By: Lopez of Bexar H.B. No. 5255       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the collection and publication of data on affordable   housing by municipalities.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subtitle A, Title 12, Local Government Code, is   amended by adding Chapter 381, to read as follows:   CHAPTER 381. COLLECTION AND PUBLICATION OF DATA ON AFFORDABLE   HOUSING AVAILABILITY   SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS          Sec. 381.001.  PURPOSE. The purpose of this chapter is to:                (1)  empower residents in need of affordable housing   with a greater awareness of available affordable housing options;   and                (2)  provide more standardized, transparent, and   easily accessible affordable housing data to municipal   governments, residents, and private entities; and                (3)  promote economic development and equitable access   to affordable housing availability.          Sec. 381.002.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:                (1)  "affordable housing unit" means:                      (A)  an income-restricted housing unit, such as:                            (i)  income-restricted housing, including   housing offered by the United States Department of Housing and   Urban Development;                            (ii)  public housing;                            (iii)  housing obtained with a voucher   provided through the housing choice voucher program under Section   8, United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. Section 1437f);                            (iv)  permanent supportive housing provided   by the Health and Human Services Commission;                            (v)  service-enriched housing provided by   the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs;                            (vi)  housing provided by an affordable   housing initiative operated by a municipality; and                            (vii)  rental units not described by   Subdivisions (i)-(vi) for which rent is not more than 30 percent of   the lowest household income quartile in a municipality.                (2)  "public information" has the meaning assigned by   Section 552.002, Government Code.          Sec. 381.003.  APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies only to   municipalities with a total population of 100,000 or more.   SUBCHAPTER B. COLLECTION AND PUBLICATION OF DATA          Sec. 381.051.  REQUIREMENT OF ANNUAL SURVEY. (a) The   municipality shall conduct no less frequently than once per   calendar year a survey of all affordable housing units within its   jurisdiction and shall create a complete list of affordable housing   units and maintain that data within a cloud-based data repository   that allows for real-time updates of the housing data by approved   users.          (b)  For each unit in the list of affordable housing units   described in Subsection (a), the municipality will also record the   following characteristics, as applicable:                (1)  the monthly rent amount organized by unit type and   corresponding average median income (AMI) restriction;                (2)  cost of basic utilities not included in the   monthly rent amount;                (3)  eligibility requirements for tenants, including   but not limited to those laid out in Section 2306.004(15)-(17),   Government Code;                (4)  the length of any waiting list;                (5)  distance to essential services;                (6)  distance to community spaces, such as public parks   or community centers;                (7)  any social services provided for tenants,   including but not limited to those included in the Permanent   Supportive Housing Program as defined in 42 U.S.C. Section   11381-11389 and Texas multifamily programs governed by the Uniform   Multifamily Rules and applicable provisions of the Qualified   Allocation Plan administered by the Texas Department of Housing and   Community affairs under section 10.619 of the Texas Administrative   Code; and                (8)  a phone number, mailing address, and electronic   mail address for the current property manager to inquire about   renting the unit.          (c)  The municipality may use information collected in   previous surveys conducted in accordance with Subsection (a) or   other information the municipality may have on record, provided   that the municipality confirms such information is up to date.          (d)  Any state agency may contact a municipality for the   purpose of requesting any of the information outlined in this   Section regarding affordable housing units within the   municipality's jurisdiction and the municipality shall provide all   pertinent public information in the municipality's records to the   state agency.          Sec. 381.052.  PUBLICATION OF DATA. (a) The municipality   shall create a publicly available Internet web application and   publically available mobile application or utilize an existing   publicly accessible Internet web application and publically   available mobile application to make available all public   information collected in the survey outlined in Section 381.051   such that:                (1)  prospective tenants can search for individual   affordable housing units and sort them according to the   characteristics outlined in Section 381.051(b); and                (2)  the complete survey data set as referenced in Sec.   381.051(a) are available to review.          (b)  The municipality shall update the Internet web   application and database described in Subsection (a) as frequently   as new public information outlined in Section 381.051 becomes   available to the municipality.          SECTION 2.  Section 371.001(a), Local Government Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (a)  The governing body of a municipality with a population   of 900,000 or less may appropriate from its general fund an amount   not to exceed one percent of the general fund budget for that year   for the purpose of:                (1)  advertising the municipality and promoting its   growth and development[.]; and                (2)  promoting awareness of affordable housing options   within the municipality, including by promoting the Internet   website outlined in Section 381.052, Local Government Code.          SECTION 3.  Section 371.021(a), Local Government Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (a)  The governing body of a general-law municipality may   appropriate from its general fund an amount not to exceed five cents   per $100 assessed valuation for the purpose of:                (1)  advertising the municipality and promoting its   growth and development[.]; and                (2)  promoting awareness of affordable housing options   within the municipality, including by promoting the Internet web   application and mobile application outlined in Section 381.052,   Local Government Code.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023