To provide for payment of an administrative fee to public housing agencies to cover the costs of administering family self-sufficiency programs in connection with the housing choice voucher program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Summary: Family Self-Sufficiency Act of 2007 - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to revise requirements for the administrative fee payable to public housing agencies (PHAs) to cover the costs of administering family self-sufficiency programs in connection with the housing choice voucher program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Prescribes: (1) a base fee for a PHA serving 25 or more program participants equal to the costs of employing one full-time family self-sufficiency coordinator (prorated for an agency serving fewer than 25 such participants); and (2) an additional fee for an agency meeting minimum performance standards to cover the costs of employing a second coordinator if the agency has 75 or more participating families, and a third coordinator if it has 125 or more participating families.

Requires the Secretary to publish a proposed rule specifying the performance standards applicable to funding such additional fees and agencies that have received HUD funding for more than three such coordinators between FY1998-FY2007.

Requires PHAs receiving such funds to collect and report to the Secretary information on the performance of their family self-sufficiency programs.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) conduct a formal and scientific evaluation of the effectiveness of well-run family self-sufficiency programs, using random assignment of participants to the extent practicable; and (2) submit interim and final reports to Congress. Authorizes appropriations for the evaluation.

 Permits the Secretary to reserve up to 10% of the amounts available for administrative fees to provide support to or reward family self-sufficiency programs that are particularly innovative or highly successful in achieving program goals.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Family Self-Sufficiency Act of 
2007''.

SEC. 2. ADMINISTRATIVE FEES FOR FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM COSTS.

    Subsection (h) of section 23 of the United States Housing Act of 
1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437u(h)) is amended by striking paragraph (1) and 
inserting the following new paragraph:
            ``(1) Section 8 fees.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a 
                fee under section 8(q) for the costs incurred in 
                administering the self-sufficiency program under this 
                section to assist families receiving voucher assistance 
                through section 8(o).
                    ``(B) Eligibility for fee.--The fee shall provide 
                funding for family self-sufficiency coordinators as 
                follows:
                            ``(i) Base fee.--A public housing agency 
                        serving 25 or more participants in the family 
                        self-sufficiency program under this section 
                        shall receive a fee equal to the costs of 
                        employing one full-time family self-sufficiency 
                        coordinator. An agency serving fewer than 25 
                        such participants shall receive a prorated fee.
                            ``(ii) Additional fee.--An agency that 
                        meets minimum performance standards shall 
                        receive an additional fee sufficient to cover 
                        the costs of employing a second family self-
                        sufficiency coordinator if the agency has 75 or 
                        more participating families, and a third such 
                        coordinator if it has 125 or more participating 
                        families.
                            ``(iii) Previously funded agencies.--An 
                        agency that received funding from the 
                        Department of Housing and Urban Development for 
                        more than three such coordinators in any of 
                        fiscal years 1998 through 2007 shall receive 
                        funding for the highest number of coordinators 
                        funded in a single fiscal year during that 
                        period, provided they meet applicable size and 
                        performance standards.
                            ``(iv) Initial year.--For the first year in 
                        which a public housing agency exercises its 
                        right to develop an family self-sufficiency 
                        program for its residents, it shall be entitled 
                        to funding to cover the costs of up to one 
                        family self-sufficiency coordinator, based on 
                        the size specified in its action plan for such 
                        program.
                            ``(v) State and regional agencies.--For 
                        purposes of calculating the family self-
                        sufficiency portion of the administrative fee 
                        under this subparagraph, each administratively 
                        distinct part of a State or regional public 
                        housing agency shall be treated as a separate 
                        agency.
                            ``(vi) Determination of number of 
                        coordinators.--In determining whether a public 
                        housing agency meets a specific threshold for 
                        funding pursuant to this paragraph, the number 
                        of participants being served by the agency in 
                        its family self-sufficiency program shall be 
                        considered to be the average number of families 
                        enrolled in such agency's program during the 
                        course of the most recent fiscal year for which 
                        the Department of Housing and Urban Development 
                        has data.
                    ``(C) Proration.--If insufficient funds are 
                available in any fiscal year to fund all of the 
                coordinators authorized under this section, the first 
                priority shall be given to funding one coordinator at 
                each agency with an existing family self-sufficiency 
                program. The remaining funds shall be prorated based on 
                the number of remaining coordinators to which each 
                agency is entitled under this subparagraph.
                    ``(D) Recapture.--Any fees allocated under this 
                subparagraph by the Secretary in a fiscal year that 
                have not been spent by the end of the subsequent fiscal 
                year shall be recaptured by the Secretary and shall be 
                available for providing additional fees pursuant to 
                subparagraph (B)(ii).
                    ``(E) Performance standards.--Within six months 
                after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, the 
                Secretary shall publish a proposed rule specifying the 
                performance standards applicable to funding under 
                clauses (ii) and (iii) of subparagraph (B). Such 
                standards shall include requirements applicable to the 
                leveraging of in-kind services and other resources to 
                support the goals of the family self-sufficiency 
                program.
                    ``(F) Data collection.--Public housing agencies 
                receiving funding under this paragraph shall collect 
                and report to the Secretary, in such manner as the 
                Secretary shall require, information on the performance 
                of their family self-sufficiency programs.
                    ``(G) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall conduct a 
                formal and scientific evaluation of the effectiveness 
                of well-run family self-sufficiency programs, using 
                random assignment of participants to the extent 
                practicable. Not later than the expiration of the 4-
                year period beginning upon the enactment of this 
                paragraph, the Secretary shall submit an interim 
                evaluation report to the Congress. Not later than the 
                expiration of the 8-year period beginning upon such 
                enactment, the Secretary shall submit a final 
                evaluation report to the Congress. There is authorized 
                to be appropriated $10,000,000 to carry out the 
                evaluation under this subparagraph.
                    ``(H) Incentives for innovation and high 
                performance.--The Secretary may reserve up to 10 
                percent of the amounts made available for 
                administrative fees under this paragraph to provide 
                support to or reward family self-sufficiency programs 
                that are particularly innovative or highly successful 
                in achieving the goals of the program.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 25, 2008.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.