II 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 829 

To reauthorize the HOPE VI program for revitalization of severely distressed 

public housing, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 8, 2007 

Ms. MIKULSKI (for herself, Mr. MARTINEZ, Mr. REED, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. 

LEVIN, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. SPECTER, Mr. BOND, Mr. NELSON of Florida, and Mrs. DOLE) introduced the following bill; which was read twice 

and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 

A BILL 

To reauthorize the HOPE VI program for revitalization of 

severely distressed public housing, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘HOPE VI Improve5 ment and Reauthorization Act of 2007.’’. 

6 SEC. 2. HOPE VI PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 

8 (1) the HOPE VI program is one of the most 

9 significant and successful neighborhood reinvestment 


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1 strategies implemented in recent years, having trans2 formed dozens of distressed public housing develop3 ments into successful mixed-use and mixed-income 

4 communities of hope and opportunity and without 

5 which the physical and social revitalization of these 

6 neighborhoods would not have occurred; 

7 (2) HOPE VI has changed the face of public 

8 housing by seamlessly incorporating affordable hous9 ing opportunities in vital and sustainable market10 based, mixed-income developments, thereby serving 

11 as a model for creativity and innovation in the deliv12 ery of affordable housing; 

13 (3) there are over 1,200,000 units of public 

14 housing, between 81,900 of which are considered to 

15 be severely distressed; 

16 (4) nationwide, the public housing inventory has 

17 an accumulated capital needs backlog of approxi18 mately $18,000,000,000, with an additional 

19 $2,000,000,000 accruing each year; 

20 (5) HOPE VI funds have successfully leveraged 

21 substantial additional resources; 

22 (6) from 1993 through 2001, the 

23 $4,500,000,000 in HOPE VI grants awarded was 

24 anticipated by Public Housing Authorities to leverVerDate Aug 31 2005 23:15 Mar 10, 2007 Jkt 059196 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S829.IS S829

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1 age an additional $10,210,000,000 in other public 

2 and private investments; 

3 (7) according to the Government Accountability 

4 Office, 59 percent of the total funds budgeted by fis5 cal year 2001 grantees for community and sup6 portive services consisted of leveraged funds; 

7 (8) HOPE VI has resulted in the demolition of 

8 tens of thousands of severely distressed and often 

9 uninhabitable public housing units and, in their 

10 place, created affordable housing opportunities in 

11 healthy mixed- income communities in the form of 

12 both project-based housing and housing voucher as13 sistance, giving existing public housing residents im14 proved and meaningful housing choices; and 

15 (9) HOPE VI has fundamentally transformed 

16 the lives of thousands of public housing residents 

17 who have become self-sufficient through the required 

18 community and supportive services programs. 

19 (b) DECLARATION OF POLICY.—Based on the find20 ings set forth in subsection (a), Congress declares that it 

21 is the policy of the United States to reauthorize the HOPE 

22 VI program to— 

23 (1) end the practice of concentrating the poor 

24 in distressed, isolated neighborhoods as an under25 lying predicate for leaving no children behind; 


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1 (2) create healthy communities using a holistic 

2 and comprehensive approach to assure long term 

3 marketability and sustainability of the community; 

4 (3) support excellent outcomes for families, es5 pecially children, with an emphasis on excellent— 

6 (A) high-performing neighborhood schools 

7 and academic achievement; and 

8 (B) quality of life amenities, such as first 

9 class retail space and green space; 

10 (4) create mixed-income communities, with the 

11 goal of creating a market-rate community with a 

12 seamless affordable component; 

13 (5) develop such mixed-income communities 

14 through public-private partnerships using public and 

15 private sources of funding and market principles; 

16 and 

17 (6) support residents with adequate resources 

18 to assist them in achieving their life goals, focusing 

19 on self-sufficiency and educational advancement of 

20 children and their parents, thereby creating a cul21 ture of learning, education, and excellence, in which 

22 expectations and standards for personal responsi23 bility are benchmarks for success. 


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1 (c) PURPOSES OF HOPE VI PROGRAM.—Section 

2 24(a) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 

3 U.S.C. 1437v(a)) is amended— 

4 (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 

5 end; 

6 (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at 

7 the end and inserting a semicolon; and 

8 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

9 ‘‘(5) promoting sustainable connections between 

10 the revitalization of public housing communities and 

11 local schools and institutions of higher learning, as 

12 a means of supporting educational achievement by 

13 children and adults as part of a comprehensive self14 sufficiency strategy; and 

15 ‘‘(6) reducing concentrations of poverty and 

16 promoting housing choice and self-sufficiency among 

17 low-income families by ensuring the successful tem18 porary or permanent relocation of residents from se19 verely distressed public housing projects through 

20 comprehensive counseling and supportive services 

21 that assist in selection of and success in lower pov22 erty neighborhoods of such families by giving them 

23 the tools to achieve self-sufficiency.’’. 


