HB 3356 - Relating to Acquisition of Public Housing

[mrfootball]

A bill has been introduced that will give area communities more say over whether and where Public Housing projects may be built. As it stands now, there's very little that can be done to stop these things. This will put these decisions in the hands of people who are accountable to their constituents as opposed to just the State Public Housing Authorities.

HB 3356

Edited May 4, 2007 by mrfootball

[musicman]

A bill has been introduced that will give area communities more say over whether and where Public Housing projects may be built. As it stands now, there's very little that can be done to stop these things. This will put these decisions in the hands of people who are accountable to their constituents as opposed to just the State Public Housing Authorities.

HB 3356

i think the use of the term "housing authority" might be very specific. i just wonder if this will stop those done by private entities?

[mrfootball]

I would think it would apply to any developer who's receiving tax credits or any other Gov't incentives, but you may be right. They may need to clarify the language.

(b-1) If a housing authority's acquisition of real property

for a proposed housing project will result in removing real

property otherwise subject to ad valorem taxation from a taxing

unit's tax rolls, the housing authority shall pay to each taxing

unit in which the property is located, on or before January 1 of

each year, as a payment in lieu of taxes, an amount equal to the

amount of ad valorem taxes that otherwise would have been levied by

the taxing unit for the preceding tax year on that real property,

excluding the value of any improvements constructed on the

property.

SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 392, Local Government

Code, is amended by adding Section 392.0527 to read as follows:

Sec. 392.0527. APPROVAL BY MUNICIPALITY OR COUNTY REQUIRED

FOR PROPOSED HOUSING PROJECTS. Before the site for a housing

project is approved by the commissioners of a housing authority,

the authority must obtain written approval from the governing body

of any municipality in which the site is located or, if the site is

not located in a municipality, from the commissioners court of any

county in which the site is located.

SECTION 4. Sections 392.054(a) and (d), Local Government

Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) In addition to any other notice required by law, the

commissioners of an authority shall post notice of the date, hour,

place, and subject of a meeting required by Section 392.053. If the

proposed housing project that is the subject of the meeting

involves the purchase of real property, the notice must include the

street address of the proposed housing project and a description of

the site of the proposed housing project, including any common name

for the site. The notice must be posted before the 30th day before

the date of the meeting on a bulletin board at a place convenient to

the public in:

(1) the county courthouse of the county in which the

proposed site is located; and

(2) the city hall of the municipality in which the

proposed site is located, if applicable.

(d) At a location at the proposed site that is visible from a

regularly traveled thoroughfare, before the 30th day before the

date of the meeting the commissioners shall post a sign not less

than four feet by four feet with a caption stating "Site of Proposed

Housing Project" in eight-inch letters. The sign must state the

nature and street address [location] of the proposed project, the

names and addresses of the governmental entities involved in the

development of the project, and the date, time, and place of the

meeting.

Edited May 4, 2007 by mrfootball

[TheNiche]

I'm no lawyer, but it looks to me like this would not apply to Tax Credit properties, as they are not removed from the tax rolls.

[mrfootball]

I believe it does apply, as Tax-Credit housing, must receive approval from the Housing Authority.