(a) Short title.—This Act may be cited as the “Housing for the 21st Century Act”.

(b) Table of contents.—The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

(a) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) AFFORDABLE HOUSING.—The term “affordable housing” means housing for which the monthly payment is not more than 30 percent of the monthly income of the household.

(2) ASSISTANT SECRETARY.—The term “Assistant Secretary” means the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

(3) LOCAL ZONING FRAMEWORK.—The term “local zoning framework” means the local zoning codes and other ordinances, procedures, and policies governing zoning and land-use at the local level.

(4) SECRETARY.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

(5) STATE ZONING FRAMEWORK.—The term “State zoning framework” means the State legislation or State agency and department procedures, or such legislation or procedures in an insular area of the United States, enabling local planning and zoning authorities and establishing and guiding related policies and programs.

(b) GUIDELINES ON STATE AND LOCAL ZONING FRAMEWORKS.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall publish documents outlining guidelines and best practices to support production of adequate housing to meet the needs of communities and provide housing opportunities for individuals at every income level across communities with respect to—

(A) State zoning frameworks; and

(B) local zoning frameworks.

(2) CONSULTATION; PUBLIC COMMENT.—During the 2-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, in developing the guidelines and best practices required under paragraph (1), the Assistant Secretary shall—

(A) publish draft guidelines and best practices in the Federal Register for public comment; and

(B) establish a task force for the purpose of providing consultation to draft the guidelines and best practices published under subparagraph (A), the members of which shall include—

(i) urban planners and architects;

(ii) housing developers, including affordable and market-rate housing developers, manufactured housing developers, and other business interests;

(iii) community engagement experts and community members impacted by zoning decisions;

(iv) public housing agencies and transit authorities;

(v) members of local zoning and planning boards and local and regional transportation planning organizations;

(vi) State officials responsible for housing or land use, including members of State zoning boards of appeals;

(vii) academic researchers; and

(viii) home builders.

(3) CONTENTS.—The guidelines and best practices required under paragraph (1) shall—

(A) with respect to State zoning frameworks, outline potential models for updated State enabling legislation or State agency and department procedures;

(B) include recommendations regarding—

(i) the reduction or elimination of parking minimums;

(ii) the increase in maximum floor area ratio requirements and maximum building heights and the reduction in minimum lot sizes and set-back requirements;

(iii) the elimination of restrictions against accessory dwelling units;

(iv) increasing by-right uses, including duplex, triplex, or quadplex buildings, across cities or metropolitan areas;

(v) mechanisms, including proximity to transit, to determine the appropriate scope for rezoning and ensure development that does not disproportionately burden residents of economically distressed areas;

(vi) provisions regarding review of by-right development proposals to streamline review and reduce uncertainty, including—

(I) nondiscretionary, ministerial review; and

(II) entitlement and design review processes;

(vii) the reduction of obstacles, regulatory or otherwise, to a range of housing types at all levels of affordability, including manufactured and modular housing;

(viii) State model zoning regulations for directing local reforms, including mechanisms to encourage adoption;

(ix) provisions to encourage transit-oriented development, including increased permissible units per structure and reduced minimum lot sizes near existing or planned public transit stations;

(x) potential reforms to strengthen the public engagement process;

(xi) reforms to protest petition statutes;

(xii) the standardization, reduction, or elimination of impact fees;

(xiii) cost effective and appropriate building codes;

(xiv) models for community benefit agreements;

(xv) mechanisms to preserve affordability, limit disruption of low-income communities, and prevent displacement of existing residents;

(xvi) with respect to State zoning frameworks—

(I) State model codes for directing local reforms, including mechanisms to encourage adoption;

(II) a model for a State zoning appeals process, which would—

(aa) create a process for developers or builders requesting a variance, conditional use, special permit, zoning district change, similar discretionary permit, or otherwise petitioning a local zoning or planning board for a project including a State-defined amount of affordable housing to appeal a rejection to a State body or regional body empowered by the State; and

(bb) establish qualifications for communities to be exempted from the appeals process based on their available stock of affordable housing; and

(III) streamlining of State environmental review policies;

(xvii) with respect to local zoning frameworks—

(I) the simplification and standardization of existing zoning codes;

(II) maximum review timelines;

(III) best practices for the disposition of land owned by local governments for affordable housing development;

(IV) differentiations between best practices for rural, suburban, and urban communities, and communities with different levels of density or population distribution; and

(V) streamlining of local environmental review policies; and

(xviii) other land use measures that promote access to new housing opportunities identified by the Secretary; and

(C) consider—

(i) the effects of adopting any recommendation on eligibility for Federal discretionary grants and tax credits for the purpose of housing or community development;

(ii) coordination between infrastructure investments and housing planning;

(iii) local housing needs, including ways to set and measure housing goals and targets;

(iv) a range of affordability for rental units, with a prioritization of units attainable to extremely low-, low-, and moderate-income residents;

(v) a range of affordability for homeownership;

(vi) accountability measures;

(vii) the long-term cost to residents and businesses if more housing is not constructed;

(viii) barriers to individuals seeking to access affordable housing in growing communities and communities with economic opportunity;

(ix) with respect to State zoning frameworks—

(I) distinctions between States providing constitutional or statutory home rule authority to municipalities and States operating under the Dillon Rule, as articulated in Hunter v. Pittsburgh, 207 U.S. 161 (1907); and

(II) statewide mechanisms to preserve existing affordability over the long term, including support for land banks and community land trusts; and

(x) public comments elicited under paragraph (2)(A); and (xi) other considerations, as identified by the Assistant Secretary.

(c) ABOLISHMENT OF THE REGULATORY BARRIERS CLEARINGHOUSE.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Regulatory Barriers Clearinghouse established pursuant to section 1205 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 12705d) is abolished.

(2) REPEAL.—Section 1205 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 12705d) is repealed.

(d) Reporting.—Not later than 5 years after the date on which the Assistant Secretary publishes the final guidelines and best practices for State and local zoning frameworks under this section, the Assistant Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report describing—

(1) the States that have adopted recommendations from the guidelines and best practices, pursuant to section 4 of this Act;

(2) a summary of the localities that have adopted recommendations from the guidelines and best practices, pursuant to Section 4 of this Act;

(3) a list of States that adopted a State zoning framework;

(4) a summary of the modifications that each State has made in their State zoning framework; and

(5) a general summary of the types of updates localities have made to their local zoning framework.

(a) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) AFFORDABLE HOUSING.—The term “affordable housing” means housing for which the total monthly housing cost payment is not more than 30 percent of the monthly household income for a household earning not more than 80 percent of the area median income.

(2) COVERED STRUCTURE.—The term “covered structure” means—

(A) a low-rise or mid-rise structure with not more than 25 dwelling units; and

(B) includes—

(i) an accessory dwelling unit;

(ii) infill development;

(iii) a duplex;

(iv) a triplex;

(v) a fourplex;

(vi) a cottage court;

(vii) a courtyard building;

(viii) a townhouse;

(ix) a multiplex; and

(x) any other structure with not less than 2 dwelling units that the Secretary considers appropriate.

(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term “eligible entity” means—

(A) a unit of general local government, as defined in section 102(a) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5302(a));

(B) a municipal membership organization; and

(C) an Indian tribe, as defined in section 102(a) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5302(a)).

(4) HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREA.—The term “high opportunity area” has the meaning given the term in section 1282.1 of title 12, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation.

(5) INFILL DEVELOPMENT.—The term “infill development” means residential development on small parcels in previously established areas for replacement by new or refurbished housing that utilizes existing utilities and infrastructure.

(6) MIXED-INCOME HOUSING.—The term “mixed-income housing” means a housing development that is comprised of housing units that promote differing levels of affordability in the community.

(7) PRE-REVIEWED DESIGNS.—The term “pre-reviewed designs”, also known as pattern books, means sets of construction plans that are assessed and approved by localities for compliance with local building and permitting standards to streamline and expedite approval pathways for housing construction.

(8) RURAL AREA.—The term “rural area” means any area other than a city or town that has a population of less than 50,000 inhabitants.

(9) SECRETARY.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

(b) Authority.—The Secretary may award grants to eligible entities to select pre-reviewed designs of covered structures of mixed-income housing for use in the jurisdiction of the eligible entity, except that such grant awards may not be used for construction, alteration, or repair work.

(c) Considerations.—In reviewing applications submitted by eligible entities for a grant under this section, the Secretary shall consider—

(1) the need for affordable housing by the eligible entity;

(2) the presence of high opportunity areas in the jurisdiction of the eligible entity;

(3) coordination between the eligible entity and a State agency; and

(4) coordination between the eligible entity and State, local, and regional transportation planning authorities.

(d) Set-Aside for rural areas.—Of the amount made available in each fiscal year for grants under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that not less than 10 percent shall be used for grants to eligible entities that are located in rural areas.

