| 1 | 1 | | 89R226 JG-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Raymond H.B. No. 158 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to a study on the use of surplus government property to |
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| 10 | 10 | | provide housing to veterans and low-income families. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (1) "Department" means the Texas Department of Housing |
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| 14 | 14 | | and Community Affairs. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (2) "Low-income family" means a family earning not |
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| 16 | 16 | | more than 80 percent of the area median income or applicable federal |
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| 17 | 17 | | poverty line, as determined by the department under Section |
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| 18 | 18 | | 2306.123 or 2306.1231, Government Code. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (3) "Surplus government property" means unused or |
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| 20 | 20 | | underused federal, state, or local property, including real |
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| 21 | 21 | | property, historic buildings, residential buildings, and |
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| 22 | 22 | | commercial buildings. |
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| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 2. STUDY. (a) The department shall conduct a study |
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| 24 | 24 | | on the feasibility of using surplus government property to provide |
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| 25 | 25 | | housing to veterans and low-income families. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (b) In conducting the study under this section, the |
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| 27 | 27 | | department: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (1) shall: |
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| 29 | 29 | | (A) evaluate the availability of surplus |
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| 30 | 30 | | government property in this state and the feasibility of developing |
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| 31 | 31 | | housing units on that property to provide housing to veterans and |
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| 32 | 32 | | low-income families; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | (B) identify potential funding sources to |
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| 34 | 34 | | develop housing units on surplus government property, including: |
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| 35 | 35 | | (i) federal historic tax credits; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (ii) federal housing tax credits; |
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| 37 | 37 | | (iii) corporate and private donations; |
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| 38 | 38 | | (iv) other existing state and federal |
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| 39 | 39 | | funding sources; and |
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| 40 | 40 | | (v) proposed tenant rent payments; and |
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| 41 | 41 | | (2) may consult with: |
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| 42 | 42 | | (A) local housing authorities; |
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| 43 | 43 | | (B) affordable housing developers; and |
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| 44 | 44 | | (C) organizations and persons with appropriate |
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| 45 | 45 | | and relevant expertise on the housing needs of veterans or |
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| 46 | 46 | | low-income families. |
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| 47 | 47 | | SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than November 1, 2026, the |
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| 48 | 48 | | department shall prepare and submit to the legislature a written |
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| 49 | 49 | | report summarizing the results of the study conducted under this |
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| 50 | 50 | | Act. |
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| 51 | 51 | | SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires September 1, 2027. |
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| 52 | 52 | | SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
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| 53 | 53 | | 1, 2025. |
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