Following their lawsuit against Texas House Bill 21 (HB21), which claims the bill to be unconstitutional, the Texas Workforce Housing Coalition (TWHC) is expanding its efforts by filing multiple public information requests under the Texas Public Information Act.
The coalition is seeking communications between county appraisal districts and outside organizations or individuals related to the implementation of HB21. The requests are intended to uncover potential political influence and insider involvement in how the law is being enforced.
"While we look forward to presenting our legal positions in the appropriate forums, we're also concerned about the role of certain politicians and their network of insiders and enablers who may stand to benefit from the actions of appraisal districts," said Trey Cox, Partner at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP and counsel to the TWHC.
This new legal move comes after the TWHC revealed that the Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) issued over 100 notices to affordable housing projects in the area.
The notices allege that these developments were never permitted to operate in Dallas County, raising concerns among housing advocates about the potential consequences for affordable housing availability.
The Coalition argues that the enforcement of HB21 could undermine efforts to provide affordable housing across Texas and harm low to moderate-income communities.
By pursuing legal action and leveraging the state's open records laws, TWHC aims to shine a light on how appraisal policies are being shaped behind the scenes.
