HF 2659 (LSB 5819HV (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE 2659

BY  COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC GROWTH AND TECHNOLOGY

(SUCCESSOR TO HF 2312)

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing an affordable housing task force.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  AFFORDABLE HOUSING TASK FORCE.
   1.  An affordable housing task force is created to identify state and local regulatory barriers that contribute to the cost of affordable housing and to examine the corresponding public benefit of such regulations relative to their impact on housing costs.
   2.  The task force shall study and make recommendations concerning state and local regulations and practices affecting the development and availability of affordable housing, including but not limited to the following areas:
   a.  Zoning and land use regulations.
   b.  State and local building codes.
   c.  Permitting and approval processes.
   d.  State and local funding mechanisms.
   3.  The task force members shall be chosen to reflect geographic diversity and shall consist of the following:
   a.  The state building code commissioner or the commissioner’s designee.
   b.  The state fire marshal or the fire marshal’s designee.
   c.  The director of the Iowa economic development authority or the director’s designee.
   d.  Three members representing housing developers, appointed by the governor.
   e.  One elected official of a city with a population of fifty thousand or more, appointed by the governor.
   f.  One elected official of a city with a population of fewer than fifty thousand, appointed by the governor.
   g.  One county supervisor from a county with a population of fifty thousand or more, appointed by the governor.
   h.  One county supervisor from a county with a population of fewer than fifty thousand, appointed by the governor.
   i.  Two members of the house of representatives, one appointed by the speaker of the house and one appointed by the minority leader of the house.
   j.  Two members of the senate, one appointed by the majority leader of the senate and one appointed by the minority leader of the senate.
   k.  A director of a city’s or county’s planning and zoning department, division, or authority, or similar entity even if a different nomenclature is used to describe the entity, appointed by the governor.
   l.  One member of a housing nonprofit organization, appointed by the governor.
   m.  One member of the housing lending organization, appointed by the governor.
   n.  One member of an economic development group, appointed by the governor.
   4.  Members of the task force shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties. Task force members who are members of the general assembly shall be paid in accordance with section 2.32A. The remaining task force members shall be reimbursed from moneys appropriated for such a purpose.
   5.  On or before December 1, 2026, the task force shall submit a written report to the general assembly detailing the task force’s findings and recommendations, including any proposed statutory or administrative changes to reduce regulatory barriers to affordable housing while preserving public health and safety.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill establishes an affordable housing task force to study state and local regulations that contribute to the cost of affordable housing and to examine the corresponding public benefit of such regulations relative to their impact on housing costs.
   The bill requires the task force to examine zoning and land use regulations, state and local building codes, permitting and approval processes, and state and local funding mechanisms affecting the development and availability of affordable housing.
   The bill establishes the membership of the task force, which includes representatives from state agencies, housing developers, local government officials from cities and counties of varying population sizes, members of the general assembly, a director of a city’s or county’s planning and zoning department, and members from a housing nonprofit organization, housing lending organization, and economic development group. The bill requires the members to be chosen to reflect geographic diversity.
   The bill requires the task force to submit a written report to the general assembly and the governor by December 1, 2026, detailing the task force’s findings and recommendations, including any proposed statutory or administrative changes intended to reduce regulatory barriers to affordable housing while preserving public health and safety.