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From Rio Grand Guardian

State Sen. Eddie Lucio is inviting the general public to testify in front of the Texas Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) on issues such as affordable housing and infrastructure resiliency. Sen. Lucio chairs the Senate IGR Committee. TAAHP Executive Director Roger Arriaga and TAAHP members were invited to take provide expert testimony that could offer insight into measures that would increase the supply of affordable housing in Texas. TAAHP’s President-Elect, Janine Sisak of DMA Companies will discuss TAAHP’s legislative priorities with input provided by TAAHP’s Governmental Affairs Committee.

The committee will hold a public hearing today, Tuesday, Jan. 28, at the UT-Rio Grande Valley Main Building Salon Cassia (Room 2.402) in Brownsville, starting at 1:30 p.m.

“I am excited to bring down our IGR Committee to the Valley so that we can address issues important to the quality of life of our constituents, critical to the development of our communities, and vital to our state’s economy, including affordable housing matters and infrastructure resiliency,” Lucio said.

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick assigned the Senate Committee’s interim charges ahead of the next legislative session that begins in January 2021.

Lucio said the IGR committee has been asked to review the state’s regulations governing the federal low-income housing tax credit program, the Qualified Action Plan, Infrastructure Resiliency, and implementation of certain reforms passed during the 2019 Legislative Session, including overseeing implementation of the Private Activity Bond Modernization Reforms. These reforms were authored by Lucio.

“I look forward to tackling Texas’ multi-million dollar Housing Tax Credit Program and to also develop stronger infrastructure resiliency,” Lucio said. “By working with key state agencies, locally elected officials, and representatives from the development and construction industries, our IGR Committee will develop the right reforms to create greater affordable housing opportunities and stronger infrastructure for our communities for the upcoming 2021 Legislative Session.”