The Sunset Review of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
The mission and performance of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs are currently being reviewed by the Legislature as required under the Texas Sunset Act. The Act provides that the Sunset Commission, composed of legislators and public members, periodically evaluate a state agency to determine if the agency is still needed, and what improvements are needed to ensure that state funds are well spent. Based on the recommendations of the Sunset Commission, the Texas Legislature ultimately decides whether an agency continues to operate into the future.
The Sunset review involves three steps. First, Sunset Commission staff will evaluate the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. They have recently issued a report (sunset.state.tx.us) which recommends solutions to issues they have identified and recommends the continuation of the Department for twelve years. The Department’s Board Chair, Kent Conine, and Executive Director, Michael Gerber, have issued a response letter to Sunset (PDF).
The Sunset Commission will then meet to hear public testimony on the agency and the recommendations of the Sunset staff. This meeting is scheduled for November 16, 2010. Based on public input and the Sunset staff report, the Sunset Commission will meet on December 15-16, 2010 to adopt recommendations for the full Legislature to consider when it convenes in January 2011.
Through the Sunset review, every Texan has the opportunity to suggest ways in which the mission and operations of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs can be strengthened. If you would like to share your ideas about the agency, please contact Leah Daly of the Sunset staff.
Sunset Advisory Commission
P.O. Box 13066
Austin, Texas 78711
512/463-1300
Fax: 512/463-0705
Email: sunset@sunset.state.tx.us
Information about the Sunset process, including information on Sunset Commission meetings, can be found at: www.sunset.state.tx.us. For questions of TDHCA regarding Sunset please contact Brooke Boston at brooke.boston@tdhca.state.tx.us.
