110th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 427
To provide for additional section 8 vouchers, to reauthorize the
Public and Assisted Housing Drug Elimination Program, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 30, 2007
Mr. FEINGOLD introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
A BILL
To provide for additional section 8 vouchers, to reauthorize the
Public and Assisted Housing Drug Elimination Program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Affordable Housing Expansion and Public Safety
Act'.
SEC. 2. INCREASE IN INCREMENTAL SECTION 8 VOUCHERS.
(a) In General- In fiscal year 2008 and subject to renewal, the Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development shall provide an additional 100,000 incremental
vouchers for tenant-based rental housing assistance under section 8(o) of
the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)).
(b) Authorization of Appropriations-
(1) IN GENERAL- There are authorized to be appropriated $8,650,000,000
for the provision and renewal of the vouchers described in subsection
(a).
(2) AVAILABILITY- Any amount appropriated under paragraph (1) shall remain
available until expended.
(3) CARRYOVER- To the extent that any amounts appropriated for any fiscal
are not expended by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in
such fiscal year for purposes of subsection (a), any remaining amounts
shall be carried forward for use by the Secretary to renew the vouchers
described in subsection (a) in subsequent years.
(c) Distribution of Amounts-
(1) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS- The Secretary may not use more than $800,000,000
of the amounts authorized under paragraph (1) to cover the administrative
costs associated with the provision and renewal of the vouchers described
in subsection (a).
(2) VOUCHER COSTS- The Secretary shall use all remaining amounts authorized
under paragraph (1) to cover the costs of providing and renewing the vouchers
described in subsection (a).
SEC. 3. TARGETED EXPANSION OF HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP (HOME) PROGRAM.
(a) Purpose- The purposes of this section are as follows:
(1) To authorize additional funding under subtitle A of title II of the
Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12741 et
seq.), commonly referred to as the Home Investments Partnership (`HOME')
program, to provide dedicated funding for the expansion and preservation
of housing for extremely low-income individuals and families through eligible
uses of investment as defined in paragraphs (1) and (3) of section 212(a)
of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act.
(2) Such additional funding is intended to supplement the HOME funds already
allocated to a participating jurisdiction to provide additional assistance
in targeting resources to extremely low-income individuals and families.
(3) Such additional funding is not intended to be the only source of assistance
for extremely low-income individuals and families under the HOME program,
and participating jurisdictions shall continue to use non-set aside HOME
funds to provide assistance to such extremely low-income individuals and
families.
(b) Set Aside for Extremely Low-Income Individuals and Families-
(1) ELIGIBLE USE- Section 212(a) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable
Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12742(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(6) EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Each participating jurisdiction shall--
`(i) use funds provided under this subtitle to provide affordable
housing to individuals and families whose incomes do not exceed 30
percent of median family income for that jurisdiction; and
`(ii) ensure the use of such funds does not result in the concentration
of individuals and families assisted under this section into high-poverty
areas.
`(B) EXCEPTION- If a participating jurisdiction can certify to the Secretary
that such participating jurisdiction has met in its jurisdiction the
housing needs of extremely low-income individuals and families described
in subparagraph (A), such participating jurisdiction may use any remaining
funds provided under this subtitle for purposes of subparagraph (A)
to provide affordable housing to individuals and families whose incomes
do not exceed 50 percent of median family income for that jurisdiction.
`(C) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION- The Secretary shall notify each participating
jurisdiction receiving funds for purposes of this paragraph that use
of such funds, as required under subparagraph (A), does not exempt or
prevent that participating jurisdiction from using any other funds awarded
under this subtitle to provide affordable housing to extremely low-income
individuals and families.
`(D) RENTAL HOUSING- Notwithstanding section 215(a), housing that is
for rental shall qualify as affordable housing under this paragraph
only if such housing is occupied by extremely low-income individuals
or families who pay as a contribution toward rent (excluding any Federal
or State rental subsidy provided on behalf of the individual or family)
not more than 30 percent of the monthly adjusted income of such individual
or family, as determined by the Secretary.'.
