AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) is the lead agency responsible for affordable housing.  Chapter 2306 (Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs) of the Government Code requires TDHCA to report annually on activities in the preceding year, to provide an overview of statewide housing needs, and to provide a resource allocation plan to meet the state's housing needs.  This plan is called the State of Texas Low Income Housing Plan (SLIHP). 

 

The SLIHP reports on general policy issues and focuses on the needs of specific populations, such as individuals with special needs and the homeless.  S.B. 109 adds veterans, farmworkers, youth who are aging out of foster care, and elderly individuals to such specific populations. It also repeals a section of the Property Code that requires TDHCA to collect foreclosure data, which was placed in statute last session, but ended up costing TDHCA more than originally anticipated.  S.B. 109 still requires TDHCA to report on foreclosures in the state, including the number of foreclosures and geographic locations, but does not direct TDHCA on how to collect this data. 

 

S.B. 109 amends current law relating to a housing plan developed and certain housing information collected and reported by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 2306.072(c), Government Code, as follows:

 

(c) Requires that the annual low income housing report include among certain content a comprehensive statement of the activities of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) during the preceding year to address the needs identified in the state low income housing plan prepared as required by Section 2306.0721 (Low Income Housing Plan), including 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) and recommendations on how to improve the coordination of TDHCA services to the populations described by Section 2306.0721(c)(1).

 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 2306.0721(c), Government Code, as follows:

 

(c) Requires that the integrated state low income housing plan include:

 

(1) an estimate and analysis of the size and the different housing needs of certain populations in each uniform state service region, including veterans, farmworkers, youth who are aging out of foster care, and elderly individuals; and

 

(2)-(13) Makes no change to these subdivisions;

 

(13-a) information regarding foreclosures of residential property in this state, including the number and geographic location of those foreclosures; and

 

(14) Makes no changes to this subdivision.

 

SECTION 3.  Repealer: Section 51.0022 (Foreclosure Data Collection), Property Code.

 

SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.