79R7010 QS-D

By:  Lucio                                                        S.B. No. 628



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to an urban land bank program in certain municipalities.             
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  The heading to Chapter 379C, Local Government 
Code, is amended to read as follows:

CHAPTER 379C.  URBAN LAND BANK [DEMONSTRATION] PROGRAM
	SECTION 2.  Section 379C.001, Local Government Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 379C.001.  SHORT TITLE.  This chapter may be cited as 
the Urban Land Bank [Demonstration] Program Act.
	SECTION 3.  Section 379C.002, Local Government Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 379C.002.  APPLICABILITY.  This chapter applies only to 
a municipality with [home-rule municipalities that:
		[(1)  have] a population of 125,000 [1.18 million] or 
more[; and
		[(2)  are located predominantly in a county that has a 
total area of less than 1,000 square miles].
	SECTION 4.  Sections 379C.003(5) and (6), Local Government 
Code, are amended to read as follows:
		(5)  "Urban land bank [demonstration] plan" or "plan" 
means a plan adopted by the governing body of a municipality as 
provided by Section 379C.006.
		(6)  "Urban land bank [demonstration] program" or 
"program" means a program adopted under Section 379C.004.
	SECTION 5.  Section 379C.004, Local Government Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 379C.004.  URBAN LAND BANK [DEMONSTRATION] PROGRAM.  
(a)  The governing body of a municipality may adopt an urban land 
bank [demonstration] program in which the officer charged with 
selling real property ordered sold pursuant to foreclosure of a tax 
lien may sell certain eligible real property by private sale for 
purposes of affordable housing development as provided by this 
chapter.
	(b)  The governing body of a municipality that adopts an 
urban land bank [demonstration] program shall establish or approve 
a land bank for the purpose of acquiring, holding, and transferring 
unimproved real property under this chapter.
	SECTION 6.  Section 379C.005, Local Government Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 379C.005.  QUALIFIED PARTICIPATING DEVELOPER.  To 
qualify to participate in an urban land bank [demonstration] 
program, a developer must:
		(1)  have built three or more housing units within the 
three-year period preceding the submission of a proposal to the 
land bank seeking to acquire real property from the land bank;
		(2)  have a development plan approved by the 
municipality for the land bank property; and
		(3)  meet any other requirements adopted by the 
municipality in the urban land bank [demonstration] plan.
	SECTION 7.  The heading to Section 379C.006, Local 
Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 379C.006.  URBAN LAND BANK [DEMONSTRATION] PLAN.         
	SECTION 8.  Sections 379C.006(a) and (b), Local Government 
Code, are amended to read as follows:
	(a)  A municipality that adopts an urban land bank 
[demonstration] program shall operate the program in conformance 
with an urban land bank [demonstration] plan.
	(b)  The governing body of a municipality that adopts an 
urban land bank [demonstration] program shall adopt a plan 
annually.  The plan may be amended from time to time.
	SECTION 9.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.