Texas Senate Bill SB 583

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

• Filed: 12/13/24
• Out of Senate Committee: 3/18/25

Caption

Relating to lists of public real property suitable for use or to be developed for use as affordable housing by certain municipalities and counties.

Summary

SB 583 would require certain Texas municipalities and counties to create and maintain an annual inventory of public real property they own that they determine is suitable for use as affordable housing or for development into affordable housing. The bill applies only to municipalities with more than 25,000 residents and counties with more than 50,000 residents. Each year by March 1, covered local governments would have to list qualifying properties, include each property’s address, legal description, and whether it is vacant or improved, and then review the list at a public hearing and adopt a resolution containing it. The bill also requires the inventory to be made publicly available either on the local government’s website or, if no website exists, in the place where notices are regularly posted. The bill defines “affordable housing” using a cost-burden standard tied to monthly housing costs not exceeding 30 percent of income, with income benchmarks based on the median adjusted gross income in Texas or in the relevant metropolitan area or county. The measure is procedural rather than a direct housing-development mandate: it does not require local governments to sell, lease, or develop the properties, but it creates a formal disclosure and review process intended to identify public land that could support affordable housing projects.

Impact

SB 583 would amend Chapter 250 of the Texas Local Government Code by adding a new Section 250.014. Its practical effect is to impose new reporting, public-hearing, and publication duties on qualifying municipalities and counties regarding publicly owned real property that may be suitable for affordable housing. The bill affects local governments above the population thresholds and could increase transparency around public land holdings, potentially making it easier for housing developers, advocates, and the public to identify sites for affordable housing proposals.

Sentiment

The available legislative record suggests generally favorable sentiment toward the bill, as it was reported favorably out of the Senate Local Government Committee by a 6-1 vote. No committee transcript is available in the provided materials, and there is no recorded floor debate or broader vote history here, so the public record of support or opposition is limited. The committee vote indicates the bill had meaningful support, though not unanimous, among committee members.

Contention

The main points of contention likely center on the administrative burden and local control implications of requiring annual inventories, public hearings, and publication of property lists. Opponents may view the mandate as an added reporting requirement for cities and counties, while supporters are likely to emphasize transparency and the use of public land to address housing affordability. The 6-1 committee vote suggests at least one member had reservations, but the provided materials do not identify the specific objection or sponsor-side response.