(e) Reports.—The Secretary shall require eligible entities receiving grants under this section to report on—

(1) the impacts of the activities carried out using the grant amounts in improving the production and supply of affordable housing;

(2) the pre-reviewed designs selected using the grant amounts in their communities;

(3) the number of permits issued for housing development utilizing pre-reviewed designs; and

(4) the number of housing units produced in developments utilizing the pre-reviewed designs.

(f) Availability of information.—The Secretary shall—

(1) to the extent possible, encourage localities to make publicly available through a website information on the pre-reviewed designs selected and submitted to the Secretary by eligible entities receiving grants under this section, including information on the benefits of use of those designs; and

(2) collect, identify, and disseminate best practices regarding such designs and make such information publicly available on the website of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

(g) Design adoption and repayment.—The Secretary may require an eligible entity to return to the Secretary any grant funds received under this section if the selected pre-reviewed designs submitted under this section have not been adopted during the 5-year period following receipt of the grant, unless that period is extended by the Secretary.

(a) In general.—Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall issue guidelines to provide States, territories, Tribes, and localities with model code language, best practices, and technical guidance that could be used to facilitate the permitting of point-access block residential buildings.

(b) Contents.—When developing the guidelines under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consider—

(1) fire safety considerations, including sprinkler coverage, smoke detection, ventilation, and building egress performance;

(2) construction costs and potential impacts on housing affordability, including the potential for increasing housing supply in high-cost jurisdictions;

(3) flexibility for diverse consumer needs, including family sizes, unit configurations, and accessibility;

(4) examples of single-stair codes adopted or considered by States and cities in the United States;

(5) examples single-stair codes used in relevant international standards;

(6) research and model language relating to single-stair codes produced by organizations that focus on point-access block building design and building-code reform;

(7) consulting with experts, including developers, architects, fire marshals, researchers, economists, housing authorities, and officials in States that have enacted or piloted single-stair codes; and

(8) alternative methods of safety compliance, including options that utilize additional passive or active safety features.

(c) Coordination with the International Code Council.—The Secretary shall coordinate with the International Code Council to encourage the International Code Council to incorporate provisions about point-access block buildings into the International Building Code.

(d) Grants.—The Secretary may award competitive grants to eligible entities to implement pilot projects that evaluate, demonstrate, or validate the safety, feasibility, or cost-effectiveness of point-access block residential buildings.

(e) Rule of construction.—Nothing in this section may be construed to preempt a State or local building code.

(f) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) POINT-ACCESS BLOCK BUILDING.—The term “point-access block building” means a Group R-2 occupancy residential structure, as such term is defined by the International Building Code, in which a single internal stairway provides access and egress for all dwelling units in a building that is not greater than 5 stories in height.

(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term “eligible entity” means a State, unit of local government, Tribal government, public housing agency, nonprofit housing organization, community development organization, private developer, construction firm, qualified design firm, engineering firm, academic institution, research institution, or any partnership or consortium comprised of 2 or more such types of entities.

(a) NEPA streamlining for HUD housing-Related activities.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall, in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, and section 103 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4333), expand and reclassify housing-related activities under the necessary administrative regulations as follows:

(A) The following housing-related activities shall be subject to regulations equivalent or substantially similar to the regulations entitled “exempt activities” as set forth in section 58.34 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on January 1, 2025:

(i) Tenant-based rental assistance, as defined in section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)).

(ii) Supportive services, including health care, housing services, permanent housing placement, day care, nutritional services, short-term payment for rent, mortgage, or utility costs, and assistance in gaining access to Federal Government and State and local government benefits and services.

(iii) Operating costs, including maintenance, security, operation, utilities, furnishings, equipment, supplies, staff training, and recruitment and other incidental costs.

(iv) Economic development activities, including equipment purchases, inventory financing, interest subsidies, operating expenses, and similar costs not associated with construction or expansion of existing operations.

(v) Activities to assist homebuyers to purchase existing dwelling units or dwelling units under construction, including closing costs and down payment assistance, interest rate buydowns, and similar activities that result in the transfer of title.

(vi) Affordable housing pre-development costs related to obtaining site options, project financing, administrative costs and fees for loan commitment, zoning approvals, and other related activities that do not have a physical impact.

(vii) Approval of supplemental assistance, including insurance or guarantee, to a project previously approved by the Secretary.

(viii) Emergency homeowner or renter assistance for HVAC, hot water heaters, and other necessary uses of existing utilities required under applicable law.

(B) The following housing-related activities shall be subject to regulations equivalent or substantially similar to the regulations entitled, (i) “categorical exclusions not subject to section 58.5” and (ii) “categorical exclusions not subject to the Federal laws and authorities cited in sections 50.4” in section 58.35(b) and section 50.19, respectively of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on January 1, 2025, if such activities do not materially alter environmental conditions and do not materially exceed the original scope of the project:

(i) Acquisition, repair, improvement, reconstruction, or rehabilitation of public facilities and improvements (other than buildings) if the facilities and improvements are in place and will be retained in the same use without change in size or capacity of more than 20 percent, including replacement of water or sewer lines, reconstruction of curbs and sidewalks, and repaving of streets.

(ii) Rehabilitation of 1-to-4 unit residential buildings, and existing housing-related infrastructure, such as repairs or rehabilitation of existing wells, septics, or utility lines that connect to that housing.

(iii) New construction, development, demolition, acquisition, or disposition on up to 4 scattered site existing dwelling units where there is a maximum of 4 units on any 1 site.

(iv) Acquisitions (including leasing) or disposition of, or equity loans on an existing structure, or acquisition (including leasing) of vacant land if the structure or land acquired, financed, or disposed of will be retained for the same use.

(C) The following housing-related activities shall be subject to regulations equivalent or substantially similar to the regulations entitled, (i) “categorical exclusions subject to section 58.5” and (ii) “categorical exclusions subject to the Federal laws and authorities cited in sections 50.4” in section 58.35(a) and section 50.20, respectively, of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on January 1, 2025, if such activities do not materially alter environmental conditions and do not materially exceed the original scope of the project:

(i) Acquisitions of open space or residential property, where such property will be retained for the same use or will be converted to open space to help residents relocate out of an area designated as a high-risk area by the Secretary.

(ii) Conversion of existing office buildings into residential development, subject to—

(I) a maximum number of units to be determined by the Secretary; and

(II) a limitation on the change in building size to not more than 20 percent.

(iii) New construction, development, demolition, acquisition, or disposition on 5 to 15 dwelling units where there is a maximum of fifteen units on any 1 site. The units can be 15 1-unit buildings or 1 15-unit building, or any combination in between.

(iv) New construction, development, demolition, acquisition, or disposition on 15 or more housing units developed on scattered sites when there are not more than 15 housing units on any 1 site, and the sites are more than a set number of feet apart as determined by the Secretary.

(v) Rehabilitation of buildings and improvements in the case of a building for residential use with 5 to 15 units, if the density is not increased beyond 15 units and the land use is not changed.

(vi) Infill projects consisting of new construction, rehabilitation, or development of residential housing units.

(vii) Buyouts, defined as the voluntary acquisition of properties located in a—

(I) floodway;

(II) floodplain; or

(III) other area, clearly delineated by the grantee, that has been impacted by a predictable environmental threat to the safety and wellbeing of program beneficiaries caused or exacerbated by a Federally declared disaster.

(2) REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives annual reports during the 5-year period beginning on the date that is 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act that provide a summary of findings of reductions in review times and administrative cost reduction, with a particular focus on the affordable housing sector, as a result of the actions set forth in this subsection, and any recommendations of the Secretary for future congressional action with respect to revising categorical exclusions or exemptions under title 24, Code of Federal Regulations.

(b) Better Use of Intergovernmental and Local Development for Housing.—

(1) DESIGNATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCEDURE.—The Department of Housing and Urban Development Act (42 U.S.C. 3531 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 12 (42 U.S.C. 3537a) the following:

(2) TRIBAL ASSUMPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OBLIGATIONS.—Section 305(c) of the Multifamily Housing Property Disposition Reform Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 3547) is amended—

(A) by striking “State or unit of general local government” each place it appears and inserting “State, Indian Tribe, or unit of general local government”;

(B) in paragraph (1)(C), in the heading, by striking “State or unit of general local government” and inserting “State, Indian Tribe, or unit of general local government”; and

(C) by adding at the end the following:

“(5) DEFINITION OF INDIAN TRIBE.—For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘Indian Tribe’ means a federally recognized tribe, as defined in section 4(13)(B) of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103(13)(B)).”.

(c) Infill project defined.—In this section, the term “infill project” means a project that—

(1) occurs within the geographic limits of a municipality;

(2) is adequately served by existing utilities and public services as required under applicable law;

(3) is located on a site of previously disturbed land of not more than 5 acres and substantially surrounded by residential or commercial development;

(4) will repurpose a vacant or underutilized parcel of land, or a dilapidated or abandoned structure; and

(5) will serve a residential or commercial purpose.

