Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

_______________________________ HOUSING
77 th Texas Legislature
amount of taxes saved for social, educational, or economic development services, capital improvement
projects, or rent reduction.
Requires the organization to submit annually to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
(TDHCA) and to each participating taxing unit, evidence demonstrating that the organization spent at least
90 percent of the project’s cash flow in the preceding fiscal year for eligible persons for the abovementioned
categories.
Requires the organization to have an audit prepared by an independent auditor each year, to be submitted
to TDHCA and the appraisal district in which the property is located.
Provides that neither exemption applies to property owned by an organization if:
• the entity that provided the financing for the property requires it to make payments in lieu of taxes
to the appropriate school district;
• the entity restricts the amount of rent the organization may charge; or
• the organization has entered into an agreement with each taxing unit giving it an exemption,
requiring it to spend its tax savings on the above-mentioned items.
Turn-Key Bids for Public Housing Authorities - H.B. 3413
by Representative McClendon
Senate Sponsor: Senator Madla
Under current law, a public housing authority must hire an architect to design plans for public housing
projects in order to request competitive bids. Once a design has been completed, the housing authority
goes through a competitive bidding process for construction of the designed project. The housing authority
must pay all up front costs of the design work, and risks losing that money if the project is not built. Current
law does not allow housing authorities to accept bids that include architectural plans and construction costs
in one proposal, also known as turn-key bids.
Authorizes the use of alternative bidding methods for a public housing authority to develop a mixed-finance
housing project if the housing project otherwise complies with the procurement requirements imposed by
federal law and regulations.
Commerce Welcome in Public Housing Projects - H.B. 3414
by Representative McClendon
Senate Sponsor: Senator Madla
Housing developments have begun to combine commercial space with residential space, providing
residents with services such as laundry, day care, health care, and retail stores.
Authorizes public housing authorities to incorporate commercial and residential space in housing
development projects.
Senate Research Center 168