HB 324: "An Act relating to the Alaska housing trust fund and to the Alaska Council on the Homeless; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 324 01 "An Act relating to the Alaska housing trust fund and to the Alaska Council on the 02 Homeless; and providing for an effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 18.56 is amended by adding new sections to read: 05 Article 6A. Alaska Housing Trust Fund; Alaska Council on the Homeless. 06 Sec. 18.56.875. Alaska housing trust fund. (a) There is created in the 07 corporation an Alaska housing trust fund. Subject to the receipt of appropriations, 08 gifts, bequests, grants, and contributions of money or other assets from an individual, 09 foundation, governmental entity, or other person, the corporation shall make money 10 available to reduce the incidence of homelessness in the state. The corporation shall 11 use the assets of the fund to assist in the creation and retention of an adequate supply 12 of affordable housing in the state for individuals at or below 80 percent of the 13 median income of the economic or geographic area in which they reside. The 14 corporation shall provide a preference for individuals and families at or below 30
01 percent of the median income for the economic or geographic area in which they 02 reside. The corporation shall use median income adjusted for household size as 03 reported annually by the United States Department of Housing and Urban 04 Development. 05 (b) In addition to other powers granted in AS 18.56.090 and AS 18.56.875 - 06 18.56.890, the corporation may 07 (1) participate in the development of buildings or units that by their 08 use address the purpose of the fund, but by their operation appear non-residential in 09 nature; 10 (2) provide financial assistance to prevent homelessness, including 11 prevention of foreclosures and evictions; 12 (3) provide financial assistance to support housing retention services 13 or facilitate transition from dependency on low-cost housing; and 14 (4) participate with appropriate sponsoring agencies or groups in 15 demonstration housing projects that address the purpose of the fund. 16 (c) Costs of administration of the fund may be paid from the fund. 17 (d) Development projects financed, in whole or in part, by the fund must 18 have affordability periods during which the rent and sale price of the buildings or 19 units within buildings and the income of the occupants are restricted in a manner that 20 maintains the affordability of the development project over time. 21 (e) In order to receive financial assistance from the corporation for the 22 purpose set out in (b) of this section, the buildings or units must be operated by a 23 public or private nonprofit corporation designated as tax exempt under 26 U.S.C. 24 501(c)(3) or (4) (Internal Revenue Code) or by a municipal or governmental 25 organization that is tax exempt under other provisions of 26 U.S.C. (Internal 26 Revenue Code). 27 (f) The corporation may adopt regulations in accordance with AS 15.56.088 28 to implement AS 18.56.875 - 18.56.890. 29 Sec. 18.56.880. Advisory council created. (a) The Alaska Council on the 30 Homeless is created in the corporation for the purpose of advising the corporation 31 concerning the administration of the fund. The council is comprised of 13 members.
01 The council is composed as follows: 02 (1) the executive director of the corporation; 03 (2) the chief executive officer of the Alaska Mental Health Trust 04 Authority established by AS 47.30.011; 05 (3) the commissioner of corrections; 06 (4) the commissioner of health and social services; 07 (5) the commissioner of public safety; 08 (6) the commissioner of education and early development; 09 (7) the commissioner of military and veterans' affairs; 10 (8) six public members appointed by the governor, as follows: 11 (A) a representative of regional Native housing authorities 12 created under AS 18.55.996; 13 (B) a representative of municipal government; 14 (C) four members who collectively have experience or 15 expertise working with housing development, financing, and consumers of 16 affordable housing; 17 (b) If a member described in (a)(1) - (7) of this section is unable to attend a 18 meeting of the council, the member may by an instrument filed with the council, 19 designate a deputy or assistant to act in the member's place at the meeting. For all 20 purposes of AS 18.56.875 - 18.56.890, the designee is a member of the council at the 21 meeting. 22 (c) The members of the council described in (a)(8) of this section serve two- 23 year terms. 24 (d) If a vacancy of a member of the council described in (a)(8) of this section 25 occurs, the governor shall make an appointment for the unexpired part of the term. 26 The appointment under this subsection takes effect immediately. 27 (e) The members described in (a)(8) of this section receive no compensation 28 but are entitled to per diem and travel expenses authorized for boards and 29 commissions under AS 39.20.180. 30 (f) The governor shall appoint the members under (a)(8) of this section to 31 give the council a reasonable geographic balance among regions of the state.
01 (g) The council shall elect a chair from the membership of the council. A 02 majority of the council constitutes a quorum to transact business. 03 (h) The council shall make recommendations to the corporation regarding 04 (1) the budget for expenditures from the fund; 05 (2) housing needs and priorities, and an action plan for expenditures 06 from the fund to address those needs and priorities; 07 (3) policies and procedures for expenditures from the fund; 08 (4) methods to evaluate and monitor activities financed by the fund; 09 (5) methods for reporting to the public and elected or other officials 10 regarding the activities financed by the fund; 11 (6) methods to coordinate the expenditure of money from the fund 12 with other available sources of financing for housing; and 13 (7) the availability of additional sources of money to support housing 14 activities financed from the fund. 15 Sec. 18.56.885. Reporting requirements. (a) The corporation shall prepare 16 and file an annual report with the governor and the legislature. The report shall 17 include 18 (1) the activities of the fund; 19 (2) the impact of the fund on homelessness in the state; and 20 (3) recommendations on how state resources, in addition to the fund, 21 may be used to reduce homelessness. 22 (b) The report shall be filed no later than the 10th day after the convening of 23 each regular session of the legislature. 24 Sec. 18.56.890. Definitions. In AS 18.56.875 - 18.56.890, unless the context 25 requires otherwise, 26 (1) "affordable" means housing cost of an owner or renter that does 27 not exceed 30 percent of household income of the owner or renter; 28 (2) "affordability period" means the period during which housing 29 must be sold or rented at no more than affordable prices or costs; 30 (3) "council" means the Alaska Council on the Homeless created in 31 AS 18.56.880;
01 (4) "fund" means the Alaska housing trust fund established in 02 AS 18.56.875. 03 * Sec. 2. This Act takes effect July 1, 2008.