(a) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of Agriculture shall enter into a memorandum of understanding to—

(1) evaluate categorical exclusions (as defined in section 111 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4336e)) for housing projects funded by amounts from the Department of the Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture;

(2) develop a process to designate a lead agency among the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture and streamline the adoption of environmental impact statements and environmental assessments approved by the other agency to construct housing projects funded by amounts from both agencies;

(3) maintain compliance with environmental regulations under part 58 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on January 1, 2025; and

(4) evaluate the feasibility of a joint physical inspection process for housing projects funded by amounts from the Department of the Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture.

(b) Advisory working group.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of Agriculture shall establish an advisory working group for the purpose of consulting on the implementation of the memorandum of understanding entered into under subsection (a).

(2) MEMBERS.—The advisory working group established under paragraph (1) shall consist of rural and non-rural stakeholders, including—

(A) affordable housing nonprofit organizations;

(B) State housing and housing finance agencies;

(C) nonprofit and for-profit home builders and housing developers;

(D) property management companies;

(E) owners of multifamily properties, including nonprofit and for-profit owners and operators;

(F) public housing agencies;

(G) residents in housing assisted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development or the Department of Agriculture and representatives of those residents; and

(H) housing contract administrators.

(c) Report.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report that includes recommendations for legislative, regulatory, or administrative actions—

(1) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of housing projects funded by amounts from the Department of the Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture; and

(2) that do not materially, with respect to residents of housing projects described in paragraph (1)—

(A) reduce the safety of those residents;

(B) shift long-term costs onto those residents; or

(C) undermine the environmental standards of those residents.

(a) In general.—Title II of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1707 et seq.) is amended—

(1) in section 206A (12 U.S.C. 1712a)—

(A) in subsection (a), in the matter following paragraph (7), by striking “(commencing in 2004” and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the following: “, commencing on January 1, 2026. The adjustment of the Dollar Amounts shall be calculated by the Secretary using the percentage change in the Price Deflator Index of Multifamily Residential Units Under Construction released by the Bureau of the Census from March of the previous year to March of the year in which the adjustment is made, or calculated by the Secretary using an alternative indicator after publishing information about such alternative indicator in the Federal Register for public comment if the Price Deflator Index of Multifamily Residential Units Under Construction is not available or published.”;

(B) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

“(b) Rounding.—The dollar amount of any adjustment described in subsection (a) shall be rounded to the next lower dollar.

“(c) Publication.—The Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register any adjustments made to the Dollar Amounts.”;

(2) in section 207(c)(3)(A) (12 U.S.C. 1713(c)(3)(A))—

(A) by striking “$38,025” and inserting “$167,310”;

(B) by striking “$42,120” and inserting “$185,328”;

(C) by striking “$50,310” and inserting “$221,364”;

(D) by striking “$62,010” and inserting “$272,844”;

(E) by striking “$70,200” and inserting “$308,880”;

(F) by striking “, or not to exceed $17,460 per space”;

(G) by striking “$43,875” and inserting “$193,050”;

(H) by striking “$49,140” and inserting “$216,216”;

(I) by striking “$60,255” and inserting “$265,122”;

(J) by striking “$75,465” and inserting “$332,046”; and

(K) by striking “$85,328” and inserting “$375,443”;

(3) in section 213(b)(2) (12 U.S.C. 1715e(b)(2))—

(A) by striking “$41,207” and inserting “$181,311”;

(B) by striking “$47,511” and inserting “$209,048”;

(C) by striking “$57,300” and inserting “$252,120”;

(D) by striking “$73,343” and inserting “$322,709”;

(E) by striking “$81,708” and inserting “$359,515”;

(F) by striking “$43,875” and inserting “$193,050”;

(G) by striking “$49,710” and inserting “$218,724”;

(H) by striking “$60,446” and inserting “$265,962”;

(I) by striking “$78,197” and inserting “$344,067”; and

(J) by striking “$85,836” and inserting “$377,678”;

(4) in section 220(d)(3)(B)(iii)(I) (12 U.S.C. 1715k(d)(3)(B)(iii)(I))—

(A) by striking “$38,025” and inserting “$167,310”;

(B) by striking “$42,120” and inserting “$185,328”;

(C) by striking “$50,310” and inserting “$221,364”;

(D) by striking “$62,010” and inserting “$272,844”;

(E) by striking “$70,200” and inserting “$308,880”;

(F) by striking “$43,875” and inserting “$193,050”;

(G) by striking “$49,140” and inserting “$216,216”;

(H) by striking “$60,255” and inserting “$265,122”;

(I) by striking “$75,465” and inserting “$332,046”; and

(J) by striking “$85,328” and inserting “$375,443”;

(5) in section 221(d)(4)(ii)(I) (12 U.S.C. 1715l(d)(4)(ii)(I))—

(A) by striking “$37,843” and inserting “$166,509”;

(B) by striking “$42,954” and inserting “$188,997”;

(C) by striking “$51,920” and inserting “$228,448”;

(D) by striking “$65,169” and inserting “$286,744”;

(E) by striking “$73,846” and inserting “$324,922”;

(F) by striking “$40,876” and inserting “$179,854”;

(G) by striking “$46,859” and inserting “$206,180”;

(H) by striking “$56,979” and inserting “$250,708”;

(I) by striking “$73,710” and inserting “$324,324”; and

(J) by striking “$80,913” and inserting “$356,017”;

(6) in section 231(c)(2)(A) (12 U.S.C. 1715v(c)(2)(A))—

(A) by striking “$35,978” and inserting “$166,509”;

(B) by striking “$40,220” and inserting “$188,997”;

(C) by striking “$48,029” and inserting “$228,448”;

(D) by striking “$57,798” and inserting “$286,744”;

(E) by striking “$67,950” and inserting “$324,922”;

(F) by striking “$40,876” and inserting “$179,854”;

(G) by striking “$46,859” and inserting “$206,180”;

(H) by striking “$56,979” and inserting “$250,708”;

(I) by striking “$73,710” and inserting “$324,324”; and

(J) by striking “$80,913” and inserting “$356,017”; and

(7) in section 234(e)(3)(A) (12 U.S.C. 1715y(e)(3)(A))—

(A) by striking “$42,048” and inserting “$185,011”;

(B) by striking “$48,481” and inserting “$213,316”;

(C) by striking “$58,469” and inserting “$257,263”;

(D) by striking “$74,840” and inserting “$329,296”;

(E) by striking “$83,375” and inserting “$366,850”;

(F) by striking “$44,250” and inserting “$194,700”;

(G) by striking “$50,724” and inserting “$223,186”;

(H) by striking “$61,680” and inserting “$271,392”;

(I) by striking “$79,793” and inserting “$351,089”; and

(J) by striking “$87,588” and inserting “$385,387”.

(b) Rule of construction.—Nothing in this section or the amendments made by this section may be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to revise the statutory exceptions for high-cost percentage and high-cost areas annual indexing.

(a) Workforce housing study.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study and submit to the Congress a report that—

(A) identifies obstacles middle-income households face when looking to secure affordable housing;

(B) identifies geographic areas where housing is the most unaffordable and unavailable for middle-income households;

(C) includes a list of Federal housing programs, including Federal tax credits, grants, and loan programs, that are not available to middle-income households due to their income status, including Federal housing programs designed to promote affordability;

(D) recommends income and other parameters for a clear and consistent Federal definition for the term “workforce housing” for use when describing the segment of housing that could be made available to such middle-income households in Federal housing programs; and

(E) analyzes how to modify or newly develop new Federal housing programs and incentives to include “workforce housing” if funding commensurate with the additional eligibility were to be made available.

(2) MIDDLE-INCOME HOUSEHOLD DEFINED.—In this subsection, the term “middle income household” means a household with an income above 80 percent but that does not exceed 120 percent of the median family income of the area, as determined by the Secretary with adjustments for smaller and larger families.

(b) Uniform building code study.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study and submit a report to the Congress that examines the costs and benefits that could be associated with establishing a Federal uniform residential building code, including whether such a code could—

(1) reduce the amount of time required for units of local government to approve new construction;

(2) reduce the cost of residential construction in the United States; or

(3) increase the quality of available and affordable residential housing in the United States.

(a) In general.—Section 104 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12704) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (6)(B), by striking “significant”; and

(2) by adding at end the following new paragraph:

“(26) The term ‘infill housing project’ means a residential housing project that—

“(A) is located within the geographic limits of a municipality;

“(B) is adequately served by existing utilities and public services as required under applicable law;

“(C) is located on a site of previously disturbed land of not more than 5 acres; and

“(D) is substantially surrounded by residential or commercial development, as determined by the Secretary.”.

