Video & Transcript Research : 'housing density'

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FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development Jan 14th, 2026

Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:
  • We have a full house today. Welcome, everybody here as well. We have one bill on our agenda.
  • So tab number two, Senator, Senate Bill 48 on housing by Senator Gates.
  • Sometimes they're called carriage houses or granny flats.
  • The density bonus incentives in current law are extended to provide housing that's affordable for military
  • families receiving the basic housing allowance, and there is an amendment.
Bills: S0048
Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development heard presentations on the Governor’s recommended budget for fiscal year 2026-27 and then considered one bill, CS/SB 48 on accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The Governor’s office outlined a $117.4 billion overall budget, with transportation and economic development receiving about $18 billion statewide and $601 million in general revenue. Agency heads then presented priorities for Commerce, Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Military Affairs, State, Transportation, Emergency Management, and the Florida State Guard, emphasizing workforce development, housing, tourism marketing, aviation and space infrastructure, law enforcement recruitment, emergency preparedness, and military readiness. In the Commerce presentation, Secretary Kelly highlighted funding for housing programs, the Hometown Heroes program, the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, rural infrastructure and workforce grants, Reconnect and Florida WINS systems, law enforcement and firefighter recruitment bonuses, defense support, Visit Florida, Space Florida, and SelectFlorida. Senators asked about Visit Florida’s private match requirements and whether the agency fully leveraged prior appropriations; Visit Florida’s CEO said the match was met and exceeded, though it is difficult but important. The Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles presentation focused on trooper pay, pursuit vehicles, aviation assets, and enterprise data systems, with questions about immigration enforcement and body cameras. Military Affairs requested funding for readiness centers, training facilities, education and health benefits for Guardsmen, and maintenance of existing armories; members discussed Guard deployments, staffing levels, and a proposed firing range project. The Department of State requested funds for automated election audits, a conservation lab, and historic preservation, and defended its arts grant process and rule changes. Transportation’s budget emphasized a $14.3 billion work program, road and bridge maintenance, aviation and aerospace, safety initiatives, and seaport investments, while Emergency Management requested funding for preparedness, flood mitigation, WebEOC, grants management, and alert systems; senators also asked about the Alligator Alcatraz detention facility. For CS/SB 48, Senator Gates explained that the bill would require local governments to allow property owners to voluntarily create ADUs, while preserving local authority over setbacks, construction, and permitting. An amendment removed reusable tenant screening reports and clarified that conforming ADUs would be allowed by right without a separate hearing. The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association supported the bill, saying ADUs could help provide long-term housing for service workers. After questions about local government and HOA authority, the committee adopted the amendment and then reported CS/SB 48 favorably by roll call vote.
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

