Housing Appeals Board urges full funding; Senate panel puts most amendments on hold

The Housing Appeals Board urged the Senate Finance Committee not to cut its membership or funding as senators debated administrative attachment and staffing reductions that would shift functions to the Business and Taxation/BTLA panel.

David Rogers, chairman of the Housing Appeals Board, told the committee the board is "a little over 4 years old" and that, during his 14‑month tenure, "we have not had, during my tenure, a tie" and the board's three members have been unanimous. He said the board's statute requires a lawyer and a professional engineer and that the board performs technical work "that you're not going to get with a single judge." Rogers said the board submitted a letter opposing membership reduction and advocating for "full funding as per the governor's budget."

Senators debated several packet items: two items to restore the board as previously configured, and two items proposing administrative attachment to BTLA and conversion of one position from classified to unclassified. The chair proposed removing the two restoration items from the list and placing the administrative‑attachment proposals on hold so the boards can weigh in and the committee can refine statutory language. Senator Waters and others supported restoring the boards' existence in the budget while seeking the appropriate administrative form and cautioned against routing appeals to superior court because of capacity concerns.

After testimony from Rogers and discussion among senators, the committee voted to remove the two restoration items from the list and to keep the remaining housing/BTLA amendments on hold pending further review and possible reciprocal language allowing temporary borrowing of personnel between the boards. Senators said they want letters or testimony from both boards and additional time to draft workable amendments before further action.