By Zaffirini, et al. S.B. No. 1509
74R6781 MLR-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the establishment of colonia self-help centers in
1-3 certain counties.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 2306, Government Code, is amended by
1-6 adding Subchapter Z to read as follows:
1-7 SUBCHAPTER Z. COLONIA SELF-HELP CENTERS
1-8 Sec. 2306.581. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "colonia"
1-9 means a geographic area along Texas' international border that:
1-10 (1) has a majority of its population composed of
1-11 individuals and families of low income and very low income, based
1-12 on the federal Office of Management and Budget poverty index; and
1-13 (2) meets the qualifications of an economically
1-14 distressed area under Section 17.921, Water Code.
1-15 Sec. 2306.582. COLONIA SELF-HELP CENTERS: ESTABLISHMENT.
1-16 (a) The department shall establish self-help centers for the
1-17 colonias in Cameron, El Paso, Hidalgo, Starr, and Webb counties and
1-18 any other county that is designated as an economically distressed
1-19 area under Chapter 17, Water Code, for purposes of eligibility to
1-20 receive funds from the Texas Water Development Board.
1-21 (b) A self-help center may not be established in a county if
1-22 the director has determined that the commissioners court will not
1-23 provide contributions and operating support to match the state's
1-24 resources to adequately support the self-help center.
2-1 Sec. 2306.583. SELF-HELP CENTERS: DESIGNATION. (a) The
2-2 director shall designate:
2-3 (1) a specific geographic area for each self-help
2-4 center's services; and
2-5 (2) five colonias in each self-help center's service
2-6 area to receive concentrated attention from the center.
2-7 (b) The director may change the designation of colonias
2-8 under Subsection (a)(2).
2-9 Sec. 2306.584. BOARD OF DIRECTORS. (a) The director shall
2-10 appoint a board of seven directors for each self-help center. The
2-11 members of each board are selected from lists of possible
2-12 candidates submitted to the director by the commissioners court of
2-13 the county, interested local nonprofit organizations, community
2-14 action agencies, and the local housing authority.
2-15 (b) The director shall appoint for each board:
2-16 (1) one director to represent each one of the five
2-17 selected colonias; and
2-18 (2) two directors from the service area at large.
2-19 Sec. 2306.585. DUTIES OF BOARD. (a) The board shall
2-20 oversee the operation of the center and assist the center director
2-21 with planning functions.
2-22 (b) The board must review and approve the self-help center's
2-23 policy decisions.
2-24 Sec. 2306.586. SELF-HELP CENTER: PURPOSE AND SERVICES. (a)
2-25 The purpose of a self-help center is to assist individuals and
2-26 families of low income and very low income to purchase or continue
2-27 to own a safe, suitable home.
3-1 (b) A self-help center shall set a goal to improve the
3-2 living conditions in the designated colonias within a two-year
3-3 period after the establishment of the center. The center may
3-4 accomplish this goal by establishing self-help housing construction
3-5 and repair programs and self-help community infrastructure
3-6 improvement programs and by offering comprehensive community
3-7 planning services.
3-8 (c) A self-help center shall serve individuals and families
3-9 of low income and very low income by:
3-10 (1) providing assistance in obtaining loans or grants
3-11 to build a home;
3-12 (2) teaching construction skills necessary to repair
3-13 or build a home;
3-14 (3) providing model home plans and instructional
3-15 manuals on residential construction practices and techniques;
3-16 (4) operating a program to rent or provide tools for
3-17 home construction and improvement for the benefit of property
3-18 owners in colonias who are building or repairing a residence or
3-19 installing necessary residential infrastructure;
3-20 (5) helping the community to obtain, construct, or
3-21 improve the service and utility infrastructure designed to service
3-22 residences in a colonia, including potable water, waste water
3-23 disposal, drainage, streets, and utilities;
3-24 (6) surveying or platting residential property that an
3-25 individual purchased without the benefit of a legal survey, plat,
3-26 or record;
3-27 (7) providing credit and debt counseling related to
4-1 home purchase and finance;
4-2 (8) applying for grants and loans to provide housing
4-3 and other needed community improvements; and
4-4 (9) providing other services that the center director
4-5 determines are necessary to assist colonia residents in improving
4-6 their physical living conditions.
4-7 Sec. 2306.587. OPERATION OF SELF-HELP CENTER. (a) A center
4-8 shall attempt to employ persons who:
4-9 (1) specialize in obtaining loans;
4-10 (2) have experience in housing construction; and
4-11 (3) specialize in community infrastructure.
4-12 (b) The department may contract with a nonprofit
4-13 organization, community action agency, or local housing authority
4-14 to operate a center under the direction of the center's board.
4-15 Sec. 2306.588. DEPARTMENT LIAISON TO SELF-HELP CENTERS. (a)
4-16 The department shall establish an office in the department to act
4-17 as a liaison office to oversee and assist the operation of the
4-18 self-help centers.
4-19 (b) The department shall assign a staff person to act as
4-20 liaison to the self-help centers who is responsible for obtaining
4-21 funding to enable the centers to carry out the centers' programs.
4-22 (c) The department shall secure an adequate level of funding
4-23 to provide the self-help centers with funds for low-interest
4-24 mortgage financing, grants for self-help programs, a revolving loan
4-25 fund for septic tanks, and a tool-lending program.
4-26 Sec. 2306.589. COLONIA PROGRAM. (a) The department shall
4-27 establish a program in the department designated as the self-help,
5-1 owner-builder housing program.
5-2 (b) The director may set aside money in the self-help,
5-3 owner-builder housing program for specific activities that assist
5-4 colonias, including money for the operation and activities of the
5-5 self-help centers established under this subchapter.
5-6 (c) The department shall ensure that money made available to
5-7 self-help centers under the program is also made available to
5-8 county and municipal governments and nonprofit organizations in an
5-9 area that qualifies for a self-help center.
5-10 (d) The department shall review and approve an application
5-11 for funding from the self-help, owner-builder housing program that
5-12 advances the policy and goals of the state in addressing problems
5-13 in the colonias.
5-14 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
5-15 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
5-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
5-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
5-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.