(b) Assistance for low-Income families.—Title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12721 et seq.) is amended—

(1) in section 214(2), by striking “households that qualify as low-income families” and inserting “families with a household income that does not exceed 100 percent of the median family income of the area, as determined by the Secretary”;

(2) in section 215—

(A) in subsection (b)(2), by striking “whose family qualifies as a low-income family” and inserting “with a family income that does not exceed 100 percent of the median family income of the area as determined by the Secretary with adjustments for smaller and larger families”; and

(B) in subsection (b)(3)(A)(ii), by striking “low-income homebuyers” and inserting “homebuyers with a household income that does not exceed 100 percent of the median family income of the area, as determined by the Secretary with adjustments for smaller and larger families”; and

(3) in section 271(c)—

(A) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking “low-income” and inserting “families with a household income that does not exceed 100 percent of the median family income of the area as determined by the Secretary with adjustments for smaller and larger families”; and

(B) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking “low-income families” and inserting “families with a household income that does not exceed 100 percent of the median family income of the area as determined by the Secretary with adjustments for smaller and larger families”.

(c) Choices made by participating jurisdictions.—Section 212(a)(2) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12742) is amended to read as follows:

“(2) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may not restrict a participating jurisdiction’s choice of rehabilitation, substantial rehabilitation, new construction, reconstruction, acquisition, or other eligible housing uses authorized in paragraph (1) unless such restriction is explicitly authorized under section 223(2).”.

(d) Use of amounts by certain jurisdictions for infrastructure improvements.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 212(a) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12742(a)) is amended by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:

“(4) INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN NONENTITLEMENT AREAS.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—A participating jurisdiction may use funds provided under this subtitle for infrastructure improvements, including the installation or repair of water and sewer lines, sidewalks, roads, and utility connections if—

“(i) such participating jurisdiction does not receive assistance under title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974; and

“(ii) such improvements are directly related to, and located within or immediately adjacent to—

“(I) housing assisted under this subtitle; or

“(II) housing assisted under section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

“(B) APPLICATION OF LABOR STANDARDS.—The labor standards and requirements set forth in section 110 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5310) shall apply to any infrastructure improvement conducted using funds provided under this subtitle.

“(C) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this paragraph may be construed to impose any requirements of the HOME Investment Partnerships program on housing that benefits from an infrastructure improvement conducted using funds provided under this subtitle but was not otherwise assisted under the HOME Investment Partnerships program.”.

(2) RULEMAKING.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue rules to carry out the amendment made by paragraph (1).

(e) Per unit investment limitations.—Section 212(e)(1) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12742(e)(1)) is amended by striking the second sentence.

(f) Affordable rental housing qualifications.—Section 215(a) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12745(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(7) QUALIFICATION EXCEPTION.—Notwithstanding paragraph (1)(A), a rental unit shall be considered to qualify as affordable housing under this title if—

“(A) the unit is occupied by a tenant receiving tenant-based rental assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f);

“(B) the tenant’s contribution toward rent does not exceed the amount permitted under such section 8 assistance; and

“(C) the total rent for the unit does not exceed the amount approved by the public housing agency administering the assistance under that program.”.

(g) Affordable homeownership housing qualifications.—Section 215 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12745(b)) is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking “95 percent” and inserting “110 percent”;

(B) in paragraph (3)—

(i) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking “or” at the end;

(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking “and” at the end and inserting “or”; and

(iii) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

“(C) maintain long-term affordability through a shared equity ownership model, a community land trust, a limited equity cooperative, a community development corporation, or other mechanism approved by the Secretary, that preserves affordability for future eligible homebuyers and ensures compliance with the purposes of this title, including through the use of purchase options, rights of first refusal or other preemptive rights to purchase housing; and”; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

“(c) Qualification exceptions for homeownership.—

“(1) MILITARY MEMBERS.—A participating jurisdiction, in accordance with terms established by the Secretary, may suspend or waive the income qualifications described in subsection (b)(2) with respect to housing that otherwise meets the criteria described in subsection (b) if the owner of the housing—

“(A) is a member of a regular component of the armed forces or a member of the National Guard on full-time National Guard duty, active Guard and Reserve duty, or inactive-duty training (as those terms are defined in section 101(d) of title 10, United States Code); and

“(B) has received—

“(i) temporary duty orders to deploy with a military unit or military orders to deploy as an individual acting in support of a military operation, to a location that is not within a reasonable distance from the housing, as determined by the Secretary, for a period of not less than 90 days; or

“(ii) orders for a permanent change of station.

“(2) HEIRS AND BENEFICIARIES OF DECEASED OWNERS.—Housing that meets the criteria described in subsection (b)(3) prior to the death of an owner of such housing shall continue to qualify as affordable housing under this title if—

“(A) the housing is the principal residence of an heir or beneficiary of the deceased owner, as defined by the Secretary; and

“(B) the heir or beneficiary, in accordance with terms established by the Secretary, assumes the duties and obligations of the deceased owner with respect to funds provided under this title.”.

(h) Elimination of expiration of right To draw home investment trust funds.—Section 218 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12748) is amended—

(1) by striking subsection (g); and

(2) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (g).

(i) Adjusted recapture and reuse of set-Aside for community housing developmental organizations.—Section 231(b) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12771(b)) is amended to read as follows:

“(b) Recapture and reuse.—If any funds reserved under subsection (a) remain uninvested for a period of 24 months, the Secretary shall make such funds available to the participating jurisdiction for any eligible activities under title II of this Act without regard to whether a community housing development organization materially participates in the use of such funds.”.

(j) Asset recycling information dissemination expansion.—Section 245(b)(2) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12785(b)(2)) is amended by striking “95 percent” and inserting “110 percent”.

(k) Environmental review requirements.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 288 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12838) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(e) Categorical exemptions.—The following categories of activities carried out under this title shall be statutorily exempt from environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and shall not require further review under such Act—

“(1) new construction infill housing projects;

“(2) acquisition of real property for affordable housing purposes;

“(3) rehabilitation projects carried out pursuant to section 212(a)(1); and

“(4) new construction projects of 15 units or less.

“(f) Removing duplicative reviews.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—To the extent practicable and permitted by law, the Secretary shall ensure that a project that has undergone an environmental review under this section shall not be subject to a duplicative environmental review solely due to the addition, substitution, or reallocation of other sources of Federal assistance, if the scope, scale, and location of the project remain substantially unchanged.

“(2) COORDINATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Secretary shall, by regulation, provide for coordination of environmental review responsibilities with other Federal agencies to streamline inter-agency compliance and avoid unnecessary duplication of effort under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and other applicable laws.

“(3) RECOGNITION OF PRIOR REVIEWS BY RESPONSIBLE ENTITIES.—A project may not be subject to an environmental review under this section if a substantially similar review has already been completed by an entity designated under section 104(g)(1) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5304(g)(1)) or by another entity the Secretary determines to have equivalent authority, if the scope, scale, and location of the project remain substantially unchanged.”.

(2) RULEMAKING.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue such rules as the Secretary determines necessary to carry out the amendment made by this subsection.

(l) Application of other specified statutory requirements.—Title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12721 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new sections:

(m) Technical amendments.—The Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12701 et seq.) is amended—

(1) by striking “Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act” each place it appears and inserting “McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act”; and

(2) by striking “Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs” each place it appears and inserting “Committee on Financial Services”.

(a) Identifying Regulatory Barriers to Housing Supply.—Section 104 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5304) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(n) Plan To track and reduce overly burdensome land use policies.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—Beginning 1 year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, prior to receipt in any fiscal year of a grant from the Secretary under subsection (b), (d)(1), or (d)(2)(B) of section 106, each recipient shall have prepared and submitted, not less frequently than once during the preceding 5-year period, a description of—

“(A) whether the jurisdiction served by the recipient has adopted any of the types of land use policies described in paragraph (2) during the preceding 5-year period;

“(B) the plans the jurisdiction served by the recipient has to adopt and implement any of the types of land use policies described in paragraph (2); and

“(C) any ways in which the jurisdiction served by the recipient expects the planned adoption of any of the types of land use policies described in paragraph (2) would benefit the jurisdiction.

“(2) TYPES OF LAND USE POLICIES.—The types of policies to be considered for the purposes of the submission of information required under paragraph (1) include the following:

“(A) Expanding by-right multifamily zoned areas.

“(B) Allowing duplexes, triplexes, or fourplexes in areas zoned primarily for single-family residential homes.

“(C) Allowing manufactured homes in areas zoned primarily for single-family residential homes.

“(D) Allowing multifamily development in retail, office, and light manufacturing zones.

“(E) Allowing single-room occupancy development wherever multifamily housing is allowed.

“(F) Reducing minimum lot size.

“(G) Ensuring historic preservation requirements and other land use policies or requirements are coordinated to encourage creation of housing in historic buildings and historic districts.

“(H) Increasing the allowable floor area ratio by allowing a higher ratio of total floor area in a building in comparison to its lot size.

