[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5733 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5733
To establish a competitive grant program at the Department of Housing
and Urban Development to support the construction, preservation, or
rehabilitation of affordable workforce housing in areas with shortages
of affordable housing units for sale, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 26, 2023
Ms. Slotkin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Financial Services
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A BILL
To establish a competitive grant program at the Department of Housing
and Urban Development to support the construction, preservation, or
rehabilitation of affordable workforce housing in areas with shortages
of affordable housing units for sale, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Workforce Housing Development Act''.
SEC. 2. COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Affordable.--The term ``affordable'', with respect to a
workforce housing unit, means that the total housing costs for
the unit do not exceed 30 percent of the income of the buyer of
the workforce housing unit.
(2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban
Affairs of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Financial Services of the
House of Representatives.
(3) Dwelling.--The term ``dwelling'' means any building,
structure, or portion thereof that is occupied as, or designed
or intended for occupancy as, a residence by 1 or more
individuals.
(4) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a State or unit of local government;
(B) a nonprofit housing developer;
(C) an agency or instrumentality of a State;
(D) a public housing agency;
(E) a community development financial institution,
as defined in section 103 of the Community Development
Banking and Financial Institutions Act of 1994 (12
U.S.C. 4702);
(F) a resident-owned community; and
(G) any other entity that supports housing
development, as determined by the Secretary.
(5) First-time homebuyer.--The term ``first-time
homebuyer'' has the meaning given the term in section 104 of
the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42
U.S.C. 12704).
(6) Nonprofit housing developer.--The term ``nonprofit
housing developer'' means a nonprofit organization having as
one of its principal purposes the creation, development, or
preservation of housing, including a subsidiary of a public
housing agency.
(7) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the grant program
established under this section.
(8) Public housing agency; state.--The terms ``public
housing agency'' and ``State'' have the meanings given those
terms in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937
(42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)).
(9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development.
(10) Total housing costs.--The term ``total housing costs''
means mortgage principal and interest, taxes, and insurance.
(11) Workforce housing unit.--The term ``workforce housing
unit'' means a 1- to 4-unit dwelling--
(A) that is the primary residence of the buyer;
(B) in which none of the units are rented; and
(C) that is affordable to buyers with incomes of
not more than 100 percent of the area median income.
(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a competitive
grant program to award grants to eligible entities to increase the
supply of affordable workforce housing units.
(c) Use of Funds.--A recipient of a grant under the Program shall
use grant funds for the construction, preservation, or rehabilitation
of workforce housing units, which shall remain affordable for a period
of not less than 5 years from the sale of the workforce housing unit.
(d) Application and Selection Process.--
(1) Application.--An eligible entity desiring a grant under
the Program shall submit to the Secretary an application at
such time, in such manner, and containing--
(A) a description of the construction,
preservation, or rehabilitation projects to be
supported by the grant; and
(B) any additional information as the Secretary may
require.
(2) Selection of grantees.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary shall establish
criteria to award grants under the Program on a
competitive basis, which may include consideration of
whether--
(i) the median price of workforce housing
units in the area to be served by the grant is
increasing;
(ii) the supply of available workforce
housing units in the area to be served by the
grant is decreasing; and
(iii) whether employers in the area to be
served by the grant are struggling to recruit
employees due to the lack of affordable housing
options.
(B) Priority.--The Secretary shall prioritize
awarding grants to eligible entities that demonstrate a
lack of affordable workforce housing units in the area
to be served by the grant.
(e) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the
implementation of the Program, which shall include--
(1) a list of grant recipients and the amount awarded to
each grant recipient;
(2) a description of the projects assisted using grant
funds, including the number of affordable workforce housing
units created, preserved, and rehabilitated under the Program;
(3) a description of the households that purchased homes
assisted under the Program, including the number of first-time
homebuyers; and
(4) any other metrics that the Secretary determines
necessary.
(f) Workforce Housing Development Fund.--
(1) In general.--There is established in the Treasury a
fund to be known as the ``Workforce Housing Development Fund''
to carry out the Program.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated and deposited into the fund established
under paragraph (1) such sums as may be necessary for fiscal
year 2024 and each fiscal year thereafter.
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