BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3447

By: Gutierrez

Urban Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Recent reports indicate that certain cities in Texas, such as San Antonio, are in the process of redeveloping areas with a growing number of vacant lots with property tax delinquencies and blighted buildings that contribute to the destabilization of established neighborhoods as such  properties are less desirable for new private investment. Solving the problem of the affordable housing shortage is one area of focus in these redevelopment efforts. C.S.H.B. 3447 seeks to assist such efforts by expanding the applicability of the Urban Land Bank Demonstration Program Act.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3447 amends the Local Government Code to expand the applicability of the Urban Land Bank Demonstration Program Act to home-rule municipalities with a population of 1.18 million or more to include those that are located predominantly in a county that has a total area of less than 1,300 square miles, rather than 1,000 square miles.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 3447 differs from the original by amending the caption and in minor or nonsubstantive ways to make a technical correction.