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Regular Session, 2011
SENATE BILL NO. 125
BY SENATOR BROOME
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
PLANNING/ZONING. Establishes and provides for the Housing and Transportation
Planning and Coordinating Commission. (8/15/11)
AN ACT1
To enact Chapter 3-G of Title 40 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be comprised2
of R.S. 40:600.81, relative to coordination of housing and transportation planning;3
to create the Housing and Transportation Planning and Coordinating Commission;4
to provide for its membership, operation, powers, and duties; to provide for the5
responsibilities of the office of community development; and to provide for related6
matters.7
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:8
Section 1. Chapter 3-G of Title 40 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950,9
comprised of R.S. 40:600.81, is hereby enacted to read as follows: 10
CHAPTER 3-G. HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING11
AND COORDINATING COMMISSION12
ยง600.81. Housing and transportation coordination13
A. The Housing and Transportation Planning and Coordinating14
Commission is hereby created within the office of community development in15
the division of administration. The primary purpose of the commission shall be16
to assist the office of community development in coordinating the integration17 SB NO. 125
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of the planning and spending by local governments, parish governing1
authorities, redevelopment authorities, housing authorities, and the Department2
of Transportation and Development on housing and transportation needs. The3
goal of the commission shall be for multiple modes of transportation and4
multiple types of housing developments to be planned and executed so as to5
provide planned rational growth, more fully integrated and livable6
communities, and effective spending of public funds for the betterment of life7
for Louisiana citizens.8
B.(1) The commission shall be comprised of the following members:9
(a) The executive director, or his designee, of the office of community10
development.11
(b) One member appointed by the commissioner of administration to12
represent the office of facility planning and control.13
(c) The secretary of the Department of Transportation and14
Development, or his designee.15
(d) The secretary of the Department of Social Services, or his designee.16
(e) The president of the Louisiana Housing Alliance, or his designee.17
(f) The chairman of the board of the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency,18
or his designee.19
(g) A representative of regional planning commissions appointed by the20
National Association of Regional Councils from their Louisiana chapter.21
(h) A representative of regional planning commissions appointed by the22
Louisiana chapter of the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations.23
(i) A representative of redevelopment authorities appointed by the24
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Organization from their25
Louisiana Chapter.26
(j) A representative of the Center for Planning Excellence selected by27
the center.28
(k) Two representatives of nonprofit housing development organizations29 SB NO. 125
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appointed by the office of community development.1
(l) One member appointed by the Louisiana Housing Council.2
(m) One member appointed by the Police Jury Association of Louisiana.3
(n) One member appointed by the Louisiana Municipal Association.4
(o) One member appointed by the Louisiana state chapter of the5
American Planning Association.6
(2) To the extent practical, efforts shall be made for the members of the7
commission to reflect the diversity of the population of Louisiana in terms of8
gender, geography and race.9
(3) Members of the commission appointed pursuant to Subparagraph10
(B)(1)(b) of this Section shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.11
Members of the commission appointed pursuant to Subparagraphs (B)(1)(g)12
through (o) of this Section shall serve four-year terms. A vacancy in the office13
of a member shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment for14
the remainder of the unexpired term.15
(4) The commission shall elect a chairman and such other officers as it16
deems necessary from among its members. The commission shall adopt bylaws17
to govern its activities and meetings.18
(5) Members of the commission shall not receive any salary or19
reimbursement of expenses for performing their duties as members other than20
compensation or reimbursement provided by their individual employers.21
(6) The office of community development shall staff and provide other22
support for the commission and shall call the first meeting of the commission.23
C.(1) The office of community development, in consultation with the24
commission, shall create a statewide housing plan. In the development and25
maintenance of the plan, the office of community development shall conduct a26
parish by parish assessment of housing. The assessment shall be conducted once27
every five years and the statewide housing plan shall be updated based on the28
most recent assessment. All parish governing authorities, local governments,29 SB NO. 125
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redevelopment authorities, and local housing authorities shall cooperate with1
the office of community development in the conduct of the assessment.2
(2) The assessments shall document the following:3
(a) The overall supply of housing including single-family, multi-family,4
special needs, and institutional housing.5
(b) The conditions of the housing stock.6
(c) The housing cost burden in each parish.7
(d) Access to transit and job centers in each parish or metropolitan8
planning area.9
(3) As part of its assessment, the office of community development shall10
hold not fewer than three public hearings in each region of the state to provide11
for citizen participation in the development of the plan. In each region, each12
such hearing shall be held at a different time of day and on a different day of the13
week from the other meetings in that region in order to maximize the14
opportunity for citizen participation. Members of the commission shall be15
invited guests to the public hearings.16
(4) The office of community development, at regular intervals and in17
public meetings, shall update the commission on the progress of the18
development of the statewide housing plan and maintenance thereof or any19
updates thereto. The office shall also submit the developed plan, or once the20
plan is developed any recommended updates to such plan, to the commission for21
approval, approval with comments, or rejection. Any plan or update which is22
rejected by the commission shall not be incorporated into the statewide housing23
plan.24
D. The office of community development, in consultation with the25
commission, shall also have the following powers and duties:26
(1) To define the planning and housing regions of the state.27
(2) To determine public and alternative transportation needs.28
(3) To estimate low and moderate income housing needs.29 SB NO. 125
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(4) To establish criteria and guidelines for parishes and municipalities1
to determine and address their local affordable housing needs, to promote2
consistency and uniformity in the information obtained and reported.3
(5) To establish criteria and guidelines for parishes, municipalities, and4
redevelopment authorities and metropolitan planning organizations to5
coordinate and address local and regional transportation needs, to promote6
consistency and uniformity in the information obtained and reported.7
(6) To establish a schedule and criteria to review housing and8
transportation plans for parishes and municipalities, and provide technical9
assistance to those parishes and municipalities unable to develop plans10
consistent with the established criteria and guidelines, to determine consistency11
with established criteria and guidelines to address local affordable housing and12
transportation needs.13
E.(1) In accordance with the plan developed pursuant to Subsection C14
of this Section and in partnership with parish and municipal governing15
authorities, the office of community development, in consultation with the16
commission, shall allocate the targeting of federal and state housing funds to17
areas of greatest need.18
(2) The office of community development shall work in partnership with19
the Department of Transportation and Development to ensure that not less than20
ten percent of the federal transportation funds appropriated for Louisiana are21
utilized to alternative modes of transportation, including public transit, bus22
rapid transit, and rail and bike paths.23
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Dawn Romero Watson.
