HBA-KDB H.B. 1811 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1811
By: Kolkhorst
Land & Resource Management
7/20/2001
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Cranston-Gonzales National Affordable Housing Act (act) provides
formula grants to states and localities that communities use to fund a wide
range of activities that help build, buy, and rehabilitate affordable
housing for rent or home ownership or provide direct rental assistance to
low-income people. Prior to the 77th Legislature, the majority of the funds
that Texas received were typically given to the larger cities and counties
by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (department)
despite the fact that state law explicitly requires the department to give
the highest priority to utilizing these funds for the benefit of
non-participating areas that do not qualify to receive funds under the act
directly from the United States Department of Housing and Urban
Development.  House Bill 1811 requires the department to spend 95 percent
of the funds it receives  under the act on behalf of the non-participating
areas. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1811 amends the Government Code  to  require the Texas
Department  of Housing and Community Affairs to expend at least 95 percent
of the federal housing funds provided by the CranstonGonzales National
Affordable Housing Act to aid non-participating areas that do not qualify
to receive funds under the act directly from the United States Department
of Housing and Urban Development.    The bill requires all funds not set
aside by the Act to be used for the benefit of persons with disabilities
who live in areas other than non-participating areas. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.