“(I) Creating transit-oriented development zones.

“(J) Streamlining or shortening permitting processes and timelines, including through one-stop and parallel-process permitting.

“(K) Eliminating or reducing off-street parking requirements.

“(L) Ensuring impact and utility investment fees accurately reflect required infrastructure needs and related impacts on housing affordability are otherwise mitigated.

“(M) Allowing off-site construction, including prefabricated construction.

“(N) Reducing or eliminating minimum unit square footage requirements.

“(O) Allowing the conversion of office units to apartments.

“(P) Allowing the subdivision of single-family homes into duplexes.

“(Q) Allowing accessory dwelling units, including detached accessory dwelling units, on all lots with single-family homes.

“(R) Establishing density bonuses.

“(S) Eliminating or relaxing residential property height limitations.

“(T) Using property tax abatements to enable higher density and mixed-income communities.

“(U) Donating vacant land for affordable housing development.

“(V) Enacting other relevant high-density single-family and multifamily zoning policies that the recipient chooses to report.

“(3) EFFECT OF SUBMISSION.—A submission under this subsection shall not be binding with respect to the use or distribution of amounts received under section 106.

“(4) ACCEPTANCE OR NONACCEPTANCE OF PLAN.—The acceptance or nonacceptance of any plan submitted under this subsection in which the information required under this subsection is provided may not be considered an endorsement or approval of the plan, policies, or methodologies, or lack thereof.

“(5) PROHIBITION ON USE OF INFORMATION FOR ENFORCEMENT.—Information provided by a recipient to the Secretary under this subsection may not be used as the basis for any enforcement action.”.

(b) Addition of affordable housing construction as an eligible activity.—

(1) ELIGIBLE ACTIVITY.—Section 105(a) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5305(a)) is amended—

(A) in paragraph (25)(D), by striking “and” at the end;

(B) in paragraph (26), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

“(27) the new construction of affordable housing, within the meaning given such term under section 215 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12745).”.

(2) LOW AND MODERATE INCOME REQUIREMENT.—Section 105(c)(3) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5305(c)(3)) is amended by striking “or rehabilitation” and inserting “, rehabilitation, or new construction”.

(3) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this subsection shall apply with respect only to amounts appropriated after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(c) Databases of publicly owned land.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 104(b) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5304(b)) is amended—

(A) in paragraph (5), by striking “and” at the end;

(B) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(C) by adding at the end the following:

“(7) the grantee maintains, on a publicly accessible website, a searchable database that identifies all parcels of undeveloped land owned by the grantee.”.

(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this subsection shall take effect on October 1, 2026.

(a) Planning grants.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment if this section, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall, using selection criteria determined by the Secretary, award grants on a competitive basis to regional planning agencies or consortia to use to assist planning activities with respect to affordable housing, including—

(1) the development of housing plans;

(2) the substantial improvement of State or local housing strategies;

(3) the development of new regulatory requirements and processes;

(4) the reforming of zoning codes;

(5) increasing the capacity to conduct housing inspections;

(6) increasing the capacity to reduce barriers to housing supply elasticity and housing affordability;

(7) the development of local or regional plans for community development; and

(8) the substantial improvement of community development strategies, including strategies designed to—

(A) increase the availability of affordable housing and access to affordable housing;

(B) increase access to public transportation; and

(C) advance sustainable or location-efficient community development goals.

(b) Implementation and livable community investment grants.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment if this section, the Secretary shall award implementation grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to use to—

(A) implement and administer housing strategies and housing plans;

(B) fund any community investments that support goals identified in a housing strategy or housing plan;

(C) implement and administer regulatory requirements and processes with respect to reformed zoning codes;

(D) increase the capacity to conduct housing inspections;

(E) increase the capacity to reduce barriers to housing supply elasticity and housing affordability;

(F) implement and administer local or regional plans for community development; and

(G) fund any planning to increase—

(i) the availability of affordable housing and access to affordable housing;

(ii) access to public transportation; and

(iii) any location-efficient community development goals.

(2) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection:

(A) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term “eligible entity” means a State, insular area, metropolitan city, or urban county, as such terms are defined in section 102 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.

(B) HOUSING PLAN.—The term “housing plan” means a plan to, with respect to an area within the jurisdiction of an eligible entity—

(i) increase the amount of available housing to meet the demand for such housing and any projected increase in the demand for such housing;

(ii) increase the affordability of housing;

(iii) increase the accessibility of housing for people with disabilities, including location-efficient housing;

(iv) preserve or improve the quality of housing;

(v) reduce barriers to housing development; and

(vi) coordinate with transportation-related agencies.

(C) HOUSING STRATEGY.—The term “housing strategy” means a housing strategy required under section 105 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act.

(c) Coordination.—To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall coordinate with the Federal Transit Administrator in carrying out this section.

(d) Use for administrative costs.—Any entity that receives a grant under this section may not use more than 15 percent of such grant amounts for administrative costs.

(e) Rules of construction.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as otherwise provided by this section, amounts appropriated or otherwise made available under this section shall be subject to the community development block grant program requirements under subsection (a)(1).

(2) EXCEPTIONS.—

(A) HOUSING CONSTRUCTION.—Expenditures on new construction of housing shall be an eligible expense under this section.

(B) BUILDINGS FOR GENERAL CONDUCT OF GOVERNMENT.—Expenditures on building for the general conduct of government, other than the Federal Government, shall be eligible under this section when necessary and appropriate as a part of a natural hazard mitigation project.

(a) In general.—Section 504(a) of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1474(a)) is amended—

(1) in the first sentence, by inserting “and may make a loan to an eligible low-income applicant” after “applicant”;

(2) by inserting “Not less than 60 percent of loan funds made available under this section shall be reserved and made available for very low-income applicants.” after the first sentence; and

(3) by striking “$7,500” and inserting “$15,000”.

(b) Annual report on rural housing programs.—Title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.), as amended by this section, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(c) Application review.—

(1) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the Congress, not later than 90 days after the date on which the Secretary of Agriculture receives an application for a loan, grant or combined loan and grant under section 502 or 504 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472, 1474), the Secretary of Agriculture should—

(A) review the application;

(B) complete the underwriting;

(C) make a determination of eligibility with respect to the application; and

(D) notify the applicant of determination.

(2) REPORT.—

(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until the date described in subparagraph (B), the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report that—

(i) details the timeliness of eligibility determinations and final determinations with respect to applications under section 502 and 504 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472, 1474), including justifications for any eligibility determinations taking longer than 90 days; and

(ii) includes recommendations to shorten the timeline for notifications of eligibility determinations described in subparagraph (A) to not more than 90 days.

(B) DATE DESCRIBED.—The date described in this paragraph is the date on which, during the preceding 5-year period, the Secretary of Agriculture provides each eligibility determination described in subparagraph (A) during the 90-day period beginning on the date on which each application is received.

(d) GAO report on Rural Housing Service technology.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Congress a report that includes—

(1) an analysis of how the outdated technology used by the Rural Housing Service impacts participants in the programs of the Rural Housing Service;

(2) an estimate of the amount of funding that is needed to modernize the technology used by the Rural Housing Service; and

(3) an estimate of the number and type of new employees the Rural Housing Service needs to modernize the technology used by the Rural Housing Service.

(a) Pre-Approval of units.—Section 8(o)(8)(A) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(8)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(iv) INITIAL INSPECTION PRIOR TO LEASE AGREEMENT.—

“(I) DEFINITION.—In this clause, the term ‘new landlord’ means an owner of a dwelling unit who has not previously entered into a housing assistance payment contract with a public housing agency under this subsection for any dwelling unit.

“(II) EARLY INSPECTION.—Upon the request of a new landlord, a public housing agency may inspect the dwelling unit owned by the new landlord to determine whether the unit meets the housing quality standards under subparagraph (B) before the unit is selected by a family assisted under this subsection.

“(III) EFFECT.—An inspection conducted under subclause (II) that determines that the dwelling unit meets the housing quality standards under subparagraph (B) shall satisfy the requirements in this subparagraph and subparagraph (C) if the new landlord enters into a lease agreement with a family assisted under this subsection not later than 60 days after the date of the inspection.

“(IV) INFORMATION WHEN FAMILY IS SELECTED.—When a public housing agency selects a family to participate in the tenant-based assistance program under this subsection, the public housing agency shall include in the information provided to the family a list of dwelling units that have been inspected under subclause (II) and determined to meet the housing quality standards under subparagraph (B).”.

(b) Satisfaction of inspection requirements through participation in other housing programs.—Section 8(o)(8) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(8)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(I) SATISFACTION OF INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN OTHER HOUSING PROGRAMS.—

“(i) LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT-FINANCED BUILDINGS.—A dwelling unit shall be deemed to meet the inspection requirements under this paragraph if—

“(I) the dwelling unit is in a building, the acquisition, rehabilitation, or construction of which was financed by a person who received a low-income housing tax credit under section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in exchange for that financing;

“(II) the dwelling unit was physically inspected and passed inspection as part of the low-income housing tax credit program described in subclause (I) during the preceding 12-month period; and

“(III) the applicable public housing agency is able to obtain the results of the inspection described in subclause (II).