DIGEST
Proposed law creates the Housing and Transportation Planning and Coordinating
Commission within the office of community development (OCD) in the division of
administration. Provides that the primary purpose of the commission will be coordinating
the integration of the planning and spending by local governments, parish governing
authorities, redevelopment authorities, housing authorities, and the Department of
Transportation and Development (DOTD) on housing and transportation needs. Provides SB NO. 125
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words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
that the goal shall be for multiple modes of transportation and multiple types of housing
developments to be planned and executed so as to provide planned rational growth, more
fully integrated and livable communities, and effective spending of public funds for the
betterment of life for Louisiana citizens.
Proposed law provides for a 16-member commission who serve without salary or
reimbursement. Requires that efforts be made, to the extent practical, for the members to
reflect Louisiana's diversity in terms of gender, geography and race. Provides the
commission shall be staffed by the OCD.
Proposed law provides that the OCD, in consultation with the commission, shall create a
statewide housing plan. Requires that, in the development and maintenance of the plan, the
OCD conduct a parish-by-parish assessment of housing. Provides that the assessment be
conducted once every five years and that the statewide housing plan be updated based on the
most recent assessment. Requires that all parish governing authorities, local governments,
redevelopment authorities, and local housing authorities cooperate with the OCD in the
conduct of the assessment.
Proposed law requires the assessments to document the following:
(1)The overall supply of housing including single-family, multi-family, special needs,
and institutional housing.
(2)The conditions of the housing stock.
(3)The housing cost burden in each parish.
(4)Access to transit and job centers in each parish or metropolitan planning area.
Proposed law requires as part of the assessment that the OCD hold not fewer than three
public hearings in each region of the state. Provides that in each region, each such hearing
shall be held at a different time of day and on a different day of the week from the other
meetings in that region in order to maximize the opportunity for citizen participation.
Proposed law requires the OCD at regular intervals and in public meetings to update the
commission on the progress of the development of the statewide housing plan and
maintenance thereof or any updates thereto. Requires that OCD submit the developed plan,
or once developed any recommended updates to such plan, to the commission for approval,
approval with comments, or rejection. Provides that any plan or update which is rejected by
the commission shall not be incorporated into the statewide housing plan.
Proposed law provides that the OCD, in consultation with the commission, has the following
powers and duties:
(1)To define the planning and housing regions of the state.
(2)To determine public and alternative transportation needs.
(3)To estimate low and moderate income housing needs.
(4)To establish criteria and guidelines for parishes and municipalities to determine and
address their local affordable housing needs, to promote consistency and uniformity
in the information obtained and reported.
(5)To establish criteria and guidelines for parishes, municipalities, and redevelopment
authorities and metropolitan planning organizations to coordinate and address local
and regional transportation needs, to promote consistency and uniformity in the
information obtained and reported. SB NO. 125
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(6)To establish a schedule and criteria for review of housing and transportation plans
for parishes and municipalities, and provide technical assistance to those parishes
and municipalities unable to develop plans consistent with the established criteria
and guidelines, to determine consistency with established criteria and guidelines to
address local affordable housing and transportation needs.
Proposed law requires that in accordance with the plan developed and in partnership with
parish and municipal governing authorities, the OCD, in consultation with the commission,
shall allocate the targeting of federal and state housing funds to areas of greatest need. Also
requires the OCD to work in partnership with the DOTD to ensure that not less than 10% of
the federal transportation funds appropriated for Louisiana are utilized to alternative modes
of transportation, including public transit, bus rapid transit, and rail and bike paths.
Effective August 15, 2011.
(Adds R.S. 40:600.81)