BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3162

By: Davis, Yvonne

Urban Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Texas currently does not have a comprehensive master plan that identifies available resources, services, providers, and housing needs data to ensure that a coordinated and collaborative program is in place to optimize the state's ability to meet the growing need for quality affordable housing. Current law requires the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) to prepare a combined annual low-income housing plan that provides information on the status of affordable housing to the legislative and executive officers. This report does not allow for an integrated assessment of needs, resources, services, and funding for long-range housing objectives. 

H.B. 3162 requires the board of TDHCA to submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives an integrated long-range state low income housing plan covering at least six years to establish policy goals for meeting low income housing needs on a statewide and regional basis and to prescribe strategies to meet those goals. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3162 amends the Government Code to require the executive director of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) to prepare and submit to the board of TDHCA an integrated long-range state low income housing plan covering at least six years.  The bill requires the board, not later than the 30th day after the date the board receives and approves the plan, to submit the plan to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives.

H.B. 3162 requires the plan to establish policy goals for meeting low income housing needs on a statewide and regional basis and prescribe strategies to meet those goals.  The bill requires the plan to include an estimate and analysis of the housing needs of the following populations in each uniform state service region: individuals and families of moderate, low, very low, and extremely low income; individuals with special needs, with specific emphasis on the needs of elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities; and homeless individuals.

H.B. 3162 requires the plan to include a proposal to use all available housing resources to address the housing needs of the populations described above by establishing funding levels for all housing-related programs, and an estimate of the number of federally assisted housing units available in each service region for individuals and families of low and very low income and individuals with special needs.

H.B. 3162 requires the plan to include a description of state programs that govern the use of all available housing resources; a resource allocation plan that targets all available housing resources to individuals and families of low and very low income and individuals with special needs in each uniform state service region; and a description of TDHCA's efforts to monitor and analyze the unused or underused federal resources of other state agencies for housing-related services and services for homeless individuals and TDHCA's recommendations to ensure the full use by the state of all available federal resources for those services in each uniform state service region.

H.B. 3162 requires the plan to include strategies to provide housing for individuals and families with special needs in each service region; a description of TDHCA's efforts to encourage in each service region the construction of housing units that incorporate energy efficient construction and appliances; an estimate and analysis of the housing supply in each service region; and an inventory of all publicly and, where possible, privately funded housing resources, including public housing authorities, housing finance corporations, community housing development organizations, and community action agencies.

H.B. 3162 requires the plan to include strategies for meeting rural housing needs; an action plan for colonias that addresses current policy goals for colonia programs, strategies to meet the policy goals, and the projected outcomes with respect to the policy goals; and strategies for eliminating redundant and inefficient practices. The bill requires the priorities and policies in each housing plan adopted by TDHCA to be consistent to the extent practical with the priorities and policies established in the long-range state low income housing plan. The bill authorizes the director to subdivide the uniform state service regions as necessary for purposes of the long-range state low income housing plan.

H.B. 3162 requires the executive director of TDHCA to submit to the governing board of TDHCA the first long-range state low income housing plan, as required, not later than March 18, 2010.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.