Special to BTXSentinel.com
Today, Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell and Precinct 4 Commissioner Russ Boles announced that Williamson County has filed a lawsuit against the Cameron County Housing Finance Corporation (CCHFC) for violating the Texas Housing Finance Corporations Act. In a hearing this morning, Williamson County was successful in obtaining a temporary restraining order against Cameron County HFC so that they cannot take any further action in Williamson County.
The case involves an abuse of the Texas Housing Finance Corporation Act, by which the CCHFC – a housing corporation located in and created in Cameron County, Texas – is seeking to remove two multifamily developments in Williamson County from the tax rolls which would result in the loss of millions of dollars in real property value from Williamson County’s tax base. The developments are in the Siena MUD, Hutto ISD and ESD #3.
Hutto ISD alone would lose at least $1.224 million annually in ad valorem tax revenue from the properties. The Commissioners Court hired the law firm of Armbrust & Brown, PLLC to represent the county in the lawsuit.
“The two properties are brand new apartment complexes on County Road 110. They represent Hutto ISD’s 5th and 12th highest valued properties,” said Boles. “I have directly reached out to each Cameron County commissioner and each board member of the Cameron County HFC asking them to stop their violations and have received no response from anyone other than Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr. In his letter, he effectively stated that he doesn’t care, leaving a lawsuit as the only option for Williamson County.”
“What the Cameron County HFC is doing is robbing from the education of our children,” said Gravell. “The Cameron County HFC stated that it is currently looking to exempt six to eight additional apartment developments in Williamson County, which means five unelected people, who were appointed by a Commissioners Court 350 miles away, are making decisions for all the people in Williamson County. I believe this is criminal. This is why today, I am asking Attorney General Ken Paxton to open an investigation into the Cameron County HFC,” Gravell added.
Related Documents
