[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9378 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9378
To direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the
Administrator of the General Services Administration to establish
programs for the development of affordable housing, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 16, 2024
Mr. Ryan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the
Administrator of the General Services Administration to establish
programs for the development of affordable housing, 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 ``Pro-Housing Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. LOCAL HOUSING POLICY GRANT AND LOAN PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) Planning Grants.--Beginning not later than 120 days after the
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall award grants
on a competitive basis to eligible entities for the purpose of
developing and evaluating housing policy plans.
(b) Implementation Grants.--Beginning not later than 120 days after
the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall award
grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities for the purpose of
implementing housing policy plans.
(c) Direct Loans.--
(1) In general.--Beginning not later than 120 days after
the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall
provide direct loans to eligible entities for the purpose of
implementing housing policy plans.
(2) Terms and limitations.--
(A) In general.--A direct loan provided under this
section shall be subject to such terms and conditions
as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(B) Interest rate.--The interest rate on a direct
loan provided under this section shall be less than the
yield on United States Treasury obligations of a
similar maturity to the maturity of the direct loan on
the date of execution of the loan agreement, at a rate
determined by the Secretary, for the purpose of
providing low-cost credit to eligible entities.
(d) Rural and Exurban Area Minimum.--The Secretary shall provide
not less than 20 percent of the amounts awarded or loaned under this
section to eligible entities that plan to use them to assist an area
that is rural or exurban, as determined by the Secretary in
consultation the Director of the United States Census Bureau.
(e) Applications.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity seeking a planning
grant, implementation grant, or direct loan provided under this
section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the
Secretary may require.
(2) Priority.--In awarding a planning grant, implementation
grant, or direct loan provided under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that--
(A) have developed or are likely to develop a
housing policy plan that will--
(i) improve housing supply, affordability,
and accessibility for all individuals of every
race and income level;
(ii) reduce barriers to affordable housing
development; and
(iii) avoid the displacement of residents
by new housing developments in the area under
the jurisdiction of the eligible entity;
(B) in developing or implementing a housing policy
plan, intend to leverage and efficiently use amounts
from--
(i) another Federal, State, or local
assistance program relating to housing; or
(ii) a private funding source;
(C) intend to--
(i) increase the supply and affordability
of housing that is located--
(I) near local transit options; and
(II) in areas in which a
significant or expanding supply of jobs
or demand for employment is
concentrated;
(ii) coordinate with local transportation
and workforce agencies in accomplishing the
increase described in clause (i);
(iii) leverage existing infrastructure by
rehabilitating or converting existing
properties when developing or implementing a
housing policy plan; and
(iv) where appropriate, coordinate policy
development for, and analysis and
implementation of, the housing policy plan of
the eligible entity at a regional scale to
achieve a more equitable distribution of
affordable housing across jurisdictional
boundaries; or
(D) are a coalition of States or political
subdivisions of States.
(3) Scoring.--The Secretary shall base the degree of
priority given to an eligible entity that satisfies 1 or more
subparagraphs under paragraph (2) on a scoring system
established by the Secretary.
(f) Matching Requirement for Grants.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity that receives a
planning grant or implementation grant shall contribute non-
Federal amounts for developing or implementing a housing policy
plan financed using amounts provided in such grant in the
following amounts:
(A) If the area under the jurisdiction of an
eligible entity has a population of 15,000 or fewer,
the eligible entity shall provide non-Federal
contributions in an amount equal to 15 percent of the
amount of the grant.
(B) If the area under the jurisdiction of an
eligible entity has a population between 15,001 and
30,000, the eligible entity shall provide non-Federal
contributions in an amount equal to 25 percent of the
amount of the grant.
(C) If the area under the jurisdiction of an
eligible entity has a population between 30,001 and
40,000, the eligible entity shall provide non-Federal
contributions in an amount equal to 35 percent of the
amount of the grant.
(D) If the area under the jurisdiction of an
eligible entity has a population between 40,001 and
70,000, the eligible entity shall provide non-Federal
contributions in an amount equal to 45 percent of the
amount of the grant.
(E) If the area under the jurisdiction of an
eligible entity has a population of 70,001 or more, the
eligible entity shall provide non-Federal contributions
in an amount equal to 45 percent of the amount of the
grant.
