HB 4398 – Fast-track Low income housing

HB 4398 mandates that Texas cities with more than 100,000 people fast-track building permit applications for subsidized housing developments that receive low-income housing tax credits. These applications must be processed in half the normal time, regardless of the city’s internal procedures, staffing levels, or local permitting challenges. The bill also forces cities to give these projects access to any existing fast-track review systems, giving preferential treatment over market-rate developments. While this may benefit politically favored developers, it sets a concerning precedent by compelling local governments to prioritize taxpayer-backed housing projects. It rewards projects that rely on taxpayer subsidies instead of encouraging self-sufficient, private sector solutions. Taxpayers should not bear the cost of rushed and preferential treatment for government-incentivized housing