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1 (d) EDUCATION AND RELOCATION ACTIVITIES.—Sec2 tion 24(d) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 

3 U.S.C. 1437v(d)) is amended— 

4 (1) in paragraph (1)— 

5 (A) in subparagraph (K), by striking 

6 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

7 (B) by striking subparagraph (L) and in8 serting the following: 

9 ‘‘(L) necessary comprehensive supportive 

10 services, including employment and vocational 

11 counseling, life skills training, and other human 

12 services; and 

13 ‘‘(M) necessary costs of ensuring the effec14 tive temporary and permanent relocation of ex15 isting residents.’’; and 

16 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

17 ‘‘(3) LINKAGES TO EDUCATION.— 

18 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subpara19 graph (C), each HOPE VI grant recipient shall 

20 establish, in partnership with the local schools 

21 and school superintendent, a comprehensive 

22 educational reform and achievement strategy, 

23 including objective standards and measures for 

24 performance, for transforming the neighborhood 


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1 schools that serve the revitalized HOPE VI 

2 sites into high performing schools. 

3 ‘‘(B) CONTENT OF STRATEGY.—The strat4 egy required under subparagraph (A) shall— 

5 ‘‘(i) include the clear commitment of 

6 the neighborhood schools and institutions 

7 of higher learning, including the commit8 ment of financial and other resources by 

9 local foundations and other public and pri10 vate partners; 

11 ‘‘(ii) include a detailed plan for re12 forming educational programming for pre13 school and elementary school children; 

14 ‘‘(iii) address educational reform for 

15 middle school and high school students; 

16 and 

17 ‘‘(iv) provide means of encouraging 

18 adult continuing education. 

19 ‘‘(C) ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY.—If a pub20 lic housing agency certifies to the Secretary, 

21 with supporting documentation reasonably sat22 isfactory to the Secretary, that the neighbor23 hood schools that serve the revitalized HOPE 

24 VI sites are high-performing schools, or that 

25 there are schools other than neighborhood 


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1 schools, such as other local public schools, char2 ter schools or other accredited schools, that 

3 serve the revitalized HOPE VI sites, then the 

4 public housing agency, in lieu of the require5 ments under subparagraphs (A) and (B), shall 

6 establish a comprehensive educational achieve7 ment strategy, including objective standards 

8 and measures for performance, for students re9 siding at the revitalized HOPE VI sites that in10 volves a level of effort commensurate with the 

11 comprehensive educational reform and achieve12 ment strategy required under subparagraphs 

13 (A) and (B). 

14 ‘‘(D) TIMELINE.—The timeline for devel15 opment and implementation of the strategy re16 quired under subparagraph (A) shall support 

17 and be consistent with the HOPE VI redevelop18 ment schedule.’’. 

19 (e) GRANT AWARD CRITERIA.—Section 24(e)(2) of 

20 the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 

21 1437v(e)(2)) is amended to read as follows: 

22 ‘‘(2) GRANT AWARD CRITERIA.— 

23 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 

24 establish criteria for the award of grants under 

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1 ards are met by awarding funds to public hous2 ing agencies that— 

3 ‘‘(i) demonstrate— 

4 ‘‘(I) partnerships and collabora5 tion between public and private sector 

6 partners; 

7 ‘‘(II) a need for funding; and 

8 ‘‘(III) a readiness and capacity to 

9 execute the proposed program; and 

10 ‘‘(ii) propose measurable interim and 

11 long-term outcomes achieving the purposes 

12 and goals of the program. 

13 ‘‘(B) CRITERIA REQUIREMENTS.—In devel14 oping criteria under subparagraph (A), the Sec15 retary shall consider— 

16 ‘‘(i) the extent to which the proposal 

17 realistically addresses achievement of the 

18 purposes of the HOPE VI program de19 scribed in subsection (a); 

20 ‘‘(ii) the extent to which a proposal 

21 demonstrates linkages to education, as re22 quired under subsection (d)(3); 

23 ‘‘(iii) the quality and sustainability of 

24 the physical redevelopment program and 

25 the offering of housing choice to residents, 


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1 including multifamily rental housing and 

2 homeownership opportunities for house3 holds with a wide range of incomes and 

4 housing for seniors; 

5 ‘‘(iv) the likely effectiveness of the 

6 plan for temporary and permanent reloca7 tion of existing residents, which shall en8 sure that residents are— 

9 ‘‘(I) fully aware of their reloca10 tion choices; and 

11 ‘‘(II) supported during the relo12 cation process to assure a successful 

13 transition, including case management 

14 and the counseling and supportive 

15 services that the plan offers to such 

16 residents; 

