81R10729 JTS-D
By: Martinez H.B. No. 3240
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a municipal program for foreclosure on and improvement
of certain property, and the subsequent sale of the property as
affordable housing.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 8, Local Government Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 255 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 255. FORECLOSURE, IMPROVEMENT, AND SALE AS AFFORDABLE
HOUSING OF CERTAIN PROPERTIES BY MUNICIPALITY
Sec. 255.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "program" means
a program adopted by ordinance under Section 255.002 for the
foreclosure and improvement of a property and subsequent sale of
the property as affordable housing.
Sec. 255.002. ADOPTION OF PROGRAM BY ORDINANCE. A
municipality by ordinance may adopt a program to allow the
municipality to foreclose on certain properties and delay the
payment of back taxes to other taxing entities until the property
has been improved and sold as affordable housing.
Sec. 255.003. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. An ordinance adopted
under this chapter must:
(1) provide criteria for determining the kinds of
properties that would be eligible for the program, including a
requirement that a property be located in the municipality's
corporate boundaries;
(2) require the municipality to sell a property under
the program to a state or federally recognized affordable housing
program, except as provided by Section 255.007;
(3) require the municipality to make a reasonable
effort to maximize the sales price of the property;
(4) allow the municipality to retain proceeds from the
sale of the property after payment of taxes owed to the other taxing
entities; and
(5) allow the municipality to retain an amount from
the proceeds of the sale equal to the increase in the value of the
property due to the improvement, as authorized by Section 34.06(g),
Tax Code.
Sec. 255.004. MUNICIPALITY AS TRUSTEE. After foreclosure
of a property under the program, the municipality:
(1) has the sole authority to improve and sell the
property; and
(2) acts as a trustee of the property on behalf of the
other taxing entities.
Sec. 255.005. PAYMENT OF AMOUNTS OWED TO OTHER TAXING
ENTITIES. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a municipality
that forecloses, converts, and sells a property under a program
shall pay to each other taxing entity any amount owed to that entity
on the sale of the property in accordance with Section 34.06, Tax
Code.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 34.06(e), Tax Code, a
municipality is not required to pay another taxing entity any
amount for penalties or interest associated with taxes owed on a
property sold under a program if the improvement and sale of the
property as affordable housing provides a public benefit to the
taxpayers of the other taxing entity.
Sec. 255.006. INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. If a municipality
enters into an interlocal agreement with all of the other taxing
entities in the municipality for the foreclosure on and improvement
of property and subsequent sale of the property as affordable
housing, the interlocal agreement controls over this chapter.
Sec. 255.007. INABILITY TO SELL PROPERTY TO AFFORDABLE
HOUSING PROGRAM. If a municipality has made reasonable efforts to
sell a property foreclosed on and improved under this chapter to a
state or federally recognized affordable housing program and is
unable to do so, the municipality may sell the property to another
purchaser. If the municipality sells the property to a purchaser
other than a state or federally recognized affordable housing
program:
(1) the municipality must pay to the other taxing
entities the full amount of the taxes owed to the other entity on
the property and may not retain an amount under Section 34.06(g),
Tax Code; and
(2) Section 255.005(b) does not apply and the
municipality must pay to the other taxing entities penalties and
interest owed on the taxes owed to the entity.
SECTION 2. Section 34.06, Tax Code, is amended by amending
Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
(c) The purchasing taxing unit shall first retain an amount
from the proceeds to reimburse the unit for reasonable costs, as
defined by Section 34.21, incurred by the unit for:
(1) maintaining, preserving, and safekeeping the
property;
(2) marketing the property for resale; [and]
(3) costs described by Subsection (f); and
(4) improvement of the property under Subsection (g).
(g) If a municipality forecloses on a property, improves the
property, and sells the property to a state or federally recognized
affordable housing program under a program established under
Chapter 255, Local Government Code, the municipality may retain an
amount from the sale that is equal to the increase in value of the
property from improvements made by the municipality for the sale to
the affordable housing program.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.