II 

Calendar No. 806 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 1905 

[Report No. 108–414] 

To provide habitable living quarters for teachers, administrators, other school 

staff, and their households in rural areas of Alaska located in or near 

Alaska Native Villages. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 20, 2003 

Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself and Mr. CAMPBELL) introduced the following 

bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs 

NOVEMBER 17, 2004 

Reported by Mr. CAMPBELL, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

To provide habitable living quarters for teachers, administrators, other school staff, and their households in rural 

areas of Alaska located in or near Alaska Native Villages. 

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 ‘‘Rural Teacher Hous5 ing Act of 2003’’. 
2 

•S 1905 RS 

1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 

2 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 

3 (1) housing for teachers, administrators, other 

4 school staff, and their households in remote and 

5 rural areas of Alaska is often substandard, if avail6 able at all; 

7 (2) as a consequence, teachers, administrators, 

8 other school staff, and their households are often 

9 forced to find alternate shelter, sometimes even in 

10 school buildings; and 

11 (3) rural school districts in Alaska are facing 

12 increased challenges, including meeting the man13 dates of the No Child Left Behind Act, in recruiting 

14 employees due to the lack of affordable, quality 

15 housing. 

16 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to provide 

17 habitable living quarters for teachers, administrators, 

18 other school staff, and their households in rural areas of 

19 Alaska located in or near Alaska Native Villages. 

20 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

21 In this Act, the following definitions shall apply: 

22 (1) ALASKA HOUSING FINANCE CORPORA23 TION.—The term ‘‘Alaska Housing Finance Cor24 poration’’ means the State housing authority for the 

25 State of Alaska, created under the laws of the State 

26 of Alaska, or any successor thereto. 
3 

•S 1905 RS 

1 (2) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘elemen2 tary school’’ has the meaning given that term in sec3 tion 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu4 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 

5 (3) ELIGIBLE SCHOOL DISTRICT.—The term 

6 ‘‘eligible school district’’ means a public school dis7 trict (as defined under the laws of the State of Alas8 ka) located in the State of Alaska that operates one 

9 or more schools in a qualified community. 

10 (4) NATIVE VILLAGE.—The term ‘‘Native Vil11 lage’’— 

12 (A) has the meaning given that term in 

13 section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims Settle14 ment Act (43 U.S.C 1602); and 

15 (B) includes the Metlakatla Indian Com16 munity of the Annette Islands Reserve. 

17 (5) OTHER SCHOOL STAFF.—The term ‘‘other 

18 school staff’’ means pupil services personnel, librar19 ians, career guidance and counseling personnel, edu20 cation aides, and other instructional and administra21 tive school personnel. 

22 (6) QUALIFIED COMMUNITY.— 

23 (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘qualified 

24 community’’ means a home rule or general law 

25 city incorporated under the laws of the State of 
4 

•S 1905 RS 

1 Alaska, or an unincorporated community (as 

2 defined under the laws of the State of Alaska) 

3 in the State of Alaska situated outside the lim4 its of such a city, with respect to which, the 

5 Alaska Housing Finance Corporation has deter6 mined that the city or unincorporated commu7 nity— 

8 (i) has a population of 6,500 or fewer 

9 individuals; 

10 (ii) is situated within or near a Native 

11 Village, as determined by the Alaska Hous12 ing Finance Corporation; and 

13 (iii) is not connected by road or rail14 road to the municipality of Anchorage, 

15 Alaska. 

16 (B) CONNECTED BY ROAD.—In this para17 graph, the term ‘‘connected by road’’ does not 

18 include a connection by way of the Alaska Ma19 rine Highway System, created under the laws of 

20 the State of Alaska, or a connection that re21 quires travel by road through Canada. 

22 (7) SECONDARY SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘sec23 ondary school’’ has the meaning given that term in 

24 section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu25 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
5 

•S 1905 RS 

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

2 the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. 

3 (9) TEACHER.—The term ‘‘teacher’’ means an 

4 individual who is employed as a teacher in a public 

5 elementary or secondary school, and meets the 

6 teaching certification or licensure requirements of 

7 the State of Alaska. 

