[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1814 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1814
To authorize security deposit and moving costs assistance for low-
income households, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 6, 2023
Mr. Heinrich (for himself, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Welch, and Mr. Padilla)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize security deposit and moving costs assistance for low-
income households, 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 ``Delivering Essential Protection,
Opportunity, and Security for Tenants Act'' or the``DEPOSIT Act''.
SEC. 2. RENTAL SECURITY DEPOSIT AND MOVING COST ASSISTANCE FOR HOUSING
CHOICE VOUCHER HOLDERS.
Section 8(q) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437f(q)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(6) Supplements for security deposit and moving cost
assistance.--
``(A) Security deposits.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall, to
the extent amounts are provided in advance in
appropriations Acts for assistance under this
subparagraph, provide supplemental fees under
this subsection to public housing agencies for
the costs of providing, on behalf of families
assisted under subsection (o), assistance to
cover the costs of a reasonable security
deposit for the assisted dwelling unit of the
family.
``(ii) Requirement.--Each public housing
agency that receives supplemental fees under
clause (i)--
``(I) shall require the owner of a
dwelling unit for which security
deposit assistance is provided under
that clause to return any unused
amounts of security deposit assistance
upon the termination of the family's
tenancy; and
``(II) may make such returned
amounts available only for assistance
under this subparagraph.
``(B) Moving costs.--The Secretary may provide
supplemental fees under this subsection to public
housing agencies for the costs of providing, on behalf
of families assisted under subsection (o), assistance
to cover the reasonable costs of moving into a new
assisted dwelling unit.
``(C) Authorization of appropriations.--There is
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such
sums as may be necessary for assistance under
subparagraphs (A) and (B).''.
SEC. 3. RENTAL SECURITY DEPOSIT ASSISTANCE UNDER HOME PROGRAM.
(a) Eligible Use.--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 new paragraph:
``(4) Security deposit assistance.--
``(A) In general.--A participating jurisdiction may
use funds provided under this subtitle to provide loans
or grants to very low- and low-income families for
security deposits for rental of dwelling units,
regardless of whether the family is provided tenant-
based rental assistance pursuant to paragraph (3).
``(B) Requirement.--Each participating jurisdiction
that provides loans or grants under subparagraph (A)--
``(i) shall require the owner of the
dwelling unit for which security deposit
assistance is provided under that subparagraph
to return any unused amounts of security
deposit assistance upon the termination of the
family's tenancy; and
``(ii) may use such returned amounts only
for assistance under this paragraph.''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development such
sums as may be necessary for assistance under subtitle A of title II of
the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12741
et seq.), to be made available only for providing security deposit
assistance under paragraph (4) of section 212(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
12742(a)) (as added by the amendment made by subsection (a) of this
section).
SEC. 4. STUDY ON ALTERNATIVES TO SECURITY DEPOSITS.
(a) Study.--The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall
conduct a study to identify and analyze--
(1) alternatives to rental housing security deposits,
including products that require a tenant of a dwelling unit to
pay a monthly insurance premium to cover costs of repairing
damage to the dwelling unit; and
(2) the impact that the alternatives described in paragraph
(1) have on the rental housing market and tenants, including
how the alternatives affect tenants based on tenant race,
income, age, sex, disability, and other demographic
characteristics.
(b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall submit
to Congress a report setting forth the findings and conclusions of the
study conducted under subsection (a).
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