HOU Public Hearing 01-27-2026

Housing

Transcript Highlights:
  • And before they even build the houses, the houses were sold.
  • And before they even build the houses, the houses were sold.
  • And before they even build the houses, the houses were sold.
  • ,</c><00:30:04.159><c> the</c><00:30:04.399><c> houses</c> they even build the houses, the houses they
  • </c> house for 10 years. house for 10 years.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> related to housing. related to housing.
  • ,</c><01:08:30.080><c> we</c> housings or the public housing, we housings or the public housing, we paying
  • Separately, it says that for luxury housing and lower density housing, the counties can continue to impose
  • <02:19:19.359><c> and</c><02:19:19.599><c> lower</c><02:19:19.840><c> density</c><02:19:20.080><c> housing
  • ,</c><02:19:20.319><c> the</c> housing and lower density housing, the housing and lower density housing
Summary: The House Housing Committee met on February 4 and heard testimony on several housing measures, beginning with HB1721, which clarifies insurance, indemnification, and certificate-of-occupancy requirements for expedited permits. Testimony on HB1721 was uniformly supportive from the American Council of Engineering Companies, the Grassroot Institute, and individual testifiers, who said the bill would fix insurance issues for design professionals and encourage more participation in the expedited-permit program. No opposition was heard and no questions were raised. The committee then heard HB1714, which would raise salary caps for the executive director and deputy executive director positions at the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and allow more autonomy in personnel matters, including employment contracts. HHFDC supported the bill, saying greater flexibility is needed to recruit and retain staff and that current pay ceilings are not the main issue because the agency lacks operating funds to reach them. The Department of Human Resources Development offered comments and raised concerns about autonomous personnel authority and employment contracts, saying state personnel matters are governed by existing statutes and collective bargaining rules; the Hawaii Public Housing Authority also offered comments, and one board member and one individual opposed the measure. Members questioned whether performance-based pay or existing incentive policies could address retention instead of statutory salary changes. The committee also heard HB1718, which would make permanent county authority to facilitate mixed-use developments and issue county bonds for low- and moderate-income housing projects. Support came from OPSD, HHFDC, the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Housing and Land Management, and Housing Hawaii’s Future, all emphasizing that permanent authority is needed to finance long-term mixed-use and transit-oriented projects. A member asked whether the sunset provision would make bonding impractical, and the city representative agreed that temporary authority would make financing difficult because development takes time. Later, the committee took up HB1732, establishing the Kamina Homes program to fund counties’ purchase of voluntary deed restrictions from eligible buyers. The Department of Taxation and several groups, including HHFDC, AARP Hawaii, the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Realtors, Holomua Collaborative, and others testified, with most supporting the bill as a way to help local families remain in Hawaii and age in place. Holomua said a recent survey found 75% of 3,200 working families were considering moving, and argued the bill could preserve housing for local residents. Members asked about the bill’s 8% cap on deed-restriction cost and why the program focuses on residency rather than resale restrictions; the bill’s proponents said the cap allows flexibility for county negotiations and that the measure is aimed at workforce preservation rather than land-trust-style appreciation limits. Finally, the committee heard HB1740, which would modify a prior HHFDC housing pathway by reducing the qualified-resident requirement from 100% to 80% and allowing more flexibility for long-term rental instead of owner occupancy. HHFDC and Holomua Collaborative supported the change, saying the earlier 100% requirement had produced no developments or applicants and that the revised standard would make projects more feasible while still preserving housing for local residents. The committee did not take final votes on these measures during the portion of the hearing provided.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
  • I'd like to call to order our House Housing Committee hearing for Friday, March 20th.
  • </c> All right, reconvening our House Housing Committee hearing.
  • </c> the inventory for affordable housing. the inventory for affordable housing.
  • Reconvening our House Housing Committee hearing for decision making.
  • </c> relating to housing. relating to housing.
Summary: The House Housing Committee opened its Friday morning hearing by noting potentially catastrophic flooding on the island and acknowledging that some members were absent helping their communities, so quorum for voting was uncertain. The committee then heard testimony on several housing-related measures, with most bills drawing support from housing agencies and community organizations and little or no opposition in the room. On SB 2069 SD2, SB 2177 SD2, and SB 2342 SD2, witnesses largely supported the measures. HHFDC supported SB 2069 and SB 2177, and HPHA supported SB 2342. For SB 2342, HHFDC raised concerns that the bill would alter the Qualified Allocation Plan outside the normal open, public process required by federal law and could exclude stakeholders; Kathy Charities echoed those concerns and also objected to changing point allocations in ways that could raise rents and weaken long-term affordability. Members questioned HHFDC about how the QAP is normally updated, the meaning of the point system, and whether a legislative working group could mandate changes; HHFDC said recommendations would still need public hearing and board approval. The committee also heard SB 2060 SD2, which would create a mixed-income subaccount in the rental housing revolving fund. HHFDC said the subaccount would likely use tier-two funds, estimated at about $100 million total, to support mixed-income projects above 60% AMI, citing Front Street Apartments as a possible example. Members asked about project selection and funding needs. On SB 2544 SD2, OHA opposed the bill’s Chapter 6E-related exemptions and mandatory review timelines, arguing that burial review protections should not be weakened and that the SPEED Task Force process was a better venue for streamlining. The sponsor later clarified that the bill was not meant to eliminate the 60-day review process but to make the deadline clearer. For SB 3011 SD1, which concerns public housing and pet ownership, HPHA and several humane organizations supported the measure, saying it would help low-income residents and seniors keep pets and benefit from animal companionship. HPHA explained its existing pet policy, including deposits, monthly fees, and restrictions, and said the requested funding would support ADA-accessible pet areas and related administration. Finally, on SB 2061 SD2, HCDA supported the bill while OHA opposed it unless protections for Hawaiian Crown and Government lands were strengthened. Committee members questioned the project’s 60/40 split between income-restricted and market-rate units, the 10-year owner-occupancy restriction, and the procurement exemption; the sponsor said the exemption was tied to a real estate transaction and that the project would still use 103D-like solicitation procedures. No votes were taken during the hearing, and several items were left for later action because quorum was uncertain.
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Community Affairs Jan 27th, 2026