8 (10) TRIBALLY DESIGNATED HOUSING ENTI9 TY.—The term ‘‘tribally designated housing entity’’ 

10 has the meaning given that term in section 4 of the 

11 Native American Housing Assistance and Self-De12 termination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103). 

13 (11) VILLAGE CORPORATION.—The term ‘‘Vil14 lage Corporation’’ has the meaning given that term 

15 in section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement 

16 Act (43 U.S.C. 1602), and includes urban and group 

17 corporations, as defined in that section. 

18 SEC. 4. RURAL TEACHER HOUSING PROGRAM. 

19 (a) GRANTS AND LOANS AUTHORIZED.—The Sec20 retary shall provide funds to the Alaska Housing Finance 

21 Corporation in accordance with the regulations promul22 gated under section 5, to be used as provided under sub23 section (b). 

24 (b) USE OF FUNDS.— 
6 

•S 1905 RS 

1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Funds received pursuant to 

2 subsection (a) shall be used by the Alaska Housing 

3 Finance Corporation to make grants or loans to eli4 gible school districts, to be used as provided in para5 graph (2). 

6 (2) USE OF FUNDS BY ELIGIBLE SCHOOL DIS7 TRICTS.—Grants or loans received by an eligible 

8 school district pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be 

9 used for— 

10 (A) the construction of new housing units 

11 within a qualified community; 

12 (B) the purchase and rehabilitation of ex13 isting structures to be used as housing units 

14 within a qualified community; 

15 (C) the rehabilitation of housing units 

16 within a qualified community; 

17 (D) the leasing of housing units within a 

18 qualified community; 

19 (E) purchasing or leasing real property on 

20 which housing units will be constructed, pur21 chased, or rehabilitated within a qualified com22 munity; 

23 (F) the repayment of a loan used for the 

24 purposes of constructing, purchasing, or reha25 bilitating housing units, or for purchasing real 
7 

•S 1905 RS 

1 property on which housing units will be con2 structed, purchased, or rehabilitated, within a 

3 qualified community, or any activity under sub4 paragraph (G); 

5 (G) any other activities normally associ6 ated with the construction, purchase, or reha7 bilitation of housing units within a qualified 

8 community, including— 

9 (i) connecting housing units to various 

10 utilities; 

11 (ii) preparation of construction sites; 

12 (iii) transporting all equipment and 

13 materials necessary for the construction or 

14 rehabilitation of housing units to and from 

15 the site on which such housing units exist 

16 or will be constructed; and 

17 (iv) environmental assessment and re18 mediation of construction sites or sites 

19 where housing units exist; and 

20 (H) the funding of any remaining costs for 

21 the construction, purchase, or rehabilitation of 

22 housing units within a qualified community, the 

23 purchase of real property within a qualified 

24 community, or any activity listed under sub-
8 

•S 1905 RS 

1 paragraph (G) that is not financed by loans or 

2 other sources of funding. 

3 (c) OWNERSHIP OF HOUSING AND LAND.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—All housing units con5 structed, purchased, or rehabilitated, or real prop6 erty purchased, with grant or loan funds provided 

7 under this Act, or with respect to which funds under 

8 this Act have been expended, shall be owned by the 

9 relevant eligible school district, municipality (as de10 fined under the laws of the State of Alaska), Village 

11 Corporation, the Metlakatla Indian Community of 

12 the Annette Islands Reserve, or a tribally designated 

13 housing entity. Ownership of housing units and real 

14 property may be transferred between such entities. 

15 (d) OCCUPANCY OF HOUSING UNITS.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided under 

17 paragraphs (2) and (3), each housing unit con18 structed, purchased, rehabilitated, or leased with 

19 grant or loan funds under this Act, or with respect 

20 to which funds awarded under this Act have been 

21 expended, shall be provided to teachers, administra22 tors, other school staff, and members of their house23 holds. 

