82R1089 JAM-D
 
  By: Lucio S.B. No. 825
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the provision of affordable housing in rural
  communities and small municipalities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 2306.098 to read as follows:
         Sec. 2306.098.  RURAL HOUSING FIELD OFFICES.  (a)  The board
  by rule shall:
               (1)  establish field offices in rural areas of each
  uniform state service region to assist political subdivisions and
  nonprofit entities in developing or administering affordable
  housing programs in those areas; and
               (2)  specify the duties for each field office.
         (b)  The rules under Subsection (a) must include the
  following duties for each field office:
               (1)  identifying affordable housing needs for rural
  areas of the uniform state service region in which the field office
  is located;
               (2)  identifying state and federal programs that may
  address the needs identified under Subdivision (1);
               (3)  facilitating the development of relationships
  that will assist in building local capacity to address the needs
  identified under Subdivision (1); and
               (4)  providing information regarding state programs to
  assist in the development of affordable housing for rural areas of
  the uniform state service region in which the field office is
  located.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 2306, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subchapter N to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER N. OFFICE OF RURAL COMMUNITY AND SMALL MUNICIPALITY
  HOUSING INITIATIVES
         Sec. 2306.301.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "office"
  means the office established by Section 2306.302 to support rural
  community and small municipality housing initiatives.
         Sec. 2306.302.  ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE. (a)  The
  department shall establish an office to support rural community and
  small municipality housing initiatives.
         (b)  The department by rule shall define for purposes of this
  subchapter:
               (1)  a rural community; and
               (2)  a small municipality.
         (c)  Subject to available funding, the department by rule may
  establish not more than seven field offices as part of the office.
         (d)  The office shall work with each regional council of
  government to:
               (1)  match housing sponsors to the housing needs of
  rural communities and small municipalities; and
               (2)  identify available sources of funds for those
  housing needs.
         (e)  The office shall use funds available from the housing
  trust fund established under Section 2306.201 to administer
  capacity building programs for rural communities and small
  municipalities.
         (f)  The office shall coordinate a meeting at least two times
  each year between department program directors and representatives
  of rural communities and small municipalities to discuss best
  practices for rural community and small municipality housing
  initiatives.
         (g)  The office shall establish an online clearinghouse of
  information relating to best practices for rural community and
  small municipality housing initiatives.
         (h)  The director may assign additional duties to the office.
         Sec. 2306.303.  REGIONAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS.
  (a)  The office shall establish regional nonprofit housing
  development organizations that serve rural communities and small
  municipalities in accordance with the purposes of this subchapter.
         (b)  To implement this section, the department may use any
  money available to the department for the purpose, including gifts,
  grants, and donations and funds allocated to the state under the
  federal HOME Investment Partnerships program established under
  Title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act
  (42 U.S.C. Section 12701 et seq.).
         Sec. 2306.304.  TRAINING. (a)  The office annually shall
  provide to elected officials, community organizations, nonprofit
  organizations, and private developers a training course that
  addresses housing programs and techniques that increase housing
  opportunities in rural communities and small municipalities.  The
  office shall provide the course at an appropriate location selected
  by the office and shall make the course available online in real
  time.
         (b)  The department periodically shall also provide to
  elected officials a training course regarding housing programs and
  sources of funding for these programs.
         Sec. 2306.305.  HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PLANNING ASSISTANCE. On
  the request of the governing body of a municipality or county, the
  office shall assign an employee or independent contractor to assist
  the municipality or county in:
               (1)  developing comprehensive housing plans for rural
  communities and small municipalities in that county;
               (2)  supporting housing development initiatives in
  those communities and municipalities; and
               (3)  identifying financial resources available for
  those plans and initiatives.
         Sec. 2306.306.  RURAL COMMUNITY AND SMALL MUNICIPALITY
  HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PILOT PROJECTS. Notwithstanding other program
  rules and procedures of the department, the department may
  establish pilot projects to test and develop new approaches to
  providing housing in rural communities and small municipalities
  for:
               (1)  individuals and families of low income; and
               (2)  individuals and families of very low income.
         Sec. 2306.307.  AGRICULTURAL WORKER HOUSING INITIATIVE.
  (a)  The office shall fund housing initiatives that serve
  agricultural workers and their families, including:
               (1)  new housing initiatives;
               (2)  housing rehabilitation initiatives; or
               (3)  tenant-based rental assistance.
         (b)  The office may designate as a pilot project a housing
  initiative implemented under this section for agricultural workers
  and their families.
         (c)  The office shall coordinate with appropriate divisions
  of the department to:
               (1)  document agricultural worker housing needs;
               (2)  determine whether a housing need documented by the
  department is critical; and
               (3)  develop initiatives to address those housing
  needs.
         (d)  The department may use any available funds to implement
  this section, including gifts, grants, and donations and funds
  allocated to the department under the federal HOME Investment
  Partnerships program established under Title II of the
  Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C.
  Section 12701 et seq.).
         (e)  In this section, "agricultural worker":
               (1)  means a person who receives a substantial portion
  of income from employment that involves:
                     (A)  the primary production of agricultural or
  aquacultural commodities; or
                     (B)  the handling of agricultural or aquacultural
  commodities in an unprocessed state, including handling those
  commodities in a feedlot or a meat processing plant; and
               (2)  includes a person who is retired or disabled but
  was employed as described by Subdivision (1) at the time of that
  person's retirement or disablement.
         SECTION 3.  Not later than October 1, 2011, the Texas
  Department of Housing and Community Affairs shall adopt the rules
  required by Subchapter N, Chapter 2306, Government Code, as added
  by this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.