House File 2306 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY REICHERT Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act creating an Iowa housing council and making 2 appropriations. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 6344HH 82 5 md/rj/8 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 16.191 IOWA HOUSING COUNCIL. 1 2 1. An Iowa housing council is created, consisting of 1 3 twenty=one voting members, and four ex officio, nonvoting 1 4 members. Not more than eleven of the voting members shall be 1 5 from the same political party. At least one voting member at 1 6 all times shall have been less than thirty years of age at the 1 7 time of initial appointment. The governor shall appoint the 1 8 voting members of the council listed in subsection 3, 1 9 paragraphs "n" through "u", for a term of four years beginning 1 10 and ending as provided by section 69.19, subject to 1 11 confirmation by the senate, and the governor's appointments 1 12 shall include persons knowledgeable of housing issues. A 1 13 vacancy on the council shall be filled in the same manner as 1 14 regular appointments are made for the unexpired portion of the 1 15 regular term. 1 16 2. The four ex officio, nonvoting members shall be 1 17 legislative members who are two state senators, one appointed 1 18 by the majority leader of the senate and one appointed by the 1 19 minority leader of the senate from their respective parties; 1 20 and two state representatives, one appointed by the speaker of 1 21 the house of representatives and one appointed by the minority 1 22 leader of the house of representatives from their respective 1 23 parties. The legislative members shall serve two=year terms 1 24 that coincide with the legislative biennium. 1 25 3. The twenty=one voting members of the council shall 1 26 consist of all of the following: 1 27 a. The director of the department of economic development 1 28 or the director's designee. 1 29 b. The director of the department of education or the 1 30 director's designee. 1 31 c. The director of human services or the director's 1 32 designee. 1 33 d. The attorney general or the attorney general's 1 34 designee. 1 35 e. The director of the department of human rights or the 2 1 director's designee. 2 2 f. The director of the department of elder affairs or the 2 3 director's designee. 2 4 g. The director of public health or the director's 2 5 designee. 2 6 h. The director of the department of corrections or the 2 7 director's designee. 2 8 i. The commissioner of public safety or the commissioner's 2 9 designee. 2 10 j. The director of the department of veterans affairs or 2 11 the director's designee. 2 12 k. The director of the Iowa finance authority or the 2 13 director's designee. 2 14 l. The director of the department of commerce or the 2 15 director's designee. 2 16 m. A representative of community colleges selected by the 2 17 Iowa association of community college presidents. 2 18 n. A representative from a statewide housing construction 2 19 organization selected by the governor. 2 20 o. A representative from an organization focused on 2 21 housing construction for minorities selected by the governor. 2 22 p. A representative from an organization advocating for 2 23 cities selected by the governor. 2 24 q. A representative from an organization advocating for 2 25 counties selected by the governor. 2 26 r. A representative from an organization advocating for 2 27 realtors of Iowa selected by the governor. 2 28 s. A representative with expertise in mental health and 2 29 the needs of persons with disabilities selected by the 2 30 governor. 2 31 t. A representative from an organization advocating on 2 32 housing issues in urban areas selected by the governor. 2 33 u. A representative from an organization advocating on 2 34 housing issues in rural areas selected by the governor. 2 35 4. An agency director's designee may vote on council 3 1 matters in the absence of the director. 3 2 5. Members of the council shall be allowed their actual 3 3 and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their 3 4 duties. All expenses shall be paid from appropriations for 3 5 those purposes, except that legislative members shall be paid 3 6 their expenses and per diem as provided in section 2.10. A 3 7 voting member of the council may also be eligible to receive 3 8 compensation as provided in section 7E.6. 3 9 6. The Iowa finance authority shall provide administrative 3 10 services to the Iowa housing council. 3 11 7. The council shall form at least five subcommittees to 3 12 concentrate on five areas of housing designated in subsection 3 13 8. Subcommittee membership shall consist of members of the 3 14 council and any additional members deemed necessary by the 3 15 council. The council may decide to form additional 3 16 subcommittees as other needs arise. The subcommittees shall 3 17 develop proposed legislation and policy dealing with housing 3 18 issues that, upon approval by a majority of the voting members 3 19 of the council, shall be forwarded as a recommendation to the 3 20 governor and the Iowa finance authority. 3 21 8. The council shall form five subcommittees to focus on 3 22 all of the following areas: 3 23 a. Households earning below fifty percent of the median 3 24 income for the state, with particular emphasis on households 3 25 earning below thirty percent of the median income for the 3 26 state. 3 27 b. Low=income seniors and low=income persons with any form 3 28 of disability, including but not limited to physical 3 29 disability, developmental disability, mental illness, co= 3 30 occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders, or 3 31 AIDS and AIDS=related conditions. For purposes of this 3 32 section, "AIDS" and "AIDS=related conditions" mean the same as 3 33 defined in section 141A.1. 3 34 c. Low=income and moderate=income persons unable to afford 3 35 transportation or housing near work, and issues related to 4 1 adequate affordable housing to support economic growth and 4 2 development of a community, including new construction, 4 3 redevelopment, and urban renewal issues. 