24 (2) NON-SESSION MONTHS.—A housing unit 

25 constructed, purchased, rehabilitated, or leased with 
9 

•S 1905 RS 

1 grant or loan funds under this Act, or with respect 

2 to which funds awarded under this Act have been 

3 expended, may be occupied by individuals other than 

4 teachers, administrators, other school staff, or mem5 bers of their household, only during those times in 

6 which school is not in session. 

7 (3) TEMPORARY OCCUPANTS.—A vacant hous8 ing unit constructed, purchased, rehabilitated, or 

9 leased with grant or loan funds under this Act, or 

10 with respect to which funds awarded under this Act 

11 have been expended, may be occupied by a con12 tractor or guest of an eligible school district for a 

13 maximum period of time, to be determined by the 

14 Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. 

15 (e) COMPLIANCE WITH LAW.—Each eligible school 

16 district receiving a grant or loan under this Act shall en17 sure that all housing units constructed, purchased, reha18 bilitated, or leased with such grant or loan funds, or with 

19 respect to which funds awarded under this Act have been 

20 expended, meet all applicable laws, regulations, and ordi21 nances. 

22 (f) PROGRAM POLICIES.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Alaska Housing Fi24 nance Corporation, after consulting with eligible 

25 school districts, shall establish policies governing the 
10 

•S 1905 RS 

1 administration of grant and loan funds made avail2 able under this Act. Such policies shall include a 

3 methodology for ensuring that funds provided under 

4 this Act are made available on an equitable basis to 

5 eligible school districts. 

6 (2) REVISIONS.—Not less than every 3 years, 

7 the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation shall, in 

8 consultation with eligible school districts, consider 

9 revisions to the policies established under paragraph 

10 (1). 

11 SEC. 5. REGULATIONS. 

12 Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 

13 of this Act, the Secretary shall promulgate such regula14 tions as are necessary to carry out this Act. 

15 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro17 priated to the Department of Housing and Urban Devel18 opment such sums as are necessary for each of the fiscal 

19 years 2005 through 2014, to carry out this Act. 

20 (b) LIMITATION.—The Secretary and the Alaska 

21 Housing Finance Corporation shall each use not more 

22 than 5 percent of the funds appropriated in any fiscal year 

23 to carry out this Act for administrative expenses associ24 ated with the implementation of this Act. 
11 

•S 1905 RS 

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Rural Teacher Housing 

3 Act of 2004’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 

5 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 

6 (1) housing for teachers, administrators, other 

7 school staff, and their households in remote and rural 

8 areas of Alaska is often substandard, if available at 

9 all; 

10 (2) as a consequence, teachers, administrators, 

11 other school staff, and their households are often 

12 forced to find alternate shelter, sometimes even in 

13 school buildings; and 

14 (3) rural school districts in Alaska are facing in15 creased challenges, including meeting the mandates of 

16 the No Child Left Behind Act, in recruiting employees 

17 due to the lack of affordable, quality housing. 

18 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to provide 

19 habitable living quarters for teachers, administrators, other 

20 school staff, and their households in rural areas of Alaska 

21 located in or near Alaska Native Villages. 

22 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

23 In this Act, the following definitions shall apply: 

24 (1) ALASKA HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.— 

25 The term ‘‘Alaska Housing Finance Corporation’’ 

26 means the State housing authority for the State of 
12 

•S 1905 RS 

1 Alaska, created under the laws of the State of Alaska, 

2 or any successor thereto. 

3 (2) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘elemen4 tary school’’ has the meaning given that term in sec5 tion 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu6 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 

7 (3) ELIGIBLE SCHOOL DISTRICT.—The term ‘‘eli8 gible school district’’ means a public school district 

9 (as defined under the laws of the State of Alaska) lo10 cated in the State of Alaska that operates one or more 

11 schools in a qualified community. 

12 (4) NATIVE VILLAGE.—The term ‘‘Native Vil13 lage’’— 

14 (A) has the meaning given that term in sec15 tion 3 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement 

16 Act (43 U.S.C 1602); and 

17 (B) includes the Metlakatla Indian Commu18 nity of the Annette Islands Reserve. 

