Local Government Code § 394.9027

Sec. 394.9027. AUDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS. (a) In this section: (1) "Department" means the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. (2) "Housing finance corporation user" has the meaning assigned by Section 394.9026. (b) A housing finance corporation or housing finance corporation user that claims an ad valorem tax exemption for a multifamily residential development under Section 394.905 must annually submit to the department an audit report for a compliance audit, prepared at the expense of the housing finance corporation user and conducted by an independent auditor or compliance expert with an established history of providing similar audits on housing compliance matters, that: (1) states whether the corporation is in compliance with the requirements imposed for the exemption by Section 394.9026; and (2) identifies the difference in the rent charged for income-restricted residential units and the estimated maximum market rents that could be charged for those units without the income restrictions. (c) Not later than the 60th day after the date of receipt of the audit conducted under Subsection (b), the department shall examine the audit report and publish a report summarizing the findings of the audit. The report must: (1) be made available on the department's Internet website; (2) be issued to the housing finance corporation that owns or is associated with the development that is the subject of an audit, the housing finance corporation user of the development, the comptroller, and the governing body of the sponsoring local government or governments of the housing finance corporation; and (3) describe in detail the nature of any failure to comply with the requirements of Section 394.9026. (d) If an audit report submitted under Subsection (b) indicates noncompliance with Section 394.9026, a housing finance corporation user, the associated housing finance corporation, and the chief appraiser of the appraisal district in which the development is located must be given written notice from the department that is provided not later than the 120th day after the date a report has been submitted under Subsection (b) and specifies the reasons for noncompliance. For a finding of noncompliance with any provision of Section 394.9026(c), a housing finance corporation user and the associated housing finance corporation must be given: (1) additional written notice that: (A) otherwise complies with the notice requirements of this section; (B) contains at least one option for a corrective action to resolve the noncompliance; and (C) informs the housing finance corporation user and associated housing finance corporation that failure to resolve the noncompliance within the period provided by Subdivision (2) will result in the loss of the ad valorem tax exemption under Section 394.905; (2) a period of 180 days after the date notice is received under Subdivision (1) to resolve the matter that is the subject of the notice; and (3) if a matter that is the subject of a notice provided under this subdivision is not resolved to the satisfaction of the department during the period provided by Subdivision (2), a second notice that informs the housing finance corporation of the loss of the ad valorem tax exemption for the development due to noncompliance with Section 394.9026. (e) The initial audit report required by Subsection (b) is due not later than June 1 of the tax year following: (1) the date of acquisition for an existing multifamily residential development that is acquired by a housing finance corporation; or (2) the date a newly constructed multifamily residential development first becomes occupied by one or more tenants. (f) Subsequent audit reports following the issuance of the initial audit report under Subsection (e) are due not later than June 1 of each year. (g) The department may extend the deadline for submitting any audit required under this section for good cause shown, as determined by the department. (h) An independent auditor or compliance expert may not prepare an audit under Subsection (b) for more than three consecutive tax years for the same housing finance corporation. After the third consecutive audit, the independent auditor or compliance expert may prepare an audit only after the second anniversary of the preparation of the third consecutive audit. (i) The department: (1) shall adopt forms and reporting standards for the auditing process; (2) may charge a fee for the submission of an audit report under this section in a reasonable amount necessary to cover the expenses of administering this section; and (3) shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section and Section 394.9026. (j) Rules adopted under Subsection (i)(3) must include administrative processes and a process by which a housing finance corporation user may appeal a finding of noncompliance made under this section or a loss of a tax exemption due to a finding of noncompliance with Section 394.9026 or any other provision of this chapter. (k) An audit conducted under Subsection (b) is subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code, except that information containing tenant names, unit numbers, or other tenant identifying information may be redacted. (l) This section does not apply to a multifamily residential development during any period that the development is the recipient of a low income housing tax credit allocated under Subchapter DD, Chapter 2306, Government Code. Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 208 (H.B. 21), Sec. 9, eff. May 28, 2025.