17 ‘‘(v) evidence that the subject project 

18 is severely distressed, which shall include a 

19 certification signed by an engineer or ar20 chitect licensed by a State licensing board 

21 that the project meets the criteria for 

22 physical distress described in subsection 

23 (j)(2); 

24 ‘‘(vi) the strength of local government 

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1 erwise, which shall require, at a minimum, 

2 a commitment evidenced by the signature 

3 of the chief executive of such government 

4 of financial assistance equal to not less 

5 than 5 percent of the HOPE VI grant 

6 amount; 

7 ‘‘(vii) the strength of evidence that 

8 the implementation team has the ability to 

9 perform under the HOPE VI program, in10 cluding evidence as to the capabilities of 

11 both the public partners, including the 

12 public housing agency, and the proposed 

13 private development partners; 

14 ‘‘(viii) the achievability of the 

15 timelines proposed for implementation of 

16 the revitalization plan, which shall reflect 

17 the scope and scale of the project, while 

18 addressing the implementation timeline for 

19 each of the components individually; 

20 ‘‘(ix) the extent to which the proposal 

21 will leverage other public or private funds 

22 or assets for the project in an amount that 

23 equal to not less than 2 times the amount 

24 of the HOPE VI grant; 


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1 ‘‘(x) the extent to which the applicant 

2 could undertake such activities without a 

3 grant under this section; 

4 ‘‘(xi) the extent of involvement of resi5 dents, State and local governments, private 

6 service providers, financing entities, and 

7 developers, in the development and ongoing 

8 implementation of a revitalization program 

9 for the project, except that the Secretary 

10 may not award a grant under this section 

11 unless the applicant has involved affected 

12 public housing residents at the beginning 

13 of, and during the planning process for, 

14 the revitalization program, prior to submis15 sion of an application; 

16 ‘‘(xii) the need for affordable housing 

17 in the community; 

18 ‘‘(xiii) the supply of other housing 

19 available and affordable to families receiv20 ing tenant-based assistance under section 8 

21 of this title; 

22 ‘‘(xiv) the strength and soundness of 

23 the proposal to assist residents in achiev24 ing self-sufficiency and personal responsi25 bility; 


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1 ‘‘(xv) the extent to which— 

2 ‘‘(I) the plan minimizes perma3 nent displacement of current residents 

4 of the public housing site who— 

5 ‘‘(aa) wish to return to the 

6 revitalized community; and 

7 ‘‘(bb) meet the reoccupancy 

8 criteria (including all residents 

9 that were not evicted prior to the 

10 revitalization effort); 

11 ‘‘(II) the plan provides for com12 munity and supportive services to 

13 residents prior to and during any relo14 cation; and 

15 ‘‘(III) reasonable and appropriate 

16 supportive services are offered to resi17 dents wishing to return to the revital18 ized site that will help such residents 

19 meet reoccupancy criteria; 

20 ‘‘(xvi) the extent to which the plan 

21 sustains or creates more project-based 

22 housing units available to persons eligible 

23 for public housing in markets where the 

24 plan shows there is demand for the main25 tenance or creation of such units; 


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1 ‘‘(xvii) the extent to which the pro2 posal sets forth strategies and plans that 

3 assist residents displaced by the revitaliza4 tion in utilizing tenant based vouchers to 

5 select housing opportunities, including in 

6 communities with a lower concentration of 

7 poverty that— 

8 ‘‘(I) will not result in a financial 

9 burden to the family; and 

10 ‘‘(II) will promote long-term 

11 housing stability; 

12 ‘‘(xviii) the extent to which the pro13 posal provides and ensures, as part of its 

14 revitalization program for the effective 

15 temporary and permanent relocation of ex16 isting residents, that— 

17 ‘‘(I) residents are fully informed 

18 of relocation options, which include re19 location to housing in a neighborhood 

20 with a lower concentration of poverty 

21 than the current residence of such 

22 residents, through workshops, site 

23 tours, case management, or other 

24 means, and are given the opportunity 

25 to make informed choices; 


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1 ‘‘(II) relocation milestones are es2 tablished that ensure successful relo3 cation in terms of timeliness and steps 

4 toward self-sufficiency; 

5 ‘‘(III) the relocation plan does 

6 not result in increased concentrations 

7 of poverty in the communities to 

8 which residents are relocated; 

9 ‘‘(IV) particular attention is paid 

10 to minimizing the impact of reloca11 tions on children, such as coordinating 

12 relocation moves with school cal13 endars; 

14 ‘‘(V) existing residents who are 

15 being temporarily or permanently re16 located are offered and encouraged to 

17 participate in comprehensive commu18 nity and supportive services over the 

19 period of the HOPE VI grant to fa20 cilitate the progress of such residents 

21 toward self-sufficiency whenever pos22 sible; and 

23 ‘‘(VI) the proposed budget for re24 location costs reflects the costs of ef25 fective relocation efforts, including 


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1 moving expenses, counseling, case 

2 management, and other related costs, 

3 including payments required under 

4 the Uniform Relocation Act; and 

5 ‘‘(xix) such other factors as the Sec6 retary considers appropriate.’’. 

