HB791 Summary

• Establishes a housing assistance program within the Department of Human Services to provide state grants and monthly rental subsidies to private property owners who set aside, construct, or improve accessory dwelling units on their properties and rent to homeless families or individuals for five-year periods.

• Creates a housing assistance program coordinator position (appointed by the director) and a temporary housing assistance program commission with at least fourteen members including state agency directors and appointed representatives to oversee the program.

• Limits initial program to counties with populations greater than 500,000 and prioritizes placement of homeless individuals and families who have lived longest in parks, cars, campgrounds, streets, or public areas.

• Provides property owners with incentives including construction/renovation grants, monthly rental subsidies, real property tax waivers or reductions, and zoning/building code exemptions; requires return of grants and penalties if owners withdraw before five years or rent units to non-qualifying tenants.

• Appropriates unspecified funds for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025; sunsets the entire program on June 30, 2029, with the commission sunsetting on June 30, 2025 or upon approval of 2,000 accessory dwelling units, whichever occurs first.