Governor’s office released their budget yesterday. Their proposed solution to the growing family homeless population in Texas? Flatline not only the “Homeless and Housing Services” budget, but eliminate the entire Department of Housing and Community Affairs.
The exact proposal:
“Consolidate the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and its functions to the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation, Public Utility Commission, and Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Additionally, the state should transfer $4 million for veterans housing programs under the Veteran’s Land Board. This would save $12.2 million in general revenue in addition to the reductions proposed by the Legislature.”
Here, let me just say this: I’ve been trying to write a blog post for last hour that takes this proposal seriously, and I can’t. Putting the State’s housing functions at the regulator of Electricity markets and a private housing non-profit with a staff of 14 makes no sense.
Eliminating TDHCA has been considered before. In fact, the Sunset Commission just spent a year studying the issue. The conclusion? “The State Has a Continuing Need for the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.”
‘Nuf said.
[…] Housing Trust Fund in half and to zero out the Homeless and Housing Services Budget, as well as the Governor’s proposal to eliminate the agency […]
[…] our previous discussion of the LBB budget proposal for TDHCA here, the Governor’s proposal here. In short, with one in every 653 Texas homes in foreclosure and family homelessness rising in the […]