Jim J.

Background

About Jim J.

Currently I serve remotely as Research Director at Puerto Rico's first electric cooperative, Cooperativa Hidroeléctrica de la Montaña. We have advanced Puerto Rico's energy resilience by building solar and battery-storage microgrids in the rural Central Mountain region. I previously advised and represented clients on state and federal historic tax credits, zoning changes, real estate tax abatements, and economic development incentives. I advised municipalities and economic development organizations on the creation of tax increment financing (TIF) districts, created TIF project and financing plans, and developed policies on the proper use of development incentives. In downtown Fort Worth, I brought developers and property owners together to create vibrant downtown retail, office, and residential projects. Reporting to a board of public officials, I administered the Downtown TIF District’s $5 million annual budget for taxpayer-funded public improvements. I was involved in low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) dispositions as projects came to the end of their 15-year compliance periods, two of which involved sales to Fort Worth Housing Solutions, the local public housing authority. I have served in several volunteer roles in the community addressing and resolving controversies over zoning, property development, and neighborhood conflicts. As a neighborhood association leader and appointed member of several city task forces, I learned to navigate heated political disagreements in the formation of equitable and effective public policy. One example is the nearly two-decade effort to fix the 1970s city planning errors on Berry Street. With neighborhood and business participation and the strong support of TCU, the community has implemented mixed-use zoning and pedestrian-friendly street design, leading to TCU’s major investments in its bookstore, hotel, offices and high-density housing. I taught master's level real estate courses at UTA focusing on sustainable development. Prior to that, I was a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer creating general business and mortgage servicing applications. I am a lifelong learner and continue my education on tax issues to maintain my enrolled agent status.