“(ii) HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM.—A dwelling shall be deemed to meet the inspection requirements under this paragraph if—

“(I) the dwelling unit is assisted under the HOME Investment Partnerships Program under title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act;

“(II) the dwelling unit was physically inspected and passed inspection as part of the program described in subclause (I) during the preceding 12-month period; and

“(III) the applicable public housing agency is able to obtain the results of the inspection described in subclause (II).

“(iii) RURAL HOUSING SERVICE.—A dwelling unit shall be deemed to meet the inspection requirements under this paragraph if—

“(I) the dwelling unit is assisted by the Rural Housing Service of the Department of Agriculture;

“(II) the dwelling unit was physically inspected and passed inspection in connection with the assistance described in subclause (I) during the preceding 12-month period; and

“(III) the applicable public housing agency is able to obtain the results of the inspection described in subclause (II).

“(iv) REMOTE OR VIDEO INSPECTIONS.—When complying with inspection requirements for a housing unit located in a rural or small area using assistance under this subtitle, the Secretary may allow a grantee to conduct a remote or video inspection of a unit provided that the remote or video inspection—

“(I) covers a substantially similar review of the relevant aspects of the unit compared to an in-person inspection;

“(II) does not misrepresent the condition of the unit; and

“(III) provides the information necessary to fully and accurately evaluate the conditions of the unit to ensure that the unit meets the applicable standards.

“(v) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in clause (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) may be construed to affect the operation of a housing program described in, or authorized under a provision of law described in, that clause.”.

(a) In general.—Section 603(6) of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5402(6)) is amended by striking “on a permanent chassis” and inserting “with or without a permanent chassis”.

(b) Standards for manufactured homes built without a permanent chassis.—Section 604(a) of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5403) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(7) STANDARDS FOR MANUFACTURED HOMES BUILT WITHOUT A PERMANENT CHASSIS.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall issue revised standards for manufactured homes built without a permanent chassis and shall consult with the consensus committee in the development of such revised standards, using the process described in paragraph (4).

“(B) CREATING FINAL STANDARDS.—The Secretary shall, after consulting and conferring with the consensus committee, establish standards to include manufactured homes without a permanent chassis have—

“(i) a distinct label to be issued by the Secretary distinguishing manufactured homes built without a permanent chassis from manufactured homes built on a permanent chassis;

“(ii) a data plate, as described in section 3280.5 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, distinguishing manufactured homes built without a permanent chassis from manufactured homes built on a permanent chassis; and

“(iii) a notation on any invoice produced by the manufacturer of a manufactured home that is distinguishable from the invoice for a manufactured home constructed with a permanent chassis.”.

(c) Manufactured home standards and certifications.—Section 604 of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5403) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(i) Manufactured home standards and certifications.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—

“(A) INITIAL CERTIFICATION.—Subject to subparagraph (B), not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this subsection, a State shall submit to the Secretary an initial certification that the laws and regulations of the State—

“(i) treat a manufactured home without a chassis in parity with a manufactured home (as defined and regulated by the State); and

“(ii) subject a manufactured home without a permanent chassis to the same laws and regulations of the State as a manufactured home built on a permanent chassis with respect to financing, title, insurance, manufacture, sale, taxes, transportation, installation, and other areas as the Secretary determines, after consultation with and approval by the consensus committee, are necessary to give effect to the purpose of this section.

“(B) STATE PLAN SUBMISSION.—Any State plan submitted under subparagraph (C) shall contain the required State certification under subparagraph (A) or paragraph (3) and, if contained therein, no additional or State certification under subparagraph (A) or paragraph (3).

“(C) EXTENDED DEADLINE.—With respect to a State with a legislature that meets biennially, the deadline for the submission of the initial certification required under subparagraph (A) shall be 2 years after the date of enactment of this subsection.

“(D) LATE CERTIFICATION.—

“(i) NO WAIVER.—The Secretary may not waive the prohibition described in paragraph (5)(B) with respect to a certification submitted after the deadline under subparagraph (A) or paragraph (3) unless the Secretary approves the late certification.

“(ii) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prevent a State from submitting the initial certification required under subparagraph (A) after the required deadline under that subparagraph.

“(2) FORM OF STATE CERTIFICATION NOT PRESENTED IN A STATE PLAN.—The initial certification required under paragraph (1)(A), if not submitted with a State plan under paragraph (1)(B), shall contain, in a form prescribed by the Secretary, an attestation by an official that the State has taken the steps necessary to ensure the veracity of the certification required under paragraph (1)(A), including, as necessary, by—

“(A) amending the definition of ‘manufactured home’ in the laws and regulations of the State; and

“(B) directing State agencies to amend the definition of ‘manufactured home’ in regulations.

“(3) ANNUAL RECERTIFICATION.—Not later than a date to be determined by the Secretary each year, a State shall submit to the Secretary an additional certification that—

“(A) confirms the accuracy of the initial certification submitted under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1); and

“(B) certifies that any new laws or regulations enacted or adopted by the State since the date of the previous certification do not change the veracity of the initial certification submitted under paragraph (1)(A).

“(4) LIST.—The Secretary shall publish and maintain in the Federal Register and on the website of the Department of Housing and Urban Development a list of States that are up-to-date with the submission of initial and subsequent certifications required under this subsection.

“(5) PROHIBITION.—

“(A) DEFINITION.—In this paragraph, the term ‘covered manufactured home’ means a home that is—

“(i) not considered a manufactured home under the laws and regulations of a State because the home is constructed without a permanent chassis;

“(ii) considered a manufactured home under the definition of the term in section 603; and

“(iii) constructed after the date of enactment of this subsection.

“(B) BUILDING, INSTALLATION, AND SALE.—If a State does not submit a certification under paragraph (1)(A) or paragraph (3) by the date on which those certifications are required to be submitted—

“(i) with respect to a State in which the State administers the installation of manufactured homes, the State shall prohibit the manufacture, installation, or sale of a covered manufactured home within the State; and

“(ii) with respect to a State in which the Secretary administers the installation of manufactured homes, the State and the Secretary shall prohibit the manufacture, installation, or sale of a covered manufactured home within the State.”.

(d) Other Federal laws regulating manufactured homes.—The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may coordinate with the heads of other Federal agencies to ensure that Federal agencies treat a manufactured home (as defined in Federal laws and regulations other than section 603 of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5402)) in the same manner as a manufactured home (as defined in section 603 of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5402), as amended by this Act).

(e) Assistance to States.—Section 609 of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5408) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking “and” at the end;

(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(3) model guidance to support the submission of the certification required under section 604(i).”.

(f) Preemption.—Nothing in this section or the amendments made by this section may be construed as limiting the scope of Federal preemption under section 604(d) of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5403(d)).

(g) Primary authority To establish manufactured home construction and safety standards.—The National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5401 et seq.) is further amended—

(1) in section 603(7), by inserting “energy efficiency,” after “design,”; and

(2) in section 604, by adding at the end the following:

“(j) Primary authority To establish standards.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall have the primary authority to establish Federal manufactured home construction and safety standards.

“(2) APPROVAL FROM SECRETARY.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—The head of any Federal agency that seeks to establish a manufactured home construction and safety standard on or after the date of the enactment of this subsection—

“(i) shall submit to the Secretary a proposal describing such standard; and

“(ii) may not establish such standard without approval from the Secretary.

“(B) REJECTION OF STANDARDS.—The Secretary shall reject a standard submitted to the Secretary for approval under subparagraph (A)—

“(i) if the standard would significantly increase the cost of producing manufactured homes, as determined by the Secretary;

“(ii) if the standard would conflict with existing manufactured home construction and safety standards established by the Secretary; or

“(iii) for any other reason as determined appropriate by the Secretary.

“(C) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this subsection may be construed to require the Secretary to establish new or revised Federal manufactured home construction and safety standards.”.

