Published: May 07, 2008 11:10 pm            

City Attorney appointed by Gov. Perry to state position

Thomas Leeper, city attorney for the City of Huntsville, continues his involvement with the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation board of directors in a new role as presiding officer.

Gov. Rick Perry officially announced his decision to appoint Leeper to the position on April 22.

Leeper, a Huntsville native, graduated from Huntsville High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Texas A&M University in 1987 and a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center in 1990.

He has served as the attorney for the City of Huntsville since January 2004.

A TSAHA board member since 2003, Leeper is serving a board member term through 2013 and will act as the presiding officer for a term to expire at the pleasure of the governor.

He replaces Gerardo Romero of El Paso.

Since elected to the TSAHC board, Leeper has also served as vice-chair of the board.

As one of the longest standing members currently on the board, Leeper said he was still surprised to receive the call.

“I was a little bit surprised,” he said. “I knew that the previous chair’s term had expired but hadn’t really given (the idea of the governor appointing me) a lot of thought. Apart from the previous chair (or presiding officer), I’ve been on the board the longest of the people currently serving.

“It may seem logical that they would consider me for the position, but when they called, I was not expecting it.”

The TSAHC met in Austin for its monthly meeting on April 21 where Leeper stepped in as presiding officer for the first time.

According to Leeper, the TSAHC, created in 1994, is “a state-owned, non-profit 501(c3) corporation authorized and created by the state legislature.

“Our purpose is to help provide affordable housing for qualifying Texans, who are usually low-income or very low-income Texans,” he said. “Some history behind why the corporation got started goes back to the ‘colonias’ in the Rio Grande Valley.”

Housing development several years ago in the colonias — unicorporated neighborhoods along the United States-Mexico border — caused concern among the state legislature, Leeper said.

“Some developers in the Rio Grande Valley created subdivisions that did not have adequate water, streets, drainage or plumbing,” he said. “They were taking advantage of the people in these areas. The legislature acted to correct these serious abuses ... ultimately creating the corporation.”

The TSAHC provides services to the entire state of Texas, helping Texans with funding for “both rental homes as well as helping people get into home ownership,” Leeper said.

“The corporation has a multi-family programs division that works to provide, for example, a series of duplexes that are usually rental property. Our mission, currently directed by the legislature, is to look for areas where we can help provide these properties. We also have a single-family programs division.”

The corporation, Leeper said, is given a total of $50 million to start each year and has been successful enough to request additional money for the past two years. It can also seek donations and program-related investments from big foundations and corporations for additional assistance.

“Two programs that are really the shining stars of the corporation are the Professional Educators Program and the Texas Homes for Heroes Program. Both of these programs help first-time homebuyers, who meet the certain income threshold, buy a home to live in.

“The Professional Educators Program assists people who work in public schools, including teachers, nurses and other staff. The Texas Homes for Heroes Program assists police officers, firefighters, emergency medical service and correctional officers. State Rep. Lois Kolkhorst was instrumental in getting correctional officers included in that program.”

As a board member, Leeper said his duties reflect his expertise and experience in law.

“The corporation has a list of certain areas of experience they look for when selecting its board members,” he said. “One was an attorney and another was real estate and I have a good measure of real estate law experience from my private practice at Smither, Martin, Henderson and Blazek, P.C.

“My duties are pretty standard of a member of any corporation board. I act as a guide on policy, have oversight of the activity of the professional staff and also approve the big transactions that come through. My role as a board member also serves to appoint other professional advisors such as general, bond or legal advisors.”

As the presiding officer, Leeper said he will preside over the monthly meetings.

“I will be a little more active and involved as presiding officer,” he said. “I may need to meet with legislators who have questions about what we’re doing.”

As the City Attorney, Leeper said his role with the corporation has had a positive impact on city projects.

“Through networking, I’ve been able to broaden my contacts,” he said. “When questions come up concerning city projects (related to affordable housing), I can call someone I know is very knowledgeable in these areas. I’ve also been met a lot of representatives and senators and a lot of people involved in state government, finance and the public services.”

Leeper said he has learned a lot from his experience with the corporation.

“I have enjoyed (my experience with TSAHC),” he said. “I wasn’t that familiar with this specific area, so I’ve learned a lot. It was definitely an eye-opener seeing the needs of Texans and also the process of these very large bond issues.”

The corporation currently has five board of directors and about 14 members on its professional staff.

“I am looking forward to serving as presiding officer,” Leeper said. “We have a good group of people to work with. The staff is great. They are people who really have a passion for what they’re doing.

“And Jerry Romero — he’s a great example to follow. He was a great chair.”

According to the TSAHC’s Web site, www.tsahc.org, Leeper is thought of as having been “active in his community with various organizations seeking to aid the local community and its citizens.”

        

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