BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 3168 By: Davis, Yvonne Urban Affairs Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In the wake of Hurricanes Rita and Ike, it has become clear that rapid, efficient, and effective programs to provide temporary and permanent housing for Texans whose homes have been damaged or destroyed by natural disasters are insufficient. Currently, significant amounts of federal block grant funds are being made available to Texas to repair and rebuild homes damaged in the hurricanes. For future state and federal funds to be efficiently spent to address hurricanes and natural disasters, new models of building technologies and new hurricane resistant housing designs will be needed. This legislation encourages the development of a model reconstruction plan for future reconstruction efforts to increase the effective and efficient delivery of natural disaster recovery services by state agencies, ensuring that the lessons learned in Texas after the three recent hurricanes are used to redesign the future housing disaster reconstruction and rebuilding response in Texas. H.B. 3168 directs the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and the division of emergency management in the office of the governor to establish a natural disaster reconstruction demonstration initiative to assess the effectiveness of current temporary and permanent disaster housing programs and to propose more effective solutions. The bill also establishes a pilot project to secure housing for persons who, as of September 1, 2009, remain displaced by Hurricane Rita or Hurricane Ike. 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 H.B. 3168 amends the Government Code to require the division of emergency management in the office of the governor and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) to establish the natural disaster reconstruction demonstration initiative. The bill defines "department" and "initiative." The bill requires the division and TDHCA to jointly develop a plan for the best methods of securing temporary housing and reconstructing permanent housing for persons displaced by a natural disaster. The bill requires the division and TDHCA, in developing the plan, to examine the following: ways to provide the maximum amount of housing assistance on an expedited basis through the use of federal and state sources of assistance; sources of federal, state, and private funding to provide temporary and permanent housing assistance; the availability of federal and state surplus property for temporary and permanent housing; the acquisition and rehabilitation of existing properties or the construction of new properties to replace housing lost in a natural disaster; and the establishment of an authority responsible for administering housing programs for persons affected by a natural disaster. The bill requires the division and TDHCA, in developing the initiative and plan, to solicit input from persons impacted by past natural disasters and from other interested persons. H.B. 3168 requires the division and TDHCA to conduct a pilot project to secure housing for persons who, as of September 1, 2009, remain displaced by Hurricane Rita or Hurricane Ike. The bill makes this provision expire January 1, 2011. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 3168
By: Davis, Yvonne
Urban Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 3168
By: Davis, Yvonne
Urban Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In the wake of Hurricanes Rita and Ike, it has become clear that rapid, efficient, and effective programs to provide temporary and permanent housing for Texans whose homes have been damaged or destroyed by natural disasters are insufficient. Currently, significant amounts of federal block grant funds are being made available to Texas to repair and rebuild homes damaged in the hurricanes. For future state and federal funds to be efficiently spent to address hurricanes and natural disasters, new models of building technologies and new hurricane resistant housing designs will be needed. This legislation encourages the development of a model reconstruction plan for future reconstruction efforts to increase the effective and efficient delivery of natural disaster recovery services by state agencies, ensuring that the lessons learned in Texas after the three recent hurricanes are used to redesign the future housing disaster reconstruction and rebuilding response in Texas. H.B. 3168 directs the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and the division of emergency management in the office of the governor to establish a natural disaster reconstruction demonstration initiative to assess the effectiveness of current temporary and permanent disaster housing programs and to propose more effective solutions. The bill also establishes a pilot project to secure housing for persons who, as of September 1, 2009, remain displaced by Hurricane Rita or Hurricane Ike.
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 H.B. 3168 amends the Government Code to require the division of emergency management in the office of the governor and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) to establish the natural disaster reconstruction demonstration initiative. The bill defines "department" and "initiative." The bill requires the division and TDHCA to jointly develop a plan for the best methods of securing temporary housing and reconstructing permanent housing for persons displaced by a natural disaster. The bill requires the division and TDHCA, in developing the plan, to examine the following: ways to provide the maximum amount of housing assistance on an expedited basis through the use of federal and state sources of assistance; sources of federal, state, and private funding to provide temporary and permanent housing assistance; the availability of federal and state surplus property for temporary and permanent housing; the acquisition and rehabilitation of existing properties or the construction of new properties to replace housing lost in a natural disaster; and the establishment of an authority responsible for administering housing programs for persons affected by a natural disaster. The bill requires the division and TDHCA, in developing the initiative and plan, to solicit input from persons impacted by past natural disasters and from other interested persons. H.B. 3168 requires the division and TDHCA to conduct a pilot project to secure housing for persons who, as of September 1, 2009, remain displaced by Hurricane Rita or Hurricane Ike. The bill makes this provision expire January 1, 2011.
EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
In the wake of Hurricanes Rita and Ike, it has become clear that rapid, efficient, and effective programs to provide temporary and permanent housing for Texans whose homes have been damaged or destroyed by natural disasters are insufficient.
Currently, significant amounts of federal block grant funds are being made available to Texas to repair and rebuild homes damaged in the hurricanes. For future state and federal funds to be efficiently spent to address hurricanes and natural disasters, new models of building technologies and new hurricane resistant housing designs will be needed.
This legislation encourages the development of a model reconstruction plan for future reconstruction efforts to increase the effective and efficient delivery of natural disaster recovery services by state agencies, ensuring that the lessons learned in Texas after the three recent hurricanes are used to redesign the future housing disaster reconstruction and rebuilding response in Texas.
H.B. 3168 directs the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and the division of emergency management in the office of the governor to establish a natural disaster reconstruction demonstration initiative to assess the effectiveness of current temporary and permanent disaster housing programs and to propose more effective solutions. The bill also establishes a pilot project to secure housing for persons who, as of September 1, 2009, remain displaced by Hurricane Rita or Hurricane Ike.
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
H.B. 3168 amends the Government Code to require the division of emergency management in the office of the governor and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) to establish the natural disaster reconstruction demonstration initiative. The bill defines "department" and "initiative." The bill requires the division and TDHCA to jointly develop a plan for the best methods of securing temporary housing and reconstructing permanent housing for persons displaced by a natural disaster. The bill requires the division and TDHCA, in developing the plan, to examine the following: ways to provide the maximum amount of housing assistance on an expedited basis through the use of federal and state sources of assistance; sources of federal, state, and private funding to provide temporary and permanent housing assistance; the availability of federal and state surplus property for temporary and permanent housing; the acquisition and rehabilitation of existing properties or the construction of new properties to replace housing lost in a natural disaster; and the establishment of an authority responsible for administering housing programs for persons affected by a natural disaster. The bill requires the division and TDHCA, in developing the initiative and plan, to solicit input from persons impacted by past natural disasters and from other interested persons.
H.B. 3168 requires the division and TDHCA to conduct a pilot project to secure housing for persons who, as of September 1, 2009, remain displaced by Hurricane Rita or Hurricane Ike. The bill makes this provision expire January 1, 2011.
EFFECTIVE DATE
On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.