Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2290 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R4351 ACP-D
2	2	By: Lucio S.B. No. 2290
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to providing housing assistance to rural communities and
8	8	small municipalities.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 2306.0521(b), Government Code, is
11	11	amended to read as follows:
12	12	(b) This section does not apply to:
13	13	(1) the manufactured housing division; or
14	14	(2) the division for rural community and small
15	15	municipality housing initiatives established by Section 2306.302.
16	16	SECTION 2. Section 2306.253, Government Code, is amended by
17	17	adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows:
18	18	(a-1) In addition to the education program implemented
19	19	under Subsection (a), the department shall develop and implement a
20	20	homebuyer education program designed to provide information and
21	21	counseling to individuals and families of low income in rural
22	22	communities and small municipalities. The education program must
23	23	address topics relating to:
24	24	(1) the home buying process;
25	25	(2) financial literacy;
26	26	(3) foreclosure remediation; and
27	27	(4) other programs determined by the department as
28	28	necessary to increase home ownership by individuals and families of
29	29	low income.
30	30	(a-2) The department may require any person who receives
31	31	mortgage-based financial assistance from the department to
32	32	complete the homebuyer education program established by Subsection
33	33	(a-1).
34	34	SECTION 3. Chapter 2306, Government Code, is amended by
35	35	adding Subchapter N to read as follows:
36	36	SUBCHAPTER N. RURAL COMMUNITY AND SMALL MUNICIPALITY
37	37	HOUSING INITIATIVES
38	38	Sec. 2306.301. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "division"
39	39	means the division established by Section 2306.302 to support rural
40	40	community and small municipality housing initiatives.
41	41	Sec. 2306.302. ESTABLISHMENT OF DIVISION. (a) The
42	42	department shall establish a division to support rural community
43	43	and small municipality housing initiatives.
44	44	(b) The department by rule shall define:
45	45	(1) a small municipality; and
46	46	(2) a rural community.
47	47	Sec. 2306.303. REGIONAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS.
48	48	(a) The division shall establish regional nonprofit housing
49	49	development organizations that serve rural communities and small
50	50	municipalities in accordance with the purposes of this subchapter.
51	51	(b) To implement this section, the department may use any
52	52	money available to the department for the purpose, including
53	53	legislative appropriations and gifts, grants, and donations.
54	54	(c) The division may use the services of the Texas State
55	55	Affordable Housing Corporation when necessary to accomplish the
56	56	purposes of this section.
57	57	Sec. 2306.304. TRAINING. The division annually shall
58	58	provide to elected officials, community organizations, nonprofit
59	59	organizations, and private developers a training course that
60	60	addresses housing programs and techniques that increase housing
61	61	opportunities in rural communities and small municipalities. The
62	62	division shall provide the course at an appropriate location
63	63	selected by the division and shall make the course available online
64	64	in real time.
65	65	Sec. 2306.305. RURAL GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR. (a) The
66	66	director shall designate a rural grants administrator within the
67	67	division established by Section 2306.302.
68	68	(b) The rural grants administrator shall:
69	69	(1) oversee and coordinate division initiatives that
70	70	are directed toward specific rural communities or small
71	71	municipalities; and
72	72	(2) provide information to the director and the board
73	73	regarding the impact of proposed department programs, rules, and
74	74	initiatives on housing opportunities in rural communities and small
75	75	municipalities.
76	76	Sec. 2306.306. HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PLANNING ASSISTANCE. On
77	77	the request of the governing body of a municipality or county, the
78	78	division shall assign a department employee or independent
79	79	contractor to assist the municipality or county in:
80	80	(1) developing comprehensive housing plans for rural
81	81	communities and small municipalities in that county;
82	82	(2) supporting housing development initiatives in
83	83	those communities and municipalities; and
84	84	(3) identifying financial resources available for
85	85	those plans and initiatives.
86	86	Sec. 2306.307. RURAL COMMUNITY AND SMALL MUNICIPALITY
87	87	HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PILOT PROJECTS. Notwithstanding other program
88	88	rules and procedures of the department, the division may establish
89	89	pilot projects to test and develop new approaches to providing
90	90	housing in rural communities and small municipalities for:
91	91	(1) individuals and families of low income;
92	92	(2) individuals and families of very low income; or
93	93	(3) agricultural workers.
94	94	Sec. 2306.308. AGRICULTURAL WORKER HOUSING INITIATIVE. (a)
95	95	The division shall fund housing initiatives that serve agricultural
96	96	workers, including:
97	97	(1) new housing initiatives;
98	98	(2) housing rehabilitation initiatives; or
99	99	(3) tenant-based rental assistance.
100	100	(b) The division may designate a housing initiative for
101	101	agricultural workers as a pilot project authorized under Section
102	102	2306.307.
103	103	(c) The division shall coordinate with other appropriate
104	104	divisions of the department to:
105	105	(1) document agricultural worker housing needs;
106	106	(2) determine whether a housing need documented by the
107	107	department is critical; and
108	108	(3) develop initiatives to address those housing
109	109	needs.
110	110	(d) The division may use any available funds to implement
111	111	this section, including legislative appropriations and gifts,
112	112	grants, and donations.
113	113	Sec. 2306.309. RURAL LAND BANK DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM. (a)
114	114	The department may adopt a rural land bank demonstration program,
115	115	or may enter into a memorandum of understanding requiring the Texas
116	116	State Affordable Housing Corporation to adopt a rural land bank
117	117	demonstration program, in which the officer charged with selling
118	118	real property ordered sold pursuant to foreclosure of a tax lien may
119	119	sell certain eligible real property by private sale for purposes of
120	120	affordable housing development as provided by department rule.
121	121	(b) The department may adopt any rules necessary for the
122	122	purposes of the program, including a rule to establish or approve a
123	123	land bank for the purpose of acquiring, holding, and transferring
124	124	unimproved real property under this section.
125	125	SECTION 4. (a) Not later than December 1, 2009, the Texas
126	126	Department of Housing and Community Affairs shall implement the
127	127	homebuyer education program required by Section 2306.253(a-1),
128	128	Government Code, as added by this Act.
129	129	(b) Not later than October 1, 2009, the Texas Department of
130	130	Housing and Community Affairs shall adopt the rules required by
131	131	Subchapter N, Chapter 2306, Government Code, as added by this Act.
132	132	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.