7 (f) SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING.—Section 24(e)(3) of 

8 the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 

9 1437v(e)(3)) is amended by adding after the first sentence 

10 the following: ‘‘The Secretary may also determine not to 

11 apply certain of the selection criteria when awarding 

12 grants to previous recipients of assistance under this sec13 tion that have successfully utilized such grants for site re14 vitalization in accordance with their grant agreements, but 

15 that require demolition-only or site revitalization assist16 ance to address conditions on a portion of the original 

17 public housing site not covered by the original grant in 

18 a manner that will increase or complement the success of 

19 the original grant.’’. 

20 (g) SITE VISITS.—Section 24(e) of the United States 

21 Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437v(e)), as amended 

22 by subsection (e), is amended by adding at the end the 

23 following: 

24 ‘‘(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of 

25 law, the Secretary may conduct site visits for HOPE 


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1 VI applicants to assist in making funding decisions 

2 under this section.’’. 

3 (h) HOPE VI PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS.—Sec4 tion 24 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 

5 U.S.C. 1437v) is amended— 

6 (1) by redesignating subsections (f) through (o) 

7 as subsections (g) through (p), respectively; and 

8 (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol9 lowing: 

10 ‘‘(f) PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS.— 

11 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Public housing agencies, in 

12 consultation with the Secretary, shall set perform13 ance benchmarks for each component of their 

14 HOPE VI projects, including benchmarks for— 

15 ‘‘(A) linkages with schools and other com16 munity partners; 

17 ‘‘(B) effective temporary and permanent 

18 relocation of existing residents; 

19 ‘‘(C) achievement of self-sufficiency by 

20 residents; 

21 ‘‘(D) accomplishing key revitalization 

22 goals, taking into consideration the scope and 

23 scale of the revitalization plan; and 

24 ‘‘(E) such other benchmarks as the Sec25 retary determines appropriate. 


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1 ‘‘(2) FAILURE TO MEET BENCHMARKS.—Except 

2 as provided in paragraph (3), if a public housing 

3 agency fails to meet the performance benchmarks 

4 described under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 

5 impose appropriate sanctions, including— 

6 ‘‘(A) appointment of an alternative admin7 istrator for the HOPE VI project; 

8 ‘‘(B) financial penalties; 

9 ‘‘(C) withdrawal of funding under sub10 section (j); or 

11 ‘‘(D) such other sanctions as the Secretary 

12 may deem necessary. 

13 ‘‘(3) EXTENSION OF BENCHMARKS.—The Sec14 retary shall extend the performance benchmarks 

15 under paragraph (1) for a public housing agency, for 

16 such period as the Secretary determines to be nec17 essary, if the failure of the agency to meet such 

18 benchmarks is attributable to— 

19 ‘‘(A) litigation; 

20 ‘‘(B) obtaining approvals of the Federal 

21 Government or a State or local government; 

22 ‘‘(C) complying with environmental assess23 ment and abatement requirements; 

24 ‘‘(D) relocating residents; 


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1 ‘‘(E) an event beyond the control of the 

2 public housing agency; or 

3 ‘‘(F) any other reason established by the 

4 Secretary by notice published in the Federal 

5 Register. 

6 ‘‘(4) AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY.—The 

7 Secretary shall determine the amount of each grant 

8 under this section and the closeout or termination 

9 date for the grant, taking into consideration the 

10 scope, scale, and size of the revitalization plan.’’. 

11 (i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 

12 24(n)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 

13 U.S.C. 1437v(n)(1)), as redesignated by subsection (h), 

14 is amended by striking ‘‘$574,000,000 for fiscal year 

15 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘$600,000,000 for each of fiscal 

16 years 2008 through 2013’’. 

17 (j) EXTENSION OF PROGRAM.—Section 24(p) of the 

18 United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437v(p)), 

19 as redesignated by subsection (g) of this section, is amend20 ed by striking ‘‘September 30, 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘Sep21 tember 30, 2013’’. 

22 (k) REVIEW.—The Comptroller General of the United 

23 States shall— 

24 (1) conduct a review of tools utilized in HOPE 

25 VI revitalization efforts under section 24 of the 


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1 United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 

2 1437v) which may be transferable to other federally3 assisted housing programs; and 

4 (2) make recommendations to the Congress on 

5 the tools reviewed under paragraph (1) not later 

6 than September 30, 2009. 

Æ 


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