Sec. 373A.211. RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL

(a) In this section, "qualified organization" means a community housing development organization that:

(1) contains within its designated geographical boundaries of operation, as set forth in its application for certification filed with and approved by the municipality, a portion of the property that the land bank is offering for sale;

(2) has developed or rehabilitated at least three single-family homes or duplexes or one multifamily residential dwelling of four or more units in compliance with all applicable building codes within the preceding 10-year period and within the organization's designated geographical boundaries of operation; and

(3) within the preceding three-year period has developed or rehabilitated housing units within a two-mile radius of the property that the land bank is offering for sale.

(b) The land bank shall first offer a property for sale to qualified organizations.

(c) Notice must be provided to the qualified organizations by certified mail, return receipt requested, not later than the 60th day before the beginning of the period in which a right of first refusal may be exercised.

(d) The municipality shall specify in its plan the period during which the right of first refusal provided by this section may be exercised by a qualified organization. That period must be at least 90 days in duration and begin at least three months but not more than 26 months following the date of the deed of conveyance of the property to the land bank.

(e) If the land bank conveys the property to a qualified organization before the expiration of the period specified by the municipality under Subsection (d), the interlocal agreement executed under Section 373A.208(a)(4) may provide tax abatement for the property until the expiration of that period.

(f) During the specified period, the land bank may not sell the property to a qualified participating developer other than a qualified organization. If all qualified organizations notify the land bank that they are declining to exercise their right of first refusal during the specified period, or if an offer to purchase the property is not received from a qualified organization during that period, the land bank may sell the property to any other qualified participating developer at the same price that the land bank offered the property to the qualified organizations.

(g) In its plan, the municipality shall establish the amount of additional time, if any, that a property may be held in the land bank once an offer has been received and accepted from a qualified organization or other qualified participating developer.

(h) If more than one qualified organization expresses an interest in exercising its right of first refusal, the organization that has designated the most geographically compact area encompassing a portion of the property shall be given priority.

(i) In its plan, the municipality may provide for other rights of first refusal for any other nonprofit corporation exempted from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, provided that the preeminent right of first refusal is provided to qualified organizations as provided by this section.

(j) The land bank is not required to provide a right of first refusal to qualified organizations under this section if the land bank is selling property that reverted to the land bank under Section 373A.209(d).

Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 495 , Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.