By Carter                                             H.B. No. 2715
         77R7031 SGA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to establishing the positions of regional development
 1-3     coordinator and of database information specialist in the Texas
 1-4     Department of Housing and Community Affairs.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is
 1-7     amended by adding Sections 2306.078 and 2306.079 to read as
 1-8     follows:
 1-9           Sec. 2306.078.  REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR.  (a)  In
1-10     this section:
1-11                 (1)  "Regional partner" means an entity such as a
1-12     council of governments, city planner, local nonprofit organization,
1-13     university, community development corporation, agricultural
1-14     extension agent, local bank, or field office or service center of
1-15     the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Texas
1-16     that is engaged in data-gathering projects related to the goals of
1-17     the department.
1-18                 (2)  "Regional development coordinator" means a person
1-19     appointed by the director to perform the duties described by this
1-20     section.
1-21           (b)  The director shall appoint five regional development
1-22     coordinators.  The primary responsibilities of a regional
1-23     development coordinator are:
1-24                 (1)  assisting local communities in determining how to
 2-1     address affordable housing and community development needs;
 2-2                 (2)  establishing regional planning and
 2-3     resource-sharing partnerships; and
 2-4                 (3)  facilitating the leveraging of available local,
 2-5     state, and federal funds.
 2-6           (c)  A regional development coordinator shall:
 2-7                 (1)  gather data about housing and community
 2-8     development needs in the region the coordinator represents by:
 2-9                       (A)  identifying and working with regional
2-10     partners;
2-11                       (B)  using data resources such as the United
2-12     States Census Bureau, the United States Department of Housing and
2-13     Urban Development, the Texas State Data Center, the Texas Real
2-14     Estate Research Center, and state agencies such as the office of
2-15     the comptroller and the Texas Department of Economic Development;
2-16                       (C)  developing a picture of the region's needs
2-17     based on the data gathered and local and regional input;
2-18                       (D)  facilitating the development of a regional
2-19     plan and gaining consensus of the regional partners concerning the
2-20     plan; and
2-21                       (E)  establishing a framework for sharing the
2-22     data with the regional partners;
2-23                 (2)  identify statewide and national partners for
2-24     meeting regional housing and community development needs such as
2-25     the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, the
2-26     United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Texas,
2-27     the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation, statewide nonprofit
 3-1     entities, banking associations, developer associations, and
 3-2     foundations; and
 3-3                 (3)  provide an information clearinghouse for the
 3-4     region that serves to facilitate regional planning and resource
 3-5     sharing by identifying programs that leverage local, state, and
 3-6     federal financial aid.
 3-7           Sec. 2306.079.  DATABASE INFORMATION SPECIALIST.  The
 3-8     director shall appoint a database information specialist.  The
 3-9     primary responsibility of the database information specialist is to
3-10     provide for the effective and efficient dissemination to the public
3-11     of information related to housing and community development in a
3-12     form that is accessible, widely available, and easily used.
3-13           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.