Community Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • Housing developments.
  • I think the reality of the housing situation in South Florida is there’s not enough housing for the residents
  • assigns a density of 30 units per acre.
  • And that allows us to build housing that's accessible to people who are first starting out with housing
  • affordability by increasing housing supply.
Summary: The committee took up a series of land use, housing, local government, and public notice bills, along with a firefighter cancer bill and a bill on temporary door locking devices. SB 984 on firefighter cancer benefits and prevention was explained as clarifying access to death benefits and a one-time cancer payment for firefighters; it was reported favorably. SB 1612 required local governments to accept electronic payments online; it also passed favorably. SB 1180 created a recall framework for elected community development district board members and, through a strike-all amendment, also addressed synthetic turf enforcement and expanded compact urban mixed-use district definitions; the amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. SB 936 allowed temporary door locking devices above the finished floor and directed the Building Commission to add standards to the Florida Building Code; it passed favorably. The committee also considered SB 380 on legal notices, which would let certain local government entities publish notices on their own websites or other designated sites instead of relying on newspapers in more cases. The Florida Press Association, Common Cause, and newspaper representatives opposed the bill, arguing it would fragment public notice access and make notices harder to find and verify, while supporters said it would modernize and reduce costs. The bill’s amendment clarified which agencies were covered, and the committee reported the bill favorably. SB 962 on affordable housing narrowed prior zoning preemption language so working farms and farm operations would not be unintentionally captured by Live Local-style rules; it passed favorably. SB 1444 on state preemption and religious expression, private clubs, and minor home construction drew support from religious freedom advocates and opposition from cities and counties, which warned of vague terms and overbroad preemption; it was reported favorably. The committee then approved SB 218, which would limit the reach of last session’s hurricane recovery land-use preemption to counties actually damaged by hurricanes and restore normal local land-use authority in unaffected counties. SB 1434 on infill redevelopment would streamline zoning and subdivision approvals for environmentally impacted parcels in certain urban counties to encourage housing on contaminated or underused land; counties and local-government groups opposed it as an overbroad preemption and raised concerns about the environmental threshold and density provisions, but the bill was reported favorably. SB 1020 on chickees prohibited local ordinances from blocking chickee construction if setback requirements are met and made unauthorized attempts to circumvent the building code a misdemeanor; it passed favorably. Finally, SB 948 on local government land development regulations and orders, as amended, proposed a statewide starter-home framework with lot-split and zoning changes to increase housing supply; local-government and planning groups warned it would function as a rigid statewide zoning code and could drive overdevelopment, while housing advocates supported it as necessary state action. The committee reported the bill favorably after extensive debate.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Land & Resource Management Apr 3rd, 2025

Land & Resource Management

Transcript Highlights:
  • provisions in House Bill 3919.
  • What do we call affordable housing?
  • The Dallas Housing Coalition? The City of Dallas, sir. Oh, sorry. Sorry. Housing Coalition?
  • We need more housing options across all incomes that can serve a variety of housing needs.
  • We want to build smaller houses, but it will make smaller houses available for those who want them.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Land & Resource Management Apr 3rd, 2025

Land & Resource Management

Transcript Highlights:
  • the cost of housing.
  • to the cost of housing.
  • House Bill 2494 appears to be...
  • The chair moves that House Bill. 24 as substituted to be reported favorably to the full house with the
  • The chair moves that House Bill 2559 without amendment be reported favorably. to the full house with
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

WAL Public Hearing - Thu Feb 19, 2026 @ 9:00 AM HST

Water & Land

Transcript Highlights:
  • have Hawaii Housing Futures in support. have Hawaii Housing Futures in support.
  • and those that use the rental housing revolving fund, Tier 2 funds, to get higher density for developers
  • For fair housing. >> Yes.
  • HD1 relating to housing. HD1. 2362. HD1 relating to housing.
  • </c> HD1 chairs relating to housing. HD1 chairs relating to housing.
Summary: The committee on Water and Land met on February 19, 2026, and the chair opened by emphasizing strict time limits and that all bills would be deferred if the agenda was not completed before the noon session. The first major measure discussed was HB 1739 HD1, which would preempt county land-use authority in transit-oriented development areas. The Department of Planning supported the bill, saying it could promote state-funded TOD and infrastructure, while the city and county’s position was raised in questioning. Unite Here Local 5 opposed the bill, arguing it would strip counties of self-determination, disrupt state-county policy collaboration, and remove a check on unrestrained development. Committee members pressed the supporters on whether the bill was really about higher density and whether it would override local zoning and sustainability concerns. The committee then heard testimony on HB 1741 HD1, a housing bill described by supporters as reducing inclusionary housing mandates and increasing supply. Grassroots Institute of Hawaii argued affordability mandates reduce overall housing production and raise market-rate prices, while a Zoom testifier said the bill would improve housing stability, health, and community outcomes for working families, kupuna, and young residents. Members asked about the bill’s needs assessment and who would conduct it, with a witness saying the counties would likely contract it out but that the bill did not clearly specify the reviewer. HB 2668 HD1, dealing with water heating systems, drew testimony from the Hawaii State Energy Office and industry representatives. Supporters generally backed adding heat pumps to the law, but one solar-water-heater industry witness asked for amendments to remove or extend the current 15-year statutory life limit for solar water heaters and to update outdated standards and variance rules. A Kauaʻi Climate Action Coalition witness opposed the existing solar-only structure, arguing heat pump water heaters are cheaper, align with climate goals, and should be allowed without a variance. The Energy Office said the current law already allows variances in some cases, suggested adding high-efficiency heat pump water heaters to the exemption, and said the 15-year figure may be too short, with 18 years mentioned as a possible alternative. The committee also briefly moved through several other bills, including HB 2606 HD1 on off-site construction and HB 2362 HD1 on housing, with no notable testimony or action recorded in the excerpt.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Senate Session (Part I) Aug 6th, 2025

