HBA-KDB H.B. 3623 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3623 By: Flores Urban Affairs 7/18/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Many Texas residents have faced an increasing challenge in finding affordable and accessible housing. There may be an even greater demand for such housing as the population of this state grows, thereby potentially placing an increased burden on government resources to alleviate some of that demand. Rather than depleting government resources, one solution to this problem would be to transfer certain unused or substantially underused real property owned or controlled by the state to political subdivisions for use as affordable and accessible housing. House Bill 3623 requires the asset management division of the General Land Office to transfer such property to political subdivisions for use as affordable and accessible housing. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 3623 amends the Natural Resources Code to require the asset management division of the General Land Office (GLO) to identify not less than every four years real property owned or controlled by the state that is not being used or is being substantially underused. The bill requires GLO to provide a list and an appraisal of such properties to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). Not later than the 60th day after the date of receipt of the list and appraisal, TDHCA is required to make recommendations to GLO regarding the suitability of those properties for affordable and accessible housing. If TDHCA designates a property as suitable for affordable and accessible housing, GLO's recommendations must include a recommendation that title to the property be transferred to an appropriate political subdivision for use as affordable and accessible housing. The bill requires the final report by the commissioner of GLO regarding a proposed real estate transaction to incorporate GLO's recommendations regarding the transfer of title to the property to a political subdivision for use as affordable and accessible housing. The bill requires GLO, if the legislature authorizes the transfer of title to real property to a political subdivision for use as affordable and accessible housing, to take possession and control of the property. The bill requires GLO to adopt a policy regarding the method of transferring title to real property designated as suitable for affordable and accessible housing to a political subdivision. The policy must include monitoring and enforcement provisions to ensure that the property is used for affordable and accessible housing. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.