House Bill 427

AN ACT RELATING TO AFFORDABLE AND QUALITY HOUSING FOR LOWER INCOME PERSONS; TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (MDA) TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE AWARDED HOME FUNDS A PORTION OF THE STATE APPROPRIATION OF HOME FUNDS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATING COSTS; TO AUTHORIZE MDA TO SET ASIDE A PERCENTAGE OF FEDERAL FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUPPORTING A REGIONAL HOMEOWNERSHIP CONSORTIUM; TO REQUIRE MDA TO APPOINT A TASK FORCE COMPRISED OF REPRESENTATIVES OF MDA AND REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITIES TO IDENTIFY INCENTIVES TO INCREASE THE USE OF SECTION 8 HOMEOWNERSHIP VOUCHERS; TO REQUIRE ALL HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENTS THAT UTILIZE STATE FUNDS OR STATE-ALLOCATED LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS (LIHTC) TO PROVIDE VERIFIABLE ENERGY-EFFICIENCY AND ENGINEERING TESTING; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. The Mississippi Development Authority shall make available to those certified Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs) that are awarded federal HOME funds for housing projects five percent (5%) of the annual state appropriation of HOME funds for administrative and operating support, as authorized under federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations.

SECTION 2. The Mississippi Development Authority is authorized to set aside a percentage of funding allocated to the state through federal programs including, but not necessarily limited to, Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), HOME and American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI), for the specific purpose of supporting a state or regional homeownership consortium and to support Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs) that meet specific financial leveraging requirements. The amount of federal funding set aside under this section may not exceed the amount authorized under applicable federal law or regulations.

SECTION 3. In order to identify incentives to increase the use of the "Section 8 Homeownership Voucher" by public housing authorities, the Mississippi Development Authority shall appoint a task force comprised of representatives of the authority and of regional housing authorities. The task force shall evaluate data relative to the use of Section 8 vouchers and make recommendations to the authority, including recommendations for necessary legislation, on ways to increase the number of housing vouchers applied for by public housing authorities. In addition, the task force shall identify financial incentives that would encourage public housing authorities to increase the use of Section 8 vouchers.

SECTION 4. In order to improve the quality of construction and energy efficiency of workforce and low-income housing in Mississippi, all housing and developments that use state funds or state-allocated Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) must provide verifiable energy-efficiency and engineering testing. The Mississippi Home Corporation shall modify the applicable formulas and evaluation criteria to improve the energy efficiency and engineering quality of housing developments awarded LIHTC.

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2011.