Texas Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • At the same time, the Senate passed House Bill 3.
  • Because we passed House Bill 30 last session, and what House Bill 30 did was was, instead of using the
  • So, when you see that type of hijinks, quite frankly, that's what That's why we passed House Bill 30
  • You address the issue of housing inmates according to sex.
  • This is stricken because the House Parliament Herron advised this section was not germane to the bill
Bills: SB15, SB9, SB7, SB1, SB2, SB67, SB15, SB9, SB7
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Local Government (Part I) Apr 28th, 2025

Local Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • It is a companion to House Bill 1630 by Representative Janie Lopez.
  • Income housing, I guess. Yes sir. Yes sir.
  • And for everyone to know this is our first House bill of the session.
  • Is there anyone wishing to testify on for against House Bill 22?
  • For once, no, it was House bills that got caught up on the House calendar. It would seem so.
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

WAM Public Hearing 02-19-2026

Ways and Means

Summary: The Committee on Ways and Means met for decision-making only and adopted recommendations on a long list of Senate bills, with no oral testimony taken. Early actions included SB 99 to pass unamended, SB 585 to pass with a date correction to 2015, SB 2060 to pass with amendments involving public project lists, legislative approval for fund transfers, and removal of certain appropriations, and SB 2069 to pass with amendments extending a sunset date and requiring transit-oriented development zoning. The committee also advanced several other measures, including SB 2110, SB 215, SB 2259, SB 2382, SB 2442, and SB 2485 unamended, while SB 2152, SB 2315, SB 2446, SB 2919, SB 2577, SB 2580, and SB 2861 were moved with various amendments, mostly date changes, appropriation blanks, or technical clarifications. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on SB 2211, where Department of Human Services officials explained how the department was covering costs by using restricted funds and shifting Med-QUEST funding, and noted a need for $14 million plus support for $16.5 million in ACA enhanced tax credit subsidies. The chair indicated the bill would move forward with amendments, including blanking the appropriation pending more information on lapses, and the recommendation was adopted. SB 2544 was also amended to remove a specific appropriation and replace it with a blank cap on funds from DUR, and SB 2342 was amended to require projects to be in transit-oriented development zones and to reflect prior committee concurrence. The most extended debate was on SB 3326, which would address utility restructuring. One senator opposed the bill, arguing it could raise rates, worsen reliability issues, and disrupt an existing utility without a clear plan, especially given island-specific conditions. Supporters argued the bill would separate generation from transmission and distribution, create competition, protect union jobs, and respond to aging infrastructure and financial weakness in the utility sector. After recesses and discussion of the Public Utilities Commission’s role, the chair changed the recommendation from pass unamended to pass with amendments requiring the PUC to conduct a study, provide an interim report before the next session, and a final report the following session. That amended recommendation was adopted, and the meeting then adjourned with no further business.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • On this bill, currently, TDHCA cannot allocate housing tax credits to an affordable housing development
  • In particular, many cities, housing advocates, and affordable housing developers have noted that the
  • and specifically low-income housing.
  • Oh, our second house bill of the day. Wow. House Special.
  • We're going to a house bill.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • It is a companion to House Bill 1630 by Representative Janie Lopez.
  • This is one way to fund low-income housing, I guess. Yes, sir, yes, sir.
  • House Bill of the session. Imagine you snagging that.
  • A lot of Senate bills got caught up on the House local calendar.
  • Well, actually, in this case, for once, no, it was House bills that got caught up on the House local
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Housing Finance and Policy Committee 3/18/26

Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • Co-Chair Spencer Igo called the meeting of the House Housing Finance and Policy Committee to order and
  • </c> under the state housing tax credit. under the state housing tax credit.
  • </c> House File 3639. House File 3639.
  • </c> Multi-Housing Association. Multi-Housing Association.
  • </c> for many housing providers. for many housing providers.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Capital Investment Committee 3/25/25

Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:
  • <c> targets</c> housing especially housing that targets housing especially housing that targets lower
  • ><c> are</c> housing housing infrastructure bonds are housing housing infrastructure bonds are a<00:03
  • housing.
  • Because of the density of these housing opportunities, he said the cost can be significantly reduced
  • </c> and our housing asset or public housing and our housing asset or public housing assets<00:41:25.640