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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the emergency housing and disaster |
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recovery division within the Texas Department of Housing and |
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Community Affairs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 2306.0521, Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the department shall |
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establish and maintain an emergency housing and disaster recovery |
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division. The division shall: |
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(1) develop a program to provide for the rapid |
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deployment of temporary housing for homeowners affected by natural |
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disasters; |
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(2) develop a program to quickly restore or replace |
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permanent housing for homeowners affected by natural disasters; |
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(3) develop a program to quickly provide additional |
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rental housing to areas affected by natural disasters; |
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(4) provide funding to nonprofit agencies that provide |
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to homeowners affected by natural disasters counseling on |
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refinancing options and financial assistance available through |
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state and federal programs; and |
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(5) collaborate with the division of emergency |
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management established under Chapter 418 and the Federal Emergency |
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Management Agency to secure reimbursement for housing needs in |
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areas affected by natural disasters. |
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SECTION 2. Section 2306.056, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows: |
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(c) If federal or state money, other than money appropriated |
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to the department under a current services budget for the state |
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fiscal biennium prepared for the state budgetary process is |
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allocated to the department to address the results of a natural |
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disaster, the board may appoint a committee composed of residents |
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of the affected area. The committee shall serve until 90 percent of |
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the money allocated to the department to address the results of the |
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natural disaster has been spent. The committee shall advise the |
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department and the emergency housing and disaster recovery division |
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with regards to resource allocation. |
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(d) The department shall develop and implement policies |
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that provide the public with a reasonable opportunity to appear |
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periodically before a committee created under Subsection (c) and to |
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speak on any issue under the jurisdiction of the emergency housing |
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and disaster recovery division. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |