I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5173 

To require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to carry out 

a grant program to provide assistance for the acquisition, construction, 

retrofitting, or renovation of residences that are visitable for individuals. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 6, 2016 

Mr. TAKAI introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Financial Services 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 

to carry out a grant program to provide assistance for 

the acquisition, construction, retrofitting, or renovation 

of residences that are visitable for individuals. 

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 ‘‘Homeowners Access 

5 to Visitability Enhancements (HAVE) Act of 2016’’. 

6 SEC. 2. VISITABLE HOMES GRANTS. 

7 (a) AUTHORITY.—Not later than 180 days after the 

8 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of HousVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:46 May 11, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5173.IH H5173

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1 ing and Urban Development may make grants to low-in2 come families to provide assistance with obtaining resi3 dences that are visitable for individuals. 

4 (b) ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.—Amounts from a grant 

5 made under this section may be used only for the following 

6 activities: 

7 (1) Acquiring a visitable residence that has 

8 never previously been occupied. 

9 (2) Constructing a visitable residence. 

10 (3) Retrofitting an existing residence to make 

11 such residence visitable. 

12 (4) Renovating an existing residence to make 

13 such residence visitable. 

14 (c) LIMITATIONS.— 

15 (1) AMOUNT.—A grant under this section may 

16 not exceed $5,000. 

17 (2) RENEWAL.—Not more than one grant may 

18 be made under this section with respect to any sin19 gle residence. 

20 (3) PRIMARY RESIDENCE.—A grant under this 

21 section may be used only for a residence that serves 

22 as the primary residence of the grantee, and the 

23 Secretary shall require a grantee to provide such as24 surances as may be necessary to ensure compliance 

25 with this paragraph. 


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1 (4) RECAPTURE OF UNUSED AMOUNTS.—If a 

2 grantee fails to use any amount of the grant award3 ed under this section before the expiration of the 1- 

4 year period beginning on the first disbursement of 

5 any such amounts to the grantee, the Secretary 

6 shall— 

7 (A) recapture the unused amounts; and 

8 (B) make such amounts available for 

9 grants under this section. 

10 (d) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible for a grant under 

11 this section, a low-income family shall submit an applica12 tion to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 

13 containing such information as the Secretary may require, 

14 including— 

15 (1) a description of the manner in which grant 

16 funds will be used to accomplish an eligible activity 

17 under subsection (b); and 

18 (2) an explanation of how such use will cause 

19 the residence of such family to meet the visitability 

20 standards identified in subsection (f)(4). 

21 (e) REPORTING.— 

22 (1) SECRETARY.—The Secretary shall submit 

23 to Congress a biennial report regarding the progress 

24 and effectiveness of the grant program. 


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1 (2) GRANTEES.—The Secretary shall require 

2 each grantee to submit such information as the Sec3 retary considers necessary to ensure compliance with 

4 this Act and to enable the Secretary to comply with 

5 the requirement under paragraph (1). 

6 (f) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 

7 (1) LOW-INCOME FAMILY.—The term ‘‘low in8 come family’’ has the meaning given such term in 

9 section 3(b)(2) of the United States Housing Act of 

10 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(2)). 

11 (2) RESIDENCE.—The term ‘‘residence’’ means 

12 any dwelling unit, including a dwelling unit that is 

13 a single-family residence or a dwelling unit in a mul14 tiple-family residence, that— 

15 (A) is owned by the grantee or a member 

16 of the grantee’s household; or 

17 (B) will be owned by the grantee, or a 

18 member of the grantee’s household, during the 

19 residency of the grantee in accordance with sub20 section (c)(3). 

21 Such term includes a dwelling unit in a condo22 minium or cooperative development owned by the 

23 grantee or a member of the grantee’s household. 

24 Such term does not include any dwelling unit that 

25 is subject to a lease. 


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1 (3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

2 the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. 

3 (4) VISITABLE.—The term ‘‘visitable’’ means, 

4 with respect to a residence, that the residence com5 plies with the most current version of the visitability 

6 standards set forth in Standard A117.1–2009 of the 

7 International Code Council/American National 

8 Standards Institute, entitled ‘‘Accessible and Usable 

9 Buildings and Facilities’’ (or any successor stand10 ard). 

11 (g) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after 

12 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 

13 issue any regulations necessary to carry out this section. 

14 (h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

15 (1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 

16 appropriated to carry out this Act $50,000,000 for 

17 each of fiscal years 2017 to 2022. 

18 (2) ALLOCATION.—Of the amounts appro19 priated pursuant to paragraph (1) for each fiscal 

20 year— 

21 (A) 50 percent shall be used for grants for 

22 the eligible activities under paragraphs (1) and 

23 (2) of subsection (b); and 


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1 (B) 50 percent shall be used for grants for 

2 the eligible activities under paragraphs (3) and 

3 (4) of subsection (b). 

Æ 


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