The TDHCA Sunset bill passed the Texas House and Senate last night. The final bill differed in several aspects from the Commission’s recommendations. We’ll recap those differences here at Texas Housers sometime over the next few days. Text of final bill (pdf)
Read moreJohn Henneberger Testimony at Urban Affairs on TDHCA Sunset
TxLIHIS co-director John Henneberger testified last week at the Texas House Urban Affairs Hearing on TDHCA’s Sunset process. His testimony, as well as the introduction of the TDHCA Sunset Bill by Rep. Harper Brown, is available below via Youtube. (John Henneberger’s testimony starts at 7.24 of the clip, following Rep. Harper Brown’s statements.)
Read moreIt’s NIMBY Time…Again
“We realize that not all residents of an affordable housing development will, by default, be criminals. However, we are also not ignorant to the fact, which is supported by real statistics, that many criminals (especially violent criminals, drug-related criminals, and sex-offenders) tend to come from a lower socio-economic class. […] We feel that in this [...]
Read moreTDHCA Sunset Bill up in House Urban Affairs Wed
The Sunset Bills for the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation will be up in the Texas House Committee for Urban Affairs on Wednesday at 10.30 AM or on adjournment. The video should be available here: http://www.house.state.tx.us/video-audio/. Our previous coverage of the Sunset Process can be found [...]
Read moreRecap of Sunset Commission Recommendations for TDHCA
Last week the Texas sunset commission adopted its final recommendations regarding the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). Burying its lead, the final recommendation adopted was to continue the department for another 12 years, recognizing the improvements since the last full sunset review in 2000. A detailed recap of the full recommendations is [...]
Read moreHousing Credit Update
A couple of changes in the prospects for the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program in the last few days. The Tax Credit Exchange (i.e. 1602 Grants in Lieu of Tax Credits) program was not extended in the final “tax extender” compromise bill that passed the Congress yesterday. This program was used as leverage by [...]
Read moreTxLIHIS Files Comments on Sunset Staff Report on TSAHC
We recently submitted comments regarding the Sunset Staff report regarding the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation. TSAHC underwent sunset review in during the 2009 legislative session, but the TSAHC sunset bill failed to pass during the regular session, and the Corporation is up for a limited re-review. Our comments: Dear Mr. Levine, The Texas [...]
Read moreA Picture Worth a Thousand Words
(Image Kerry Smith / AP) The AP reports today: “Storms ripped through central Mississippi [...] Dozens of homes were damaged in the Pines mobile home park,said Sgt. Tom Roberson of the Starkville Police Department.” A secure foundation is key to home safety. Texas should inspect 100% of mobile home installations.
Read moreSunset Followup
The Sunset Commission met on Tuesday of this week to take public comment on the Sunset Staff Report on TDHCA. The public testimony generally reflected the written comments submitted prior to the hearing. TxLIHIS’s comments, many submitted in concert with ten other stakeholders in TDHCA’s activities, were previously posted here. The video of the TDHCA [...]
Read moreWhat Am I, Chopped Liver?
As many regular readers know, the TDHCA Manufactured Housing Division (MHD) is an independent division “administratively attached” to TDHCA. The MHD has its own executive director and governing board. Nevertheless, the MHD shares administrative functions with TDHCA and is undergoing sunset review with TDHCA. Last June, early in the TDHCA sunset process, I presented the [...]
Read moreTxLIHIS Files Comments on Sunset Staff Report on TDHCA
We recently signed on to two sets of comments on the Sunset Staff report on TDHCA. The first set was submitted with Texas Appleseed, and focused on Disaster Recovery programs in the state. The second set was submitted in conjunction with a large set of TDHCA stakeholders and focused on many of the recommendations previously [...]
Read moreSunset Staff TDHCA Report Released
The sunset staff report on TDHCA is out and available here: The report identifies and discusses 8 issues: Lack of State Planning Delays Funding to Hard Hit Texas Communities Recovering From Major Disasters Certain Statutory Requirements Impede Texas’ Administration of the Housing Tax Credit Program The Department’s Processing of Single-Family Loans is Slow and Inefficient, [...]
Read moreTDHCA Sunset Recommendation #7: 3 in 1 on manufactured housing
As previously discussed here at Texas Housers, TDHCA is currently undergoing Sunset Review. We are presenting recommendations for ways to improve TDHCA that have been endorsed by a broad range of stakeholders in TDHCA’s activities. Issue: The Manufactured Housing Division could better serve its mission to “improve the general welfare and safety of purchasers of [...]
Read moreTDHCA Sunset Recommendation #6: Give the Manufactured Housing Division Its own Sunset clause and review
As previously discussed here at Texas Housers, TDHCA is currently undergoing Sunset Review. We are presenting recommendations for ways to improve TDHCA that have been endorsed by a broad range of stakeholders in TDHCA’s activities. Issue: The Manufactured Housing Division receives inadequate attention in the sunset process. Background: The Manufactured Housing Division of the Texas [...]
Read moreTDHCA Sunset Recommendation #5: Clarify regional allocation formula statute
As previously discussed here at Texas Housers, TDHCA is currently undergoing Sunset Review. We are presenting recommendations for ways to improve TDHCA that have been endorsed by a broad range of stakeholders in TDHCA’s activities. Issue: The Regional Allocation Formula (RAF), as it relates to the Housing Trust Fund (HTF), needs to be clarified to [...]
Read moreTDHCA Sunset Recommendation #4: Diversify board composition
As previously discussed here at Texas Housers, TDHCA is currently undergoing Sunset Review. We are presenting recommendations for ways to improve TDHCA that have been endorsed by a broad range of stakeholders in TDHCA’s activities. Issue: The composition of the TDHCA Board needs to be modified to include representation of particular constituent groups. Background: Representation [...]
Read moreTDHCA Sunset Recommendation #3: Webcast all TDHCA board meetings
As previously discussed here at Texas Housers, TDHCA is currently undergoing Sunset Review. We are presenting recommendations for ways to improve TDHCA that have been endorsed by a broad range of stakeholders in TDHCA’s activities. Issue: Information regarding the events at TDHCA Board meetings is not quickly available to those not physically present at the [...]
Read moreTDHCA Sunset Recommendation #2: Create a program category for Texans earning between 0 and 110% of SSI.
As previously discussed here at Texas Housers, TDHCA is currently undergoing Sunset Review. We are presenting recommendations for ways to improve TDHCA that have been endorsed by a broad range of stakeholders in TDHCA’s activities. Issue: TDHCA’s activities fail to reach Texans living on fixed income programs Background: TDHCA presently tracks three categories of low [...]
Read moreTDHCA Sunset Recommendation #1: focus board on policy
As previously discussed here at Texas Housers, TDHCA is currently undergoing Sunset Review. We are presenting recommendations for ways to improve TDHCA that have been endorsed by a broad range of stakeholders in TDHCA’s activities. Issue: The TDHCA Board is distracted from policy creation by its role acting as a court of appeals to staff [...]
Read moreCharting the future of the TX Department of Housing and Community Affairs
Once every twelve years (or so) the Sunset Advisory Commission examines most state agencies. The Commission “questions the need for each agency, looks for potential duplication of other public services or programs, and considers new and innovative changes to improve each agency’s operations and activities.” The last time the Texas Department of Housing and Community [...]
Read more

May 30, 2011
