During the last legislative session, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 2450, effective September 2009. H.B. 2450, among other things, called for the creation of a Natural Disaster Housing Reconstruction Advisory Committee. Section 2306.541 states that the director of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) shall appoint an advisory committee “composed of representatives from appropriate local, state, and federal entities and organizations and nonprofit organization”. H.B. 2450 is vital to the progression of the Texas Grow Home Project and we ask that TDHCA appoint the committee without delay.
The mission of the Texas Grow Home Project is to support the development of a sustainable and holistic approach to disaster housing recovery. One of our many strategies, and the most pressing, is to urge the appointment of the Natural Disaster Housing Reconstruction Advisory Committee. This committee is a much-anticipated step toward a statewide rebuilding strategy for past and future disasters. Texas needs innovation and leadership from elected officials, disaster case managers, affordable housing developers, architects, planners, faith-based organizations, and hurricane survivors. The Texas housing crisis is growing, and a well thought-out and comprehensive solution is fours years overdue.
As stated in H.B. 2450, the advisory committee will develop a plan to:
(1) evaluate existing systems of providing temporary housing to victims of natural disasters and develop alternative systems to increase efficiency and cost-effectiveness;
(2) evaluate existing models for providing permanent replacement housing to victims of natural disasters;
(3) design alternatives to existing models to improve the sustainability, affordability, desirability, and quality of housing rebuilt in the event of future natural disasters;
(4) evaluate economic circumstances of elderly, disabled, and low-income victims of natural disasters and develop models for providing affordable replacement housing;
(5) recommend programs for the rapid and efficient large-scale production of temporary and permanent replacement housing following a natural disaster; and
(6) encourage the participation, coordination, and involvement of appropriate federal organizations.
Texas Grow Home 
With the terrible human tragedy unfolding in Haiti, we should move forward in Texas to get the Advisory Committee established so that they can begin the long overdue work on planning for a more effective affordable housing response to the disasters we know will come. It is a shame that our Governor has allowed years to go by without taking these steps to address victims from our recent disasters. I’m glad to see Texas Grow Home shine a light on the leaders in this state. Texans deserve better from their government.