Legislative Focus on Housing
The House of Representatives for the second year made housing the number one priority, approving more than a dozen pieces of legislation. Many of the bills are aimed at streamlining and removing roadblocks in permitting processes to expedite production.
The package included:
• Incentivizing developers to expand subsidized housing options for low-income households with Low Income Housing Tax Credits
• Amending the Low and Moderate Income Housing Act to revise the procedures for reviewing building applications.
• Requiring lenders to advise owner-occupant mortgagors of the availability of a mortgage mediation process before the lender can proceed to foreclosure.
• Legislation to promote the construction of housing units near transportation hubs, so called transit-oriented development.
• Streamlined the appeals process for comprehensive permit applications for affordable housing.