Legislative News
Stage 1 Watering Restrictions:
Cities throughout Tarrant County have implemented Stage 1 watering restrictions. Apartment communities are only allowed to water on Tuesday & Friday. No watering between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Cities with Stage 1 restrictions include:
Arlington
Bedford
Euless
Fort Worth
Grand Prairie
Grapevine
Haltom City
Hurst
Keller
North Richland Hills
Old News
NEW LAWS ENACTED!!!
A. Laws Effective – Immediately
Appraisal Reform:
SB 551 – Provides that a property owner is not liable for interest if he/she receives a corrected property tax valuation on improved property and pays the corrected amount within 120 days of receiving the corrected bill.
Towing:
HB 3510 – This law makes several changes to the state towing and booting statutes. For multifamily housing professionals, this bill allows towing companies to provide property owners with required signs. The bill makes an except to the law that prohibits a towing company from giving a property owner anything of value by allowing them to provide signs.
B. Laws Effective September 1, 2011
Fire-Safety:
HB 1168 – Owners of properties first occupied prior to September 1, 2011 will have until January 1, 2013 to install battery-operated smoke alarms in all bedrooms. Owners/managers may also self-inspect single-use, non-refillable fire extinguishers that are in compliance with city ordinances.
Nuisance Properties:
HB 1862 – Makes a landlord liable to a resident who is not in default under the lease if a city or county revokes a certificate of occupancy because of a property owner's failure to maintain the premises. Damages may include: the full amount of the security deposit, pro rata portion of any rental payments the resident has paid in advance, and actual damages.
SB 173 – Expands a city's authority to pursue substandard properties by allowing them to bring in rem (against the property) actions. Allows a city to obtain a judgment against a property owner for health/safety violations. It also expands the receiver statute by allowing courts to appoint qualified individuals as receivers
C. Laws Effective – 01/01/12
Pauper's Affidavit:
HB 1111 – Allows a Justice of the Peace to issue an immediate writ of possession to a rental property owner if a resident who files a pauper's affidavit appeal fails to pay the equivalent of one month's rent into the JP court registry.
Evictions – Military:
HB 1127 – Gives additional notices to residents being evicted to make sure they are aware of their rights under the Military Clause. TAA successfully prevented mandating changes in the TAA lease language.
Community Service
AATC members serving on Metroplex municipal boards and commissions is one of our advocacy program's strategic goals. Our members have a unique perspective and possess skills that are extremely valuable to the inner workings of cities and counties. AATC expends tremendous time and effort to influence local, state, and federal policy from the outside. Service on city boards and commissions is a way to change government from the inside.
Consider for a moment the positive impact you are someone from your company could have on local issues (taxes, inspections, zoning, economic development, etc.) through service on a city board, commission, or task force. Multifamily industry representation on city boards and commissions is an opportunity to direct the course of public policy. Your involvement can improve the lives of thousands of individuals. AATC members and staff currently serve on the Benbrook Parks and Recreation Board; Fort Worth Building Standards Commission; Fort Worth Affordable Housing Committee; Mansfield Economic Development Board; and Tarrant County Crime Stoppers Board.
To learn about getting involved in your city, contact Perry Pillow at ppillow@aatcnet.org or (817) 616-0354.
Crime Initiatives
AATC is proactively working to enact industry-initiated, crime reduction ordinances in the follow Tarrant County cities: Burleson, Euless, Fort Worth, Hurst, Mansfield, and North Richland Hills. For more information about crime reduction initiatives in your city, contact Perry Pillow at ppillow@aatcnet.org or (817) 616-0354.
Municipal Fee Survey
AATC has compiled the latest municipal and school district tax and fee information for the 10 largest Tarrant County cities. This information is published annually on Nov 1 and updated as needed. For more information, click here (insert link). For additional information about fees and taxes for specific cities or school districts, contact Perry Pillow at ppillow@aatcnet.org or (817) 616-0354.
MAY 14th MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS
On Saturday, May 14th, voters throughout AATC's service area will go to the polls to elect city councils and mayors including the mayors in the three largest cities (by multifamily units): Fort Worth (87,000), Arlington (50,000) and Euless (12,000). Early voting begins May 2. As of press time, in Fort Worth, four-term incumbent mayor Mike Moncrief is not running. Five candidates have filed to succeed Moncrief including filmmaker Nicholas Zebrun; former state representative Dan Barrett; former city council members Cathy Hirt and Jim Lane; and Tarrant County Tax Assessor Betsy Price. In Fort Worth city council district 2, businessman Paul Rudisill has filed to run against incumbent Sal Espino. district 4 incumbent Danny Scarth is opposed by Lupe Arriola and Melinda Hamilton and Charles Hibbler are challenging district 5 incumbent Frank Moss. Dennis Shingleton, Jon Horton, Jon Perry, and Jack Ernst have filed for the open district 7 seat. Districts 3, 6, 8, and 9 incumbents Zim Zimmerman, Jungus Jordan, Kathleen Hicks, and Joel Burns are unopposed.
Arlington incumbent council members Robert Rivera and Lana Wolff have opponents this cycle. Rivera is opposed by Marvin Sutton and Wolff has three opponents: Chris Hightower, Christopher McCain, and Terry Meza. Incumbents mayor Robert Cluck, Kathryn Wilemon, and at-large council member Gene Patrick are unopposed. Races are heating up in Northeast Tarrant County. Bedford incumbent council member Chris Brown is opposed by Sarah Sisson and incumbent Ray Champney is unopposed. In Euless, eighteen-year incumbent, Mary Lib Saleh, is seeking her 10th term as mayor, and council incumbents Leon Hogg and Donna Mickan are unopposed. Grapevine council incumbents Chris Coy and Roy Stewart, as well as, Hurst incumbents Charles Swearengen, Larry Kitchens, and Henry Wilson are unopposed. Haltom City mayor Richard Hutchison and council members Marian Hilliard, Dale Clark, and Richard Garcia are all unopposed. Keller incumbent mayor Pat McGrail is challenged by John Baker while incumbent council members Gary Reaves and Mitch Holmes are unopposed. In North Richland Hills, Steve Holleman and Sixto Rodriguez are vying for the open place 1 seat and incumbents Tom Lombard, David Whitson, and Tim Welch are unopposed.
(updated 9/8/11)