(2) Eligible matching amounts.--If an eligible entity uses
amounts provided by the Federal Government not under this
section to develop or implement a housing policy plan for which
the eligible entity also receives a grant under this section,
any non-Federal contribution made by the eligible entity as
part of that Federal assistance program shall be counted
towards the requirements under paragraph (1).
(3) Reduced matching requirement.--Based on the available
resources of an eligible entity, the Secretary may, at the
discretion of the Secretary, reduce the amount of non-Federal
contributions required to be provided by the eligible entity
under paragraphs (1) and (2).
(g) Use of Funds.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity that receives a
planning grant, implementation grant, or direct loan provided
under this section shall use a portion of the amounts from such
grant or loan to submit the report required under subsection
(j)(1).
(2) Planning grants.--An eligible entity that receives a
planning grant shall use amounts from such grant to finance
activities to develop and evaluate a housing policy plan for
the area under the jurisdiction of the eligible entity,
including--
(A) quantifying existing and projected housing
needs for households of every income level, including
extremely low-income families, as defined in section
3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42
U.S.C. 1437a(b));
(B) documenting the characteristics of--
(i) the housing in the area;
(ii) the households of the area, including
cost-burdened households; and
(iii) housing underproduction in the area;
(C) developing strategies to increase the housing
supply and the variety of housing types in the area to
satisfy the housing needs of the population of the
area;
(D) analyzing population and employment trends in
the area and documenting projections of those trends;
(E) considering strategies to minimize displacement
of low-income families, as defined in section 3(b) of
the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437a(b)), as a result of redevelopment in the area;
(F) providing for participation and input from
community members, community groups, local builders,
local realtors, nonprofit housing advocates, and local
religious groups; and
(G) creating a schedule of programs and actions to
implement the recommendations of the housing policy
plan, including a plan for adopting actions through a
local implementing ordinance or another regulatory
process, such as a land use plan or a comprehensive
plan.
(h) Housing Policy Plan Guidance.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue
guidance that includes recommended policies, strategies, and
reforms for eligible entities to adopt in housing policy plans
to--
(A) improve the elasticity of housing supply;
(B) expand the supply and affordability of housing;
(C) reduce barriers to housing development; and
(D) meaningfully reduce housing segregation by
income and race.
(2) Policies.--The guidance issued under paragraph (1)
shall include recommendations for policies, strategies, and
reforms to--
(A) encourage and support the repurposing of land
or structures for housing development;
(B) allow for a greater variety of housing types;
(C) revise land use policies to allow for the
development of more housing;
(D) streamline approval processes for housing
development;
(E) provide financial incentives to support
affordable housing development; and
(F) support inclusive engagement with community
members relating to reforms to expand housing supply.
(3) Areas.--The guidance issued under paragraph (1) shall
include recommendations for policies, strategies, and reforms
for urban, suburban, exurban, and rural areas.
(i) Learning Network.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date on
which the Secretary awards the first planning grant,
implementation grant, or direct loan provided under this
section, the Secretary shall establish a learning network to--
(A) facilitate problem solving relating to the
development and implementation of housing policy plans;
and
(B) disseminate best practices and effective
strategies and policies to improve local housing supply
and affordability.
(2) Accessibility.--The learning network established under
paragraph (1) shall be accessible to--
(A) eligible entities that receive a grant or loan
under this section; and
(B) eligible entities that submit an application
under subsection (e).
(j) Reports and Study.--
(1) Grant and loan recipient reports.--Not later than 180
days after the date on which an eligible entity receives a
planning grant, implementation grant, or direct loan provided
under this section, and not less frequently than quarterly
thereafter for a 3-year period, the eligible entity shall
submit to the Secretary a report that includes--
(A) a description of the expenditures the eligible
entity has made with amounts from such grant or loan;
(B) for an eligible entity receiving a planning
grant, a summary of the progress of the eligibility
entity towards finalizing a housing policy plan; and
(C) for an eligible entity receiving an
implementation grant, data relating to the success of
the implementation of the housing policy plan of the
eligible entity.
