State GREENLegislation

Governor signed this bill a little over a week ago!
-------------------
Senate Bill 1919 by *Johnson, Overbey, Faulk, Marrero B, Finney L. (House Bill 1468 by *Shepard, Gilmore, Cooper B, Hackworth.)

Planning, Public - As introduced, incorporates the use of green building design, sustainable infrastructure, and energy efficiency technologies into the powers authorities are authorized to exercise for redevelopment projects. - Amends TCA Section 13-20-202.

Bill Summary
Present law authorizes a housing authority to establish a redevelopment project and lists the powers the housing authority has to carry out the project, such as:

(1) Installing, constructing, or reconstructing parks, public open spaces, public playgrounds, pedestrian ways, and parking garages in accordance with a redevelopment plan; and(2) Paying expenses for relocation, administrative costs, planning and engineering costs and legal expenses associated with carrying out a redevelopment plan.

This bill clarifies that the housing authority may install, construct, or reconstruct the structures listed above in (1), "regardless of use." This bill further clarifies that in addition to the expenses listed above in (2), the housing authority may pay any energy efficiency costs associated with carrying out a redevelopment plan. This bill adds the following powers a housing authority has to carry out a redevelopment project:

(1) Pay leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) costs, commissioning costs, costs of required documentation to meet LEED or other similar programs, and fees associated with commissioning, as well as greening costs and energy modeling costs for LEED certification or similar programs;
(2) Install, construct, add to, improve or reconstruct public infrastructure; and
(3) Take all other necessary actions designed to further the goals and local objectives articulated in a redevelopment plan.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the provision described above in the bill summary in (1) regarding paying costs to specify that the housing authority may pay the design costs, commissioning costs and fees, and costs of required documentation associated with meeting the requirements of LEED, Green Globes or other similar programs as well as greening costs and energy modeling costs for certification by such programs of both new construction, existing buildings and other projects.