AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) is a lead agency responsible for affordable housing and is charged with assisting low-to-moderate-income Texans with services ranging from poverty and homelessness prevention to homeownership to disaster recovery. Chapter 2306 (Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs), Government Code, requires TDHCA to annually provide a report on the State of Texas Low Income Housing Plan (SLIHP). This plan is required to provide a comprehensive statement of activities in the preceding year, an overview of statewide housing needs, and a resource allocation plan to meet the state's housing needs.
State statute currently requires the SLIHP to report on general policy issues, as well as focus on the needs of specific populations, such as individuals with special needs and the homeless. S.B. 759 adds veterans, farm workers, and youth aging out of foster care to those populations of focus in the report. In addition, in order to improve the efficient provision of services across populations, S.B. 759 requires TDHCA to also report on ways to improve the coordination of services across agency programs.
As proposed, S.B. 759 amends current law relating to the state low income housing plan and report developed by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 2306.072(c), Government Code, as follows:
(c) Requires that the state low income housing report include:
(1) a complete operating and financial statement of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA);
(2) a comprehensive statement of the activities of TDHCA during the preceding year to address the needs identified in the state low income housing plan (plan) prepared as required by Section 2306.0721 (Low Income Housing Plan), including, among certain activities, TDHCA's progress in meeting the goals established in the previous housing plan, including goals established with respect to the populations described by Section 2306.0721(c)(1) (requiring the plan to include an estimate and analysis of the housing needs of certain populations in each uniform state service region), and recommendations on how to improve the coordination of TDHCA services to the populations described by Section 2306.0721(c)(1); and
(3)-(7) Makes no changes to these subdivisions.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 2306.0721(c), Government Code, as follows:
(c) Requires that the plan include certain content including an estimate and analysis of the size and the different 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; homeless individuals; veterans; farm workers; and youth who are aging out of foster care. Makes no further changes to this subsection.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2011.