by the applicant including total development costs as compared to operating <br />income to estimate both the projected rate of return and debt coverage ratios. The level of debt financing the <br />project can obtain and support is based on the net operating income (NOI) and approximately 70% of total <br />project costs. The annual lease and other (parking) revenues and operating expenses have been provided by <br />the applicant to project the stabilized NOI. <br /> <br />Review of the operating proformas based on with assistance as pay-as-you-go and with no assistance provides <br />the range of financial feasibility for this project and what the estimated gap would be without assistance. It is <br />important to note that certain assumptions were made based on the applicant’s provided information and <br />market industry standards for annual lease rates, vacancy rates and annual revenue and operating expense <br />inflators in order to understand the project performance. Adjustments made to those assumptions assist in <br />understanding potential impact on project performance and what a required level of assistance (number of <br />years and total amounts) may be. Below is a summary of the applicant’s financial assumptions related to the <br />operating proforma: <br /> <br />1) 2% annual revenue and 2% expense inflator <br />2) 5% vacancy rate <br />3) 45% operating expense ratio <br />4) 44 rental units average $1.47/SF rent <br />5) Parking income <br />a. $50/garage per month (44 spaces) <br /> <br />To understand viability of the project and need for an appropriate level of public assistance, we provided a <br />sensitivity analysis to the proformas with adjustments made to the total project costs (including land/building <br />acquisition, construction costs, soft costs, developer and other related construction management fees and <br />contingency) and corresponding funding sources, as well as projected annual lease rates and operating <br />expenses. Realizing any adjustments is all subject to market conditions. The purpose of the sensitivity analysis <br />is to test the level of assistance that may be needed using those assumptions to understand if the