19 (5) OTHER SCHOOL STAFF.—The term ‘‘other 

20 school staff’’ means pupil services personnel, librar21 ians, career guidance and counseling personnel, edu22 cation aides, and other instructional and administra23 tive school personnel. 

24 (6) QUALIFIED COMMUNITY.— 
13 

•S 1905 RS 

1 (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘qualified 

2 community’’ means a home rule or general law 

3 city incorporated under the laws of the State of 

4 Alaska, or an unincorporated community (as de5 fined under the laws of the State of Alaska) in 

6 the State of Alaska situated outside the limits of 

7 such a city, with respect to which, the Alaska 

8 Housing Finance Corporation has determined 

9 that the city or unincorporated community— 

10 (i) has a population of 6,500 or fewer 

11 individuals; 

12 (ii) is situated within or near a Native 

13 Village, as determined by the Alaska Hous14 ing Finance Corporation; and 

15 (iii) is not connected by road or rail16 road to the municipality of Anchorage, 

17 Alaska. 

18 (B) CONNECTED BY ROAD.—In this para19 graph, the term ‘‘connected by road’’ does not in20 clude a connection by way of the Alaska Marine 

21 Highway System, created under the laws of the 

22 State of Alaska, or a connection that requires 

23 travel by road through Canada. 

24 (7) SECONDARY SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘secondary 

25 school’’ has the meaning given that term in section 
14 

•S 1905 RS 

1 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 

2 Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 

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

4 the Secretary of Agriculture. 

5 (9) TEACHER.—The term ‘‘teacher’’ means an 

6 individual who is employed as a teacher in a public 

7 elementary or secondary school, and meets the teach8 ing certification or licensure requirements of the State 

9 of Alaska. 

10 (10) TRIBALLY DESIGNATED HOUSING ENTITY.— 

11 The term ‘‘tribally designated housing entity’’ has the 

12 meaning given that term in section 4 of the Native 

13 American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination 

14 Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103). 

15 (11) VILLAGE CORPORATION.—The term ‘‘Village 

16 Corporation’’ has the meaning given that term in sec17 tion 3 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 

18 U.S.C. 1602), and includes urban and group corpora19 tions, as defined in that section. 

20 SEC. 4. RURAL TEACHER HOUSING PROGRAM. 

21 (a) GRANTS AND LOANS AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary 

22 shall provide funds to the Alaska Housing Finance Cor23 poration in accordance with the regulations promulgated 

24 under section 5, to be used as provided under subsection 

25 (b). 
15 

•S 1905 RS 

1 (b) USE OF FUNDS.— 

2 (1) IN GENERAL.—Funds received pursuant to 

3 subsection (a) shall be used by the Alaska Housing 

4 Finance Corporation to make grants or loans to eligi5 ble school districts, to be used as provided in para6 graph (2). 

7 (2) USE OF FUNDS BY ELIGIBLE SCHOOL DIS8 TRICTS.—Grants or loans received by an eligible 

9 school district pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be 

10 used for— 

11 (A) the construction of new housing units 

12 within a qualified community; 

13 (B) the purchase and rehabilitation of exist14 ing structures to be used as housing units within 

15 a qualified community; 

16 (C) the rehabilitation of housing units with17 in a qualified community; 

18 (D) the leasing of housing units within a 

19 qualified community; 

20 (E) purchasing or leasing real property on 

21 which housing units will be constructed, pur22 chased, or rehabilitated within a qualified com23 munity; 

24 (F) the repayment of a loan used for the 

25 purposes of constructing, purchasing, or rehabili-
16 

•S 1905 RS 

1 tating housing units, or for purchasing real 

2 property on which housing units will be con3 structed, purchased, or rehabilitated, within a 

4 qualified community, or any activity under sub5 paragraph (G); 

6 (G) any other activities normally associated 

7 with the construction, purchase, or rehabilitation 

8 of housing units within a qualified community, 

9 including— 

10 (i) connecting housing units to various 

11 utilities; 

12 (ii) preparation of construction sites; 

13 (iii) transporting all equipment and 

14 materials necessary for the construction or 

15 rehabilitation of housing units to and from 

16 the site on which such housing units exist or 

17 will be constructed; and 

18 (iv) environmental assessment and re19 mediation of construction sites or sites 

20 where housing units exist; and 

21 (H) the funding of any remaining costs for 

22 the construction, purchase, or rehabilitation of 

23 housing units within a qualified community, the 

24 purchase of real property within a qualified 

25 community, or any activity listed under sub-
17 

•S 1905 RS 

1 paragraph (G) that is not financed by loans or 

2 other sources of funding. 