(2) PRO RATA DISTRIBUTION- Section 217 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National
Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12747) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
`(e) Pro Rata Distribution for Extremely Low-Income Individuals and Families-
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, in any fiscal year the
Secretary shall allocate any funds specifically approved in an appropriations
Act to provide affordable housing to extremely low-income individuals or
families under section 212(a)(6), such funds shall be allocated to each
participating jurisdiction in an amount which bears the same ratio to such
amount as the amount such participating jurisdiction receives for such fiscal
year under this subtitle, not including any amounts allocated for any additional
set-asides specified in such appropriations Act for that fiscal year.'.
(3) CERTIFICATION- Section 226 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable
Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12756) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(1) IN GENERAL- Each participating jurisdiction shall certify on annual
basis to the Secretary that any funds used to provide affordable housing
to extremely low-income individuals or families under section 212(a)(6)
were actually used to assist such families.
`(2) CONTENT OF CERTIFICATION- Each certification required under paragraph
(1) shall--
`(A) state the number of extremely low-income individuals and families
assisted in the previous 12 months;
`(B) separate such extremely low-income individuals and families into
those individuals and families who were assisted by--
`(i) funds set aside specifically for such individuals and families
under section 212(a)(6); and
`(ii) any other funds awarded under this subtitle; and
`(C) describe the type of activities, including new construction, preservation,
and rehabilitation of housing, provided to such extremely low-income
individuals and families that were supported by--
`(i) funds set aside specifically for such individuals and families
under section 212(a)(6); and
`(ii) any other funds awarded under this subtitle.
`(3) INCLUSION WITH PERFORMANCE REPORT- The certification required under
paragraph (1) shall be included in the jurisdiction's annual performance
report submitted to the Secretary under section 108(a) and made available
to the public.'.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations- In addition to any other amounts authorized
to be appropriated under any other law or appropriations Act to carry out
the provisions of title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable
Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12701 et seq.), there are authorized to be appropriated
to carry out the provisions of this section $400,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2008 through 2012.
SEC. 4. PUBLIC AND ASSISTED HOUSING CRIME AND DRUG ELIMINATION PROGRAM.
(a) Title Change- The chapter heading of chapter 2 of subtitle C of title
V of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 11901 et seq.) is amended
to read as follows:
`CHAPTER 2--PUBLIC AND ASSISTED HOUSING CRIME AND DRUG ELIMINATION
PROGRAM'.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations-
(1) AMOUNTS AUTHORIZED- Section 5129(a) of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of
1988 (42 U.S.C. 11908(a)) is amended to read as follows:
`(a) In General- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this
chapter $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and
2012.'.
(2) SET ASIDE FOR THE OFFICE OF POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH- Section
5129 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 11908) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
`(d) Set Aside for the Office of Policy Development and Research- Of any
amounts made available in any fiscal year to carry out this chapter not
less than 2 percent shall be available to the Office of Policy Development
and Research to carry out the functions required under section 5130.'.
(c) Eligible Activities- Section 5124(a)(6) of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of
1988 (42 U.S.C. 11903(a)(6)) is amended by striking the semicolon and inserting
the following: `, except that the activities conducted under any such program
and paid for, in whole or in part, with grant funds awarded under this chapter
may only include--
`(A) providing access to treatment for drug abuse through rehabilitation
or relapse prevention;
`(B) providing education about the dangers and adverse consequences
of drug use or violent crime;
`(C) assisting drug users in discontinuing their drug use through an
education program, and, if appropriate, referring such users to a drug
treatment program;
`(D) providing after school activities for youths for the purpose of
discouraging, reducing, or eliminating drug use or violent crime by
youths;
`(E) providing capital improvements for the purpose of discouraging,
reducing, or eliminating drug use or violent crime; and
`(F) providing security services for the purpose of discouraging, reducing,
or eliminating drug use or violent crime.'.
(1) APPLICATION PLAN- Section 5125(a) of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988
(42 U.S.C. 11904(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following: `To
the maximum extent feasible, each plan submitted under this section shall
be developed in coordination with relevant local law enforcement agencies
and other local entities involved in crime prevention and reduction. Such
plan also shall include an agreement to work cooperatively with the Office
of Policy Development and Research in its efforts to carry out the functions
required under section 5130.'
(2) HUD REPORT- Section 5127 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C.
