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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the small municipality and rural area |
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housing development fund. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter I, Chapter 487, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 487.355 and 487.356 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 487.355. SMALL MUNICIPALITY AND RURAL AREA HOUSING |
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DEVELOPMENT FUND. (a) In this section, "colonia" means a |
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geographic area that: |
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(1) is located in a county or municipality that is |
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eligible, as identified by office rule, to receive financial |
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assistance from the community development block grant colonia fund |
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under this subchapter; |
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(2) consists of 11 or more dwellings that are located |
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in close proximity to each other in an area that may be described as |
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a community or neighborhood; and |
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(3) either: |
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(A) has a majority population composed of |
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individuals and families of low income, based on the federal Office |
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of Management and Budget poverty index, and meets the |
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qualifications of an economically distressed area under Section |
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17.921, Water Code; or |
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(B) has the physical and economic |
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characteristics of a colonia, as determined by the department. |
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(b) The small municipality and rural area housing |
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development fund is an account in the general revenue fund. |
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(c) In each state fiscal year, the office shall set aside |
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for the purposes of this section an amount of money, not to exceed |
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$7.5 million each year, that is equal to any amount provided to the |
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community development block grant colonia fund under this |
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subchapter that exceeds the amount provided to that colonia fund |
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for the state fiscal year ending August 31, 2008. |
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(d) Except as provided by Subsection (e), amounts deposited |
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to the account may be appropriated to the office only for: |
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(1) housing initiatives in eligible counties and |
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municipalities under office rules; or |
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(2) the improvement of the housing conditions in a |
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colonia. |
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(e) Amounts deposited to the account may not be appropriated |
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to the office for financial assistance to political subdivisions |
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for the construction, acquisition, or improvement of water supply |
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and sewer services, as described by Section 17.922, Water Code. |
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(f) Sections 403.095 and 404.071 do not apply to the |
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account. |
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Sec. 487.356. COORDINATION WITH TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING |
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AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS. The office shall work with the Texas |
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Department of Housing and Community Affairs to identify available |
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sources of funding for housing initiatives in a county or |
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municipality that is eligible, as identified by office rule, to |
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receive financial assistance from the community development block |
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grant colonia fund under this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 2306.098 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2306.098. COORDINATION WITH OFFICE OF RURAL COMMUNITY |
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AFFAIRS. The department shall work with the Office of Rural |
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Community Affairs to identify available sources of funding for |
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housing initiatives in eligible counties and municipalities, as |
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described by Section 487.356. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |