Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2292 Compare Versions

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1	1	81R6837 EAH-D
2	2	By: Lucio S.B. No. 2292
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the establishment of a natural disaster housing
8	8	reconstruction initiative.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to encourage the
11	11	development of a model reconstruction plan for future
12	12	reconstruction efforts to increase the effective and efficient
13	13	delivery of natural disaster recovery services by state agencies.
14	14	This Act is not meant to affect ongoing reconstruction efforts.
15	15	SECTION 2. Chapter 418, Government Code, is amended by
16	16	adding Subchapter J to read as follows:
17	17	SUBCHAPTER J. NATURAL DISASTER HOUSING RECONSTRUCTION INITIATIVE
18	18	Sec. 418.301. NATURAL DISASTER HOUSING RECONSTRUCTION
19	19	ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) The natural disaster housing
20	20	reconstruction advisory committee is composed of:
21	21	(1) the executive director of the Texas Department of
22	22	Housing and Community Affairs;
23	23	(2) the executive director of the Office of Rural
24	24	Community Affairs;
25	25	(3) the director of the division; and
26	26	(4) one representative of each of the following
27	27	appointed by the natural disaster housing reconstruction
28	28	coordinator:
29	29	(A) the College of Engineering of Texas Tech
30	30	University;
31	31	(B) the community and regional planning program
32	32	of The University of Texas at Austin;
33	33	(C) the School of Architecture of Rice
34	34	University;
35	35	(D) the School of Social Work of The University
36	36	of Texas at Austin;
37	37	(E) the Texas Society of Architects;
38	38	(F) the Austin Community Design and Development
39	39	Center;
40	40	(G) the Texas Low Income Housing Information
41	41	Service;
42	42	(H) the Texas Association of Builders;
43	43	(I) the Texas Manufactured Housing Association;
44	44	(J) Gulf Coast Interfaith;
45	45	(K) the United States Department of Homeland
46	46	Security;
47	47	(L) the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
48	48	(M) the United States Department of Housing and
49	49	Urban Development;
50	50	(N) the Community Development Corporation of
51	51	Brownsville;
52	52	(O) community development corporations from two
53	53	other communities affected by hurricanes; and
54	54	(P) Habitat for Humanity.
55	55	(b) The advisory committee shall develop a natural disaster
56	56	reconstruction plan. In developing this plan, the advisory
57	57	committee shall:
58	58	(1) evaluate existing systems of providing temporary
59	59	housing to victims of natural disasters and develop alternative
60	60	systems to increase efficiency and cost-effectiveness;
61	61	(2) evaluate existing models for providing permanent
62	62	replacement housing to victims of natural disasters;
63	63	(3) design alternatives to existing models to improve
64	64	the sustainability, affordability, desirability, and quality of
65	65	housing rebuilt in the event of future natural disasters;
66	66	(4) evaluate economic circumstances of elderly,
67	67	disabled, and low-income victims of natural disasters and develop
68	68	models for providing affordable replacement housing;
69	69	(5) recommend programs for the rapid and efficient
70	70	large-scale production of temporary and permanent replacement
71	71	housing following a natural disaster; and
72	72	(6) encourage the participation, coordination, and
73	73	involvement of appropriate federal organizations.
74	74	(c) The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
75	75	shall provide funding for the advisory committee through the
76	76	department's research funds.
77	77	(d) Chapter 2110 does not apply to the advisory committee.
78	78	Sec. 418.302. NATURAL DISASTER HOUSING RECONSTRUCTION
79	79	COORDINATOR. (a) The governor shall appoint an employee of the
80	80	office of the governor or the administrative head of a state agency
81	81	as the natural disaster housing reconstruction coordinator. The
82	82	coordinator serves at the pleasure of the governor.
83	83	(b) The coordinator shall:
84	84	(1) call meetings of the advisory committee as
85	85	necessary;
86	86	(2) assist the advisory committee in developing and
87	87	implementing the natural disaster reconstruction plan;
88	88	(3) submit the natural disaster reconstruction plan to
89	89	the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of
90	90	representatives, and members of the legislature;
91	91	(4) work with appropriate state agencies to address
92	92	any housing-related issues, including liens, identified by the
93	93	advisory committee that may assist state agencies in efforts to
94	94	reconstruct homes following disasters; and
95	95	(5) encourage the participation, coordination, and
96	96	involvement of appropriate federal organizations.
97	97	(c) The agency that employs the coordinator shall provide
98	98	funding for the coordinator position using money from any source
99	99	that may be used to respond to a natural disaster.
100	100	Sec. 418.303. HOUSING RECONSTRUCTION DEMONSTRATION
101	101	PROGRAM. (a) Using the natural disaster reconstruction plan
102	102	developed under this subchapter, the coordinator and advisory
103	103	committee shall develop and implement a housing reconstruction
104	104	demonstration program in three areas previously affected by a
105	105	natural disaster. The program must provide for the replacement of
106	106	at least 20 houses in each area to test the feasibility of
107	107	implementing the plan in the production of replacement housing for
108	108	victims of natural disasters.
109	109	(b) The program shall be implemented using available funds
110	110	from the housing trust fund or any other federal or state funds
111	111	available.
112	112	Sec. 418.304. ASSISTANCE AND STAFFING. The division, with
113	113	the assistance of the Texas Department of Housing and Community
114	114	Affairs and the Office of Rural Community Affairs, shall assist the
115	115	coordinator and advisory committee as necessary, including by
116	116	providing appropriate staff.
117	117	SECTION 3. (a) Not later than October 1, 2009, the governor
118	118	shall appoint the natural disaster housing reconstruction
119	119	coordinator under Section 418.302, Government Code, as added by
120	120	this Act.
121	121	(b) The natural disaster housing reconstruction coordinator
122	122	shall, not later than 14 days after appointment, call an initial
123	123	meeting of the advisory committee under Section 418.301, Government
124	124	Code, as added by this Act.
125	125	(c) Not later than 60 days after appointment of the
126	126	coordinator, the advisory committee shall develop a preliminary
127	127	natural disaster reconstruction plan under Section 418.301(b),
128	128	Government Code, as added by this Act.
129	129	(d) Not later than December 1, 2009, the advisory committee
130	130	shall submit the final natural disaster reconstruction plan.
131	131	(e) Not later than February 1, 2010, the advisory committee
132	132	shall implement the housing reconstruction demonstration program
133	133	established under Section 418.303, Government Code, as added by
134	134	this Act.
135	135	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.