HBA-NRS S.B. 1503 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1503
By: Lucio
Urban Affairs
5/1/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
(department) makes funding allocation decisions based on available housing
needs data. The current state low income housing plan is based on data from
the 1990 census. Senate Bill 1503 requires the department to complete an
assessment of Texas housing needs based on data from the 2000 census. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 1503 amends the Government Code to require the Texas Department
of Housing and Community Affairs (department), in conjunction with the
office of the comptroller of public accounts, to assess the present and
future affordable housing needs of the border region and of the uniform
state service regions of this state. The bill requires the department to
use certain factors in making the assessment. The bill provides that the
assessment must provide a assessment and conclusion regarding the adequacy
of existing housing and lending programs to meet the affordable housing
needs of each region. The bill requires the department to use the most
current data available from the United States Census Bureau, the United
States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and federal and state
banking regulatory agencies. The bill requires the department to project
the affordable housing needs of each region as of the end of each five-year
period occurring between September 1, 2001, and September 1, 2021, and as
of September1, 2031. The projection of affordable housing needs must
include a projection of the costs and nature of the affordable housing that
will be needed in the future, including any special need for single-family
or multifamily housing.  

The bill authorizes the department to use any available funding and to
contract with a research center or a public senior college or university to
make the assessment. Not later than the 180th day after the date the
relevant information is released by the United States Census Bureau, the
bill requires the department to submit a report to the governor, the
lieutenant governor, and the legislature detailing the department's
findings on the present and future affordable housing needs of the regions
of this state. The provisions of the bill expire October 1, 2004. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.