(a) In general.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report about small-dollar mortgages that—

(1) provides a proposal for a pilot program, to last not longer than 4 years, to increase access for individuals to small-dollar mortgages insured or guaranteed by the Secretary under title II of the National Housing Act to be established by the Federal Housing Administration that may include—

(A) authorizing direct payments to lenders to incentivize the origination of small-dollar mortgages;

(B) adjustments to the terms and costs the Federal Housing Administration requires with respect to such small-dollar mortgages;

(C) providing direct grants for mortgagors obtaining such small-dollar mortgages to cover costs associated with—

(i) down payments;

(ii) closing costs;

(iii) appraisals; and

(iv) title insurance; and

(D) technical assistance for lenders and financial institutions that originate such small-dollar mortgages and outreach to borrowers about the availability of such small-dollar mortgages;

(2) provides a detailed analysis and projections about—

(A) a methodology for tracking and evaluating the outcomes of small-dollar mortgages insured or guaranteed by the Secretary under title II of the National Housing Act to which access is provided through the pilot program, including the financial impact of such loans on the economic status of the mortgagors associated with such small-dollar mortgages;

(B) potential risks of pilot program to the solvency of the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund;

(C) the amount of appropriations required to cover the costs associated with insuring, guaranteeing, and modifying small-dollar mortgages over the length of the pilot program; and

(D) the amount of appropriations necessary for the Secretary to administer and oversee the pilot program, including amounts to be used for information technology, financial reporting, research and evaluations, fair housing and fair lending compliance, audits, and for such other activities the Secretary determines necessary to increase access to small-dollar mortgages; and

(3) includes data and analysis relating to small-dollar mortgages, including—

(A) the number of small-dollar mortgages originated in the 10-year period preceding the date of the enactment of this section, including small-dollar mortgages insured or guaranteed by the Federal Government and small-dollar mortgages not insured by the Federal Government;

(B) the original principal balance of each small-dollar mortgage identified under subparagraph (A);

(C) demographic information about the mortgagors associated with each such small-dollar mortgages;

(D) the number of financial institutions that offer small-dollar mortgages;

(E) a description of the fixed costs that are associated with mortgages and the impact of such costs on the ability of lenders to earn a market rate return on small-dollar mortgages; and

(F) analysis by regions of the United States, including rural regions, that identifies regions with the greatest need for, and the highest likelihood of, the origination of small-dollar mortgages and regions that could benefit the most from increased availability of small-dollar mortgages.

(b) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) SMALL-DOLLAR MORTGAGE DEFINED.—The term “small-dollar mortgage” means a mortgage that—

(A) has an original principal balance of $100,000 or less; and

(B) is secured by a 1- to 4-unit property that is the principal residence of the mortgagor.

(2) SECRETARY.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

(a) In general.—Section 3(b)(4)(B) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(4)(B)) is amended—

(1) by redesignating clauses (iv) and (v) as clauses (vi) and (vii), respectively; and

(2) by inserting after clause (iii) the following:

“(iv) with respect to the supported housing program under section 8(o)(19), any disability benefits received under chapter 11 or chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code, received by a veteran, except that this exclusion may not apply to the definition of adjusted income;

“(v) with respect to any household receiving rental assistance under the supported housing program under section 8(o)(19) as it relates to eligibility for other types of housing assistance, any disability benefits received under chapter 11 or chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code, received by a veteran, except that this exclusion may not apply to the definition of adjusted income;”.

(b) Service-Connected disability compensation.—Section 102(a)(20) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5302(a)(20)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(C) SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY COMPENSATION.—When determining whether a person is a person of low and moderate income, a person of low income, or a person of moderate income under this paragraph, a State, unit of general local government, or Indian tribe shall exclude any service-connected disability compensation received by such person from the Department of Veterans Affairs.”.

(c) Treatment of certain disability benefits.—When determining the eligibility of a veteran to rent a residential dwelling unit constructed on Department property on or after the date of the enactment of this Act, for which assistance is provided as part of a housing assistance program administered by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and not yet in existence at the time of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall exclude from income any disability benefits received under chapter 11 or chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code, by such person.

(d) Report.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall, not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, submit to the Congress a report that—

(1) examines how service-connected disability compensation is treated for the purposes of determining eligibility for all programs administered by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;

(2) identifies any instances where service-connected disability compensation is treated in a manner inconsistent with the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b); and

(3) with respect to each program administered by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in which service-connected disability compensation is treated inconsistently, provides legislative recommendations relating to how such program could better serve veteran populations, and under-served communities.

(e) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) SECRETARY.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

(2) DEPARTMENT PROPERTY.—The term “Department property” has the meaning given the term in section 901 of title 38, United States Code.

(a) In general.—Subpart A of part 2 of the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 4541 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(b) GAO study.—Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study and submit to the Congress a report on whether or not less than 80 percent of lenders using the Uniform Residential Loan Application have included on that form the disclaimer required under section 1329 of the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992, as added by subsection (a).

(a) Memorandum of understanding.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a memorandum of understanding, or other appropriate interagency agreement, to share relevant housing-related research and market data that facilitates evidence-based policymaking.

(b) Interagency report.—

(1) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services, the Committee on Agriculture, and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report that describes opportunities for increased collaboration between the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve efficiencies in housing programs.

(2) PUBLICATION.—The report required under paragraph (1) shall, prior to submission, be published in the Federal Register and open for comment for a period of 30 days.

Title I of the of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(a) In general.—Section 106 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701x) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(4)(C), by striking “adequate distribution” and all that follows through “foreclosure rates” and inserting “that the recipients are geographically diverse and include organizations that serve urban or rural areas”;

(2) in subsection (e), by adding at the end the following:

“(6) PERFORMANCE REVIEW.—The Secretary—

“(A) may conduct periodic on-site reviews; and

“(B) shall conduct performance reviews of all participating agencies that—

“(i) consist of a review of the participating agency’s compliance with all program requirements; and

“(ii) may take into account the agency’s aggregate counselor performance under paragraph (7)(B).

“(7) CONSIDERATIONS.—

“(A) COVERED MORTGAGE LOAN DEFINED.—In this paragraph, the term ‘covered mortgage loan’ means any loan which is secured by a first or subordinate lien on residential real property (including individual units of condominiums and cooperatives) designed principally for the occupancy of between 1 and 4 families that is—

“(i) insured by the Federal Housing Administration under title II of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1707 et seq.); or

“(ii) guaranteed under section 184 or 184A of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 1715z–13a, 1715z–13b).

“(B) COMPARISON.—For each counselor employed by an organization receiving assistance under this section for pre-purchase housing counseling, the Secretary may consider the performance of the counselor compared to the default rate of all counseled borrowers of a covered mortgage loan in comparable markets and such other factors as the Secretary determines appropriate to further the purposes of this section.

“(8) CERTIFICATION.—If, based on the comparison required under paragraph (7)(B), the Secretary determines that a counselor lacks competence to provide counseling in the areas described in subsection (e)(2) and such action will not create a significant loss of capacity for housing counseling services in the service area, the Secretary may—

“(A) require continued education coupled with successful completion of a probationary period;

“(B) require retesting if the counselor continues to demonstrate a lack of competence under paragraph (7)(B); and

“(C) permanently suspend an individual certification if a counselor fails to demonstrate competence after not fewer than 2 retesting opportunities under subparagraph (B).”;

(3) in subsection (i)—

(A) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and

(B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:

“(3) TERMINATION OF ASSISTANCE.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may deny renewal of covered assistance to an organization or entity receiving covered assistance if the Secretary determines that the organization or entity, or the individual through which the organization or entity provides counseling, is not in compliance with program requirements—

“(i) based on the performance review described in subsection (e)(6); and

“(ii) in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary.

“(B) NOTICE.—The Secretary shall give an organization or entity receiving covered assistance not less than 60 days prior written notice of any denial of renewal under this paragraph, and the determination of renewal shall not be finalized until the end of that notice period.

“(C) INFORMAL CONFERENCE.—If requested in writing by the organization or entity within the notice period described in subparagraph (B), the organization or entity shall be entitled to an informal conference with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Housing Counseling on behalf of the Secretary at which the organization or entity may present for consideration specific factors that the organization or entity believes were beyond the control of the organization or entity and that caused the failure to comply with program requirements, such as a lack of lender or servicer coordination or communication with housing counseling agencies and individual counselors.”; and

(4) by adding at the end the following:

“(j) Offering foreclosure mitigation counseling.—

“(1) COVERED MORTGAGE LOAN DEFINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘covered mortgage loan’ means any loan which is secured by a first or subordinate lien on residential real property (including individual units of condominiums and housing cooperatives) or stock or membership in a cooperative ownership housing corporation designed principally for the occupancy of between 1 and 4 families that is—

“(A) insured by the Federal Housing Administration under title II of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1707 et seq.);

“(B) guaranteed under section 184 or 184A of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 1715z–13a, 1715z–13b);

“(C) made, guaranteed, or insured by the Department of Veterans Affairs; or

“(D) made, guaranteed, or insured by the Department of Agriculture.

“(2) OPPORTUNITY FOR BORROWERS.—A borrower with respect to a covered mortgage loan who is 30 days or more delinquent on payments for the covered mortgage loan shall be given an opportunity to participate in available housing counseling.

“(3) COST.—If the requirements of sections 202(a)(3) and 205(f) of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1708(a)(3), 1711(f)) are met, the fair market rate cost of counseling for delinquent borrowers described in paragraph (2) with respect to a covered mortgage loan described in paragraph (1)(A) shall be paid for by the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund, as authorized under section 203(r)(4) of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1709(r)(4)).”.