11906) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(d) Effectiveness Report- The Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress
not later than 4 years after the date of the enactment of the Affordable
Housing Expansion and Public Safety Act that includes--
`(1) aggregate data regarding the categories of program activities that
have been funded by grants under this chapter;
`(2) promising strategies related to preventing and reducing violent and
drug-related crime in public and federally assisted low-income housing
derived from--
`(A) a review of existing research; and
`(B) evaluations of programs funded by grants under this chapter that
were conducted by the Office of Policy Development and Review or by
the grantees themselves;
`(3) how the information gathered in paragraph (2) has been incorporated
into--
`(A) the guidance provided to applicants under this chapter; and
`(B) the implementing regulations under this chapter; and
`(4) any statutory changes that the Secretary would recommend to help
make grants awarded under this chapter more effective.'.
(3) OFFICE OF POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH REVIEW AND PLAN- Chapter
2 of subtitle C of title V of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C.
11901 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`SEC. 5130. OFFICE OF POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH REVIEW AND PLAN.
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Office of Policy Development and Research established
pursuant to section 501 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970
(12 U.S.C. 1701z-1) shall conduct a review of existing research relating
to preventing and reducing violent and drug-related crime to assess, using
scientifically rigorous and acceptable methods, which strategies--
`(A) have been found to be effective in preventing and reducing violent
and drug-related crimes; and
`(B) would be likely to be effective in preventing and reducing violent
and drug-related crimes in public and federally assisted low-income
housing environments.
`(2) REPORT- Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the
Affordable Housing Expansion and Public Safety Act, the Secretary shall
issue a written report with the results of the review required under paragraph
(1).
`(1) IN GENERAL- Upon completion of the review required under subsection
(a)(1), the Office of Policy Development and Research, in consultation
with housing authorities, social scientists, and other interested parties,
shall develop and implement a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of
strategies funded under this chapter, including new and innovative strategies
and existing strategies, that have not previously been subject to rigorous
evaluation methodologies.
`(2) METHODOLOGY- The plan described in paragraph (1) shall require such
evaluations to use rigorous methodologies, particularly random assignment
(where practicable), that are capable of producing scientifically valid
knowledge regarding which program activities are effective in preventing
and reducing violent and drug-related crime in public and other federally
assisted low-income housing.'.
SEC. 5. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE CREATION OF A NATIONAL AFFORDABLE
HOUSING TRUST FUND.
(a) Findings- Congress finds the following:
(1) Only 1 in 4 eligible households receives Federal rental assistance.
(2) The number of families facing severe housing cost burdens grew by
almost 2,000,0000 households between 2001 and 2004.
(3) 1 in 3 families spend more than 30 percent of their earnings on housing
costs.
(4) More than 75 percent of renter households with severe housing affordability
burdens are extremely low-income families.
(5) More than half of extremely low-income households pay at least half
of their income on housing.
(6) At least 500,000 Americans are homeless every day.
(7) 2,000,000 to 3,000,0000 Americans are homeless for various lengths
of time each year.
(8) It is estimated that the development of an average housing unit creates
on average more than 3 jobs and the development of an average multifamily
unit creates on average more than 1 job.
(9) It is estimated that over $80,000 is produced in government revenue
for an average single family unit built and over $30,000 is produced in
government revenue for an average multifamily unit built.
(10) The Bipartisan Millennial Housing Commission stated that `the most
serious housing problem in America is the mismatch between the number
of extremely low income renter households and the number of units available
to them with acceptable quality and affordable rents.'.
(b) Sense of the Senate- It is the sense of the Senate that--
(1) Congress shall create a national affordable housing trust fund with
the purpose of supplying 1,500,000 additional affordable housing units
over the next 10 years;
(2) such a trust fund shall contain sufficient income targeting to reflect
the housing affordability burdens faced by extremely low-income and very
low-income families; and
(3) such a trust fund shall contain enough flexibility to allow local
communities to produce, preserve, and rehabilitate affordable housing
units while ensuring that such affordable housing development fosters
the creation of healthy and sustainable communities.
SEC. 6. OFFSETS.
(a) Repeal of Multiyear Procurement Authority for F-22A Raptor Fighter Aircraft-
Effective as of October 17, 2006, section 134 of the John Warner National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Public Law 109-364), relating
to multiyear procurement authority for F-22A Raptor fighter aircraft, is
repealed.
(b) Advanced Research for Fossil Fuels- Notwithstanding any other provision
of law, the Secretary of Energy shall not carry out any program that conducts,
or provides assistance for, applied research for fossil fuels.
END