3 (c) OWNERSHIP OF HOUSING AND LAND.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—All housing units constructed, 

5 purchased, or rehabilitated, or real property pur6 chased, with grant or loan funds provided under this 

7 Act, or with respect to which funds under this Act 

8 have been expended, shall be owned by the relevant el9 igible school district, municipality (as defined under 

10 the laws of the State of Alaska), Village Corporation, 

11 the Metlakatla Indian Community of the Annette Is12 lands Reserve, or a tribally designated housing entity. 

13 Ownership of housing units and real property may be 

14 transferred between such entities. 

15 (d) OCCUPANCY OF HOUSING UNITS.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided under 

17 paragraphs (2) and (3), each housing unit con18 structed, purchased, rehabilitated, or leased with 

19 grant or loan funds under this Act, or with respect 

20 to which funds awarded under this Act have been ex21 pended, shall be provided to teachers, administrators, 

22 other school staff, and members of their households. 

23 (2) NON-SESSION MONTHS.—A housing unit con24 structed, purchased, rehabilitated, or leased with 

25 grant or loan funds under this Act, or with respect 
18 

•S 1905 RS 

1 to which funds awarded under this Act have been ex2 pended, may be occupied by individuals other than 

3 teachers, administrators, other school staff, or mem4 bers of their household, only during those times in 

5 which school is not in session. 

6 (3) TEMPORARY OCCUPANTS.—A vacant housing 

7 unit constructed, purchased, rehabilitated, or leased 

8 with grant or loan funds under this Act, or with re9 spect to which funds awarded under this Act have 

10 been expended, may be occupied by a contractor or 

11 guest of an eligible school district for a maximum pe12 riod of time, to be determined by the Alaska Housing 

13 Finance Corporation. 

14 (e) COMPLIANCE WITH LAW.—Each eligible school dis15 trict receiving a grant or loan under this Act shall ensure 

16 that all housing units constructed, purchased, rehabilitated, 

17 or leased with such grant or loan funds, or with respect 

18 to which funds awarded under this Act have been expended, 

19 meet all applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances. 

20 (f) PROGRAM POLICIES.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Alaska Housing Finance 

22 Corporation, after consulting with eligible school dis23 tricts, shall establish policies governing the adminis24 tration of grant and loan funds made available under 

25 this Act. Such policies shall include a methodology for 
19 

•S 1905 RS 

1 ensuring that funds provided under this Act are made 

2 available on an equitable basis to eligible school dis3 tricts. 

4 (2) REVISIONS.—Not less than every 3 years, the 

5 Alaska Housing Finance Corporation shall, in con6 sultation with eligible school districts, consider revi7 sions to the policies established under paragraph (1). 

8 SEC. 5. REGULATIONS. 

9 Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 

10 this Act, the Secretary shall promulgate such regulations 

11 as are necessary to carry out this Act. 

12 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro14 priated to the Department of Agriculture to carry out this 

15 Act such sums as are necessary for fiscal years 2006 through 

16 2015. 

17 (b) LIMITATION.—The Secretary and the Alaska Hous18 ing Finance Corporation shall each use not more than 5 

19 percent of the funds appropriated in any fiscal year to 

20 carry out this Act for administrative expenses associated 

21 with the implementation of this Act. 
Calendar No. 806 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 1905 

[Report No. 108–414] 

A BILL 

To provide habitable living quarters for teachers, 

near Alaska Native Villages. households in rural areas of Alaska located in or administrators, other school staff, and their 

NOVEMBER 17, 2004 

Reported with an amendment