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