4 4 d. Low=income persons residing in existing affordable 4 5 housing that is in danger of becoming unaffordable or lost, 4 6 and persons determined to be or at risk of becoming homeless. 4 7 e. Affordable rental housing, access to available 4 8 financing for housing, first=time home buyers, and 4 9 relationships between landlords and tenants. 4 10 9. a. The Iowa housing council shall adopt a biennial 4 11 comprehensive plan on housing for purposes of advising the 4 12 governor and the Iowa finance authority on housing issues, and 4 13 providing a resource to help effect changes in policy and 4 14 through legislation on homeless issues. 4 15 b. By January 1, 2011, the first biennial comprehensive 4 16 plan shall be submitted to the general assembly, the governor, 4 17 and the chairpersons of the standing committees on economic 4 18 growth. 4 19 c. A biennial comprehensive plan shall include but not be 4 20 limited to all of the following: 4 21 (1) Funding recommendations for housing construction, 4 22 preservation, rehabilitation, and supportive services where 4 23 necessary, related to the underserved population, including 4 24 focus areas of the subcommittees of the council. 4 25 (2) Recommended state actions that promote the 4 26 construction, preservation, and rehabilitation of affordable 4 27 housing by the private sector, the not=for=profit sector, and 4 28 governmental entities and address any policies and practices 4 29 that impede its promotion of construction, preservation, and 4 30 rehabilitation of affordable housing. 4 31 (3) Specific suggestions, options, and incentives for 4 32 local governments and municipalities to develop their own 4 33 comprehensive housing plan for the community. 4 34 10. a. The Iowa finance authority, in consultation with 4 35 the council, shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A for 5 1 carrying out the duties of the council pursuant to this 5 2 section. 5 3 b. The council shall establish internal rules of procedure 5 4 consistent with the provisions of this section. 5 5 c. Rules adopted or internal rules of procedure 5 6 established pursuant to paragraph "a" or "b" shall be 5 7 consistent with the requirements of the federal McKinney=Vento 5 8 Homeless Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. } 11301, et seq. 5 9 11. The council shall comply with the requirements of 5 10 chapters 21 and 22. The Iowa finance authority shall be the 5 11 official repository of council records. 5 12 12. There is appropriated annually from the general fund 5 13 of the state to the Iowa finance authority fifty thousand 5 14 dollars for administrative purposes related to this section. 5 15 Sec. 2. TRANSITION. For the transitional period beginning 5 16 July 1, 2008, and ending June 30, 2009, the composition of the 5 17 voting members of the council shall be determined by the 5 18 governor and shall be comprised of members of the homelessness 5 19 advisory committee created in section 16.100. 5 20 EXPLANATION 5 21 This bill creates an Iowa housing council and makes an 5 22 appropriation. 5 23 The bill creates an Iowa housing council consisting of 21 5 24 voting members, and four ex officio, nonvoting members. The 5 25 bill provides that members of the council shall be allowed 5 26 their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the 5 27 performance of their duties and may be eligible to receive 5 28 compensation. The bill provides that the Iowa finance 5 29 authority shall provide administrative services to the Iowa 5 30 housing council. 5 31 The bill requires the council to form at least five 5 32 subcommittees to concentrate on five certain areas of housing. 5 33 Subcommittee membership shall consist of members of the 5 34 council and any additional members deemed necessary by the 5 35 council. The bill requires the subcommittees to develop 6 1 proposed legislation and policy dealing with housing issues 6 2 that, upon approval by a majority of the council, shall be 6 3 forwarded as a recommendation to the governor and the Iowa 6 4 finance authority. 6 5 The bill requires the Iowa housing council to adopt a 6 6 biennial comprehensive plan on housing for purposes of 6 7 advising the governor and the Iowa finance authority on 6 8 housing issues, and providing a resource to help effect 6 9 changes in policy and through legislation on homeless issues. 6 10 The bill requires the first biennial comprehensive plan to be 6 11 submitted to the general assembly, the governor, and the 6 12 chairpersons of the standing committees on economic growth in 6 13 both houses by January 1, 2011. The bill provides that a 6 14 biennial comprehensive plan shall include funding 6 15 recommendations for housing construction, preservation, 6 16 rehabilitation, and supportive services where necessary, 6 17 related to the underserved population, including focus areas 6 18 of the subcommittees of the council; recommended state actions 6 19 that promote the construction, preservation, and 6 20 rehabilitation of affordable housing by the private sector, 6 21 the not=for=profit sector, and governmental entities and 6 22 address any policies and practices that impede its promotion 6 23 of construction, preservation, and rehabilitation of 6 24 affordable housing; and specific suggestions, options, and 6 25 incentives for local governments and municipalities to develop 6 26 their own comprehensive housing plan for the community. 6 27 The bill provides that the Iowa finance authority, in 6 28 consultation with the council, shall adopt rules pursuant to 6 29 chapter 17A for carrying out the duties of the council. The 6 30 bill requires the council to establish internal rules of 6 31 procedure and comply with the open meetings and open records 6 32 requirements of Code chapters 21 and 22. 6 33 The bill appropriates annually from the general fund of the 6 34 state to the Iowa finance authority $50,000 for administrative 6 35 purposes related to the council. 7 1 The bill provides that, for the transitional period 7 2 beginning July 1, 2008, and ending June 30, 2009, the 7 3 composition of the voting members of the council shall be 7 4 determined by the governor and shall be comprised of members 7 5 of the homelessness advisory committee. 7 6 LSB 6344HH 82 7 7 md/rj/8