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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a natural disaster housing |
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reconstruction initiative. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to encourage the |
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development of a model plan for future reconstruction efforts to |
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increase the effective and efficient delivery of natural disaster |
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housing recovery services by state agencies. This Act is not meant |
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to delay or otherwise interfere with ongoing reconstruction |
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efforts. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 2306, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter X-2 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER X-2. NATURAL DISASTER HOUSING RECONSTRUCTION |
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INITIATIVE |
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Sec. 2306.541. NATURAL DISASTER HOUSING RECONSTRUCTION |
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ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) The director shall appoint a natural |
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disaster housing reconstruction advisory committee composed of |
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representatives from appropriate local, state, and federal |
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entities and organizations and nonprofit organizations. |
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(b) The advisory committee shall develop a natural disaster |
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housing reconstruction plan. In developing this plan, the advisory |
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committee shall: |
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(1) evaluate existing systems of providing temporary |
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housing to victims of natural disasters and develop alternative |
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systems to increase efficiency and cost-effectiveness; |
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(2) evaluate existing models for providing permanent |
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replacement housing to victims of natural disasters; |
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(3) design alternatives to existing models to improve |
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the sustainability, affordability, desirability, and quality of |
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housing rebuilt in the event of future natural disasters; |
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(4) evaluate economic circumstances of elderly, |
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disabled, and low-income victims of natural disasters and develop |
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models for providing affordable replacement housing; |
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(5) recommend programs for the rapid and efficient |
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large-scale production of temporary and permanent replacement |
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housing following a natural disaster; and |
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(6) encourage the participation, coordination, and |
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involvement of appropriate federal organizations. |
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(c) Chapter 2110 does not apply to the advisory committee. |
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Sec. 2306.542. HOUSING RECONSTRUCTION DEMONSTRATION PILOT |
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PROGRAM. (a) Using the natural disaster housing reconstruction |
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plan developed under this subchapter, the director and advisory |
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committee shall develop, for implementation under Subsections (b) |
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and (c), housing reconstruction demonstration pilot programs for |
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three areas, each of which was affected by one of the three most |
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recent federally declared natural disasters. The pilot programs |
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must provide for the replacement of at least 20 houses in each area |
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to test the feasibility of implementing the plan in the large-scale |
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production of replacement housing for victims of federally declared |
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natural disasters. |
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(b) The department shall provide to an interested council of |
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government, county, or local government eligible for funding for |
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disaster recovery under the community development block grant |
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program: |
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(1) information regarding a pilot program developed |
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under Subsection (a); and |
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(2) assistance in implementing a pilot program |
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developed under Subsection (a). |
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(c) At the discretion of the board, the department may |
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implement a pilot program in any of the three most recently |
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federally declared disaster areas in which a pilot program has not |
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been implemented by a council of government, county, or local |
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government. The department may use any available funds to |
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implement the pilot program. |
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SECTION 3. (a) Not later than January 1, 2010, the |
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executive director of the Texas Department of Housing and Community |
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Affairs shall submit the natural disaster housing reconstruction |
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plan developed under Subsection (b), Section 2306.541, Government |
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Code, as added by this Act, to the governing board of the Texas |
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Department of Housing and Community Affairs. |
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(b) Not later than March 1, 2010, the executive director of |
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the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs shall provide |
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housing reconstruction demonstration pilot program information to |
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an interested council of government, county, or local government |
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eligible for funding for disaster recovery under the community |
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development block grant program. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |