TACIR approves final housing‑affordability report after edits addressing homelessness and manufactured housing

TACIR commissioners on May 29 approved the commission’s final housing-affordability report prepared in response to House Joint Resolution 139.

Staff researcher Dr. Mike Strickland presented the final report behind tab 7 and said the version before commissioners incorporated material added after the January draft: additional information on homelessness and people residing in campgrounds (page 22), added analysis on permitting fees and potential legal limits (page 60), more detail about manufactured housing after consultation with a Clayton Homes representative (starting page 68), and county-level vacancy-rate breakdowns in Appendix E at the request of Mayor Waters.

Strickland noted several draft recommendations were adjusted after the legislative session: one recommendation about multiyear local funding commitments for affordable housing was enacted in SB 1137/HB 1229 (Public Chapter 956) and other recommendations were clarified to allow for multiple revenue sources beyond the realty transfer and mortgage taxes. He summarized unchanged recommendations, including authorizing land banks for all local governments, posting surplus real property links on the state website, and reserving infrastructure funding to smooth construction employment through economic cycles.

Senator Lundberg moved to approve the final report, County Executive Huffman seconded, and a voice vote approved the report. Commissioners applauded the work and several members discussed the potential uses of land banks and the value of county-level vacancy data. The report will be posted to TACIR’s website and staff said they will proceed with any next steps required by the legislative directive.