(a) In general.—The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall, not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, establish a helpline to provide tenants of covered federally assisted rental dwelling units with counseling, resources, and referrals to available assistance relating to eviction-related matters.

(b) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) ASSISTANCE.—The term “assistance” means any grant, loan, subsidy, contract, cooperative agreement, or other form of financial assistance, but such term does not include the insurance or guarantee of a loan, mortgage, or pool of loans or mortgages.

(2) COVERED FEDERALLY ASSISTED RENTAL DWELLING UNIT.—The term “covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit” means a residential dwelling unit that—

(A) is made available for rental; and

(B) (i) for which assistance is provided, or that is part of a housing project for which assistance is provided, under any program administered by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, including—

(I) the public housing program under the United States Housing Act of 1937 21 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.);

(II) the program for rental assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f);

(III) the HOME Investment Partnerships program under title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12721 et seq.);

(IV) title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11360 et seq.);

(V) the Housing Trust Fund program under section 1338 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 4568);

(VI) the program for supportive housing for the elderly under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q);

(VII) the program for supportive housing for persons with disabilities under section 811 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 8013);

(VIII) the AIDS Housing Opportunities program under subtitle D of title VIII of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12901 et seq.);

(IX) the program for Native American housing under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.); and

(X) the program for housing assistance for Native Hawaiians under title VIII of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 7 (25 U.S.C. 4221 et seq.); or

(ii) is a property, or is on or in a property, that has a federally backed mortgage loan or federally backed multifamily mortgage loan, as 11 such terms are defined in section 4024(a) of the CARES Act (15 U.S.C. 9058(a)).

(a) In general.—The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall establish a temperature sensor 3-year pilot program to provide grants to public housing agencies and owners of covered federally assisted rental dwelling units to install and test the efficacy of temperature sensors in residential dwelling units to ensure such units remain in compliance with temperature requirements.

(b) Eligibility.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, establish eligibility criteria for participation in the pilot program established pursuant to subsection (a).

(2) CRITERIA.—In establishing the eligibility criteria described in paragraph (a), the Secretary shall ensure—

(A) the pilot program includes a diverse range of participants that represent different geographic regions, climate regions, unit sizes and types of housing; and

(B) that the functionality of the temperature sensors that will be installed and tested using amounts awarded under this section, including internet connectivity requirements.

(c) Installation.—Each public housing agency or owner of a covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit that receives 1 or more temperature sensors under this section shall, after receiving written permission from the resident of a dwelling unit, install such temperature sensor and monitor the data from such temperature sensor.

(d) Collection of complaint records.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Each public housing agency or owner of a covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit that receives 1 or more temperature sensors under this section shall collect and retain information about temperature-related complaints and violations.

(2) DEFINITIONS.—The Secretary shall, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, define the terms temperature-related complaints and temperature-related violations for the purposes of this section.

(e) Data collection.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Data collected from temperature sensors provided to public housing agencies and owners of covered federally assisted rental dwelling units under this section shall be retained until the Secretary notifies the public housing agency or owner that the pilot program and the evaluation of the pilot program are complete.

(2) PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION.—The Secretary shall, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, establish standards for the protection of personally identifiably information collected during the pilot program by public housing agencies, owners of federally assisted rental dwelling units, and the Secretary.

(f) Pilot program evaluation.—

(1) INTERIM EVALUATION.—Not later than 12 months after the establishment of the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall publicly publish and submit to the Congress a report that—

(A) examines the number of temperature-related complaints and violations in Federally assisted rental dwelling units with temperature sensors, disaggregated by temperature sensor technology and climate region—

(i) that occurred before the installation of such sensor, if known; and

(ii) that occurred after the installation of such sensor; and

(B) identifies any barriers to full utility of temperature sensor capabilities, including broadband internet access and tenant participation.

(2) FINAL EVALUATION.—Not later than 36 months after the conclusion of the pilot program established by the Secretary under this section, the Secretary shall publicly publish and submit to the Congress a report that—

(A) examines the number of temperature-related complaints and violations in federally assisted rental dwelling units with temperature sensors, disaggregated by temperature sensor technology and climate region—

(i) that occurred before the installation of such sensor; and

(ii) that occurred after the installation of such sensor;

(B) identifies any barriers to full utility of temperature sensor capabilities, including broadband internet access and tenant participation; and

(C) compare the utility of various temperature sensor technologies based on—

(i) climate zones;

(ii) cost;

(iii) features; and

(iv) any other factors identified by the Secretary.

(g) Definitions.—For the purposes of this section:

(1) TEMPERATURE SENSOR.—The term “temperature sensor” means an internet capable temperature reporting device able to measure ambient air temperature to the tenth degree Fahrenheit and Celsius.

(2) COVERED FEDERALLY ASSISTED HOUSING.—The term “covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit” means a residential dwelling unit that is made available for rental and for which assistance is provided, or that is part of a housing project for which assistance is provided, under—

(A) the program for project-based rental assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f);

(B) the public housing program under the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.);

(C) the program for supportive housing for the elderly under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q); or

(D) the program for supportive housing for persons with disabilities under section 811 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 8013).

(3) OWNER.—The term “owner” means—

(A) with respect to the program for project-based rental assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f), any private person or entity, including a cooperative, an agency of the Federal Government, or a public housing agency, having the legal right to lease or sublease dwelling units;

(B) with respect to public housing program under the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.), a public housing agency or an owner entity of public housing units as defined in section 905.108 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations;

(C) with respect to the program for supportive housing for the elderly under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q), a private nonprofit organization as defined under section 202(k)(4) of the Housing Act of 1959; and

(D) with respect to the program for supportive housing for persons with disabilities under section 811 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 8013), a private nonprofit organization as defined under section 811(k)(5) of section 811 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act.

(a) Report to Congress.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this act, the Comptroller General of the United States carry out a study and submit to the Congress a report that identifies options to remove barriers and improve housing for persons who are elderly or disabled, including any potential impacts of providing capital advances for—

(1) the program for supportive housing for the elderly under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959; and

(2) the program for supportive housing for persons with disabilities under section 811 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act.

(b) GAO study To determine proximity of housing to Superfund sites.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall carry out a study and submit to the Congress a report that identifies how many residential dwelling units, and how many dwelling units that are a part of public housing (as such term is defined in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(B))), are located less than one mile from a site that is included on the National Priorities List established pursuant to section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9605).

Section 7 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act (42 U.S.C. 3535) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

“(u) Annual testimony.—The Secretary shall appear before the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate at an annual hearing and present testimony regarding the operations of the Department during the preceding year, including—

“(1) the current programs and operations of the Department;

“(2) the physical condition of all public housing and other housing assisted by the Department;

“(3) the financial health of the mortgage insurance funds of the Federal Housing Agency;

“(4) oversight by the Department of grantees and sub-grantees for purposes of preventing waste, fraud, and abuse;

“(5) the progress made by the Federal Government in ending the affordable housing and homelessness crises;

“(6) the capacity of the Department to deliver on its statutory mission; and

“(7) other ongoing activities of the Department, as appropriate.”.

The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall, not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, require each public housing agency (as such term is defined in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b))) to publicly disclose, on the website of the public housing agency, with respect to each contract entered into by such public housing agency in the preceding year the following:

(1) All material information about the contract, including the goods and service provided.

(2) The vendor selected to receive the contract.

(3) The date of the solicitation of the contract.

(4) The bids and quotes solicited.

(5) The name of official who solicited the contract.

(a) Investigation.—The Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development shall conduct an investigation of the New York City Housing Authority, which shall include—

(1) the status of the New York City Housing Authority’s compliance with the agreement entered into between the New York City Housing Authority, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the City of New York on January 31, 2019, including specific areas of deficiency and progress towards compliance;

(2) a review of actions taken by the monitor of the New York City Housing Authority pursuant to such Agreement, including any gaps in oversight by the Monitor;

(3) a survey of the physical conditions of housing provided by the New York City Housing Authority for residents of the City of New York;

(4) an examination of any waste, fraud, abuse and violations of Federal law committed by employees or contractors of the New York City Housing Authority; and

(5) information on other issues and areas, as deemed necessary and appropriate by the Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

(b) Report.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development shall provide to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate a report that includes—

(1) the results of the investigation conducted under subsection (a);

(2) a summary of actions that the Department of Housing and Urban Development may take to compel the New York City Housing Authority to remedy any deficiencies; and

(3) any other recommendations of the Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Not later than October 1 of each year, any Federal monitor or receiver that has provided oversight of a public housing agency (as such term is defined in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b))) in the previous year shall appear before the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and present testimony on the ongoing management and oversight activities of the public housing agency by the Federal monitor or receiver.

Section 203(a) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11313(a)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (12) by striking “and” at the end;

(2) in paragraph (13) striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(14) testify annually before the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate.”.