(2) Secretary study and report.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 5 years after the
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary
shall conduct a study with respect to--
(i) the impact of implementation grants,
planning grants, and direct loans provided
under this section on the areas under the
jurisdiction of eligible entities receiving
those grants or loans; and
(ii) successful strategies from housing
policy plans that were impactful in--
(I) expanding the housing supply;
and
(II) increasing the quantity of
quality and affordable housing while
avoiding the displacement of the
residents of an area.
(B) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date
on which the Secretary completes the study required
under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall submit to
the appropriate committees of the Congress a report on
the study.
(k) Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Secretary $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025
through 2030 to carry out this section.
(2) Costs of direct loans.--The Secretary may use any
amounts made available under paragraph (1) to pay the costs of
providing direct loans under this section.
(l) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Cost-burdened household.--The term ``cost-burdened
household'' means a household that spends not less than 30
percent of the income of the household on housing.
(2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
(3) Direct loan.--The term ``direct loan'' has the meaning
given the term in section 502 of the Federal Credit Reform Act
(2 U.S.C. 661a).
(4) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a
State, a political subdivision of a State, a coalition of
States or political subdivisions of States, an Indian Tribe, or
a Native Hawaiian organization that--
(A) demonstrates, with respect to the area under
the jurisdiction of the State, political subdivision,
coalition, Indian Tribe, or organization--
(i) rising housing costs or a reasonable
expectation that housing costs will rise in the
area; and
(ii) a housing supply shortage;
(B) if applying for a planning grant--
(i) intends to develop, or is in the
process of developing, a housing policy plan;
and
(ii) demonstrates an intent to use a
portion of the planning grant to engage with
community stakeholders and housing
practitioners in developing a housing policy
plan; and
(C) if applying for an implementation grant or
direct loan under this section--
(i) has adopted and plans to implement, or
is in the process of implementing, a housing
policy plan; and
(ii) demonstrates the engagement of
community stakeholders and housing
practitioners in developing the housing policy
plan.
(5) Housing policy plan.--The term ``housing policy plan''
means a comprehensive plan of an eligible entity to, with
respect to the area under the jurisdiction of the eligible
entity--
(A) increase the housing supply in the area, while
avoiding the displacement of the residents of the area;
(B) increase the affordability of housing in the
area; and
(C) reduce barriers to housing development in the
area.
(6) Implementation grant.--The term ``implementation
grant'' means a grant awarded under subsection (b).
(7) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(8) Native hawaiian organization.--The term ``Native
Hawaiian organization'' has the meaning given the term in
section 2 of the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 3001).
(9) Planning grant.--The term ``planning grant'' means a
grant awarded under subsection (a).
(10) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development, acting through the Assistant
Secretary for Community Planning and Development, in
coordination with--
(A) the Office of Economic Resilience of the Office
of Community Planning and Development of the
Department;
(B) the Office of Policy Development and Research
of the Department;
(C) the Office of Fair Housing and Equal
Opportunity of the Department;
(D) the Office of Housing of the Department; and
(E) the Office of Public and Indian Housing of the
Department.
(11) State.--The term ``State'' means any State of the
United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any
possession of the United States.
SEC. 3. TRANSFER OF UNUSED FEDERAL REAL PROPERTY TO STATE AND LOCAL
AUTHORITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the
enactment of this section, the Administrator of General Services shall
establish a pilot program under which unused Federal real property is
transferred in accordance with subsection (b)(2) to eligible entities
for the development of mixed-use neighborhoods or affordable housing.
(b) Transfer of Property.--
(1) In general.--Any unused Federal real property shall be
transferred by the head of the agency concerned to the
Administrator.
(2) Transfer to eligible entity.--The Administrator shall
transfer to eligible entities any unused Federal real property
transferred to the Administrator under paragraph (1).
(c) Sunset.--Any transfers of property described in subsection (b)
shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of the
enactment of this section.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the General Services.
(2) Affordable housing.--The term ``affordable housing''
means housing that qualifies as affordable housing under
section 215 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable
Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12745).
(3) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given the
term ``Executive agency'' in section 105 of title 5, United
States Code.
(4) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an
entity established under State or local law as responsible for
housing and urban development planning.
(5) Unused federal real property.--The term ``unused
Federal real property'' means land or a building--
(A) owned by the Federal Government; and
(B) declared unused by the head of an agency.
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