I

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 839

To amend the United States Housing Act of 1937 to require the Secretary

of Housing and Urban Development to administer a program of construction and revitalization of public housing, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 26, 1997

Mr. CONYERS (for himself, Mr. DELLUMS, Mr. EVANS, Mrs. MEEK of Florida,

and Ms. WATERS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Banking and Financial Services

A BILL

To amend the United States Housing Act of 1937 to require

the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to

administer a program of construction and revitalization

of 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 ‘‘Jesse Gray Housing

5 Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

7 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that—
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1 (1) the number of rental dwelling units avail2 able for lower income families is insufficient, and the

3 physical condition of a substantial portion of such

4 dwelling units is inadequate;

5 (2) new construction of rental dwelling units is

6 occurring primarily in higher income areas;

7 (3) Federal housing assistance programs, such

8 as rent subsidies, vouchers, and other rental and

9 mortgage assistance, too frequently assist middle

10 and higher income families and do not meet the de11 mand for housing by lower income families;

12 (4) such Federal housing assistance programs

13 are not cost-effective, due to a lack of suitable rental

14 dwelling units available for lower income families;

15 and

16 (5) a significant number of families are paying

17 more than 25 percent of their monthly income for

18 rent.

19 (b) PURPOSE.—The purposes of this Act are—

20 (1) to ensure that all families in the United

21 States have access to rental dwelling units at rents

22 that are not more than 25 percent of their monthly

23 income, and that such rental dwelling units are de24 cent, safe, and sanitary;
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1 (2) to ensure that all funds for housing assist2 ance by the Federal Government benefit lower in3 come families by requiring the Secretary of Housing

4 and Urban Development to propose that Federal

5 housing assistance be limited to lower income fami6 lies;

7 (3) to encourage the establishment of a public

8 housing system that consists of—

9 (A) projects located throughout metropoli10 tan and rural areas;

11 (B) low-density projects, to the extent

12 practicable; and

13 (C) dwelling units that are visually indis14 tinguishable from comparable privately owned

15 dwelling units;

16 (4) to provide for the revitalization of the hous17 ing construction industry and related industries; and

18 (5) to remedy the discriminatory practices of

19 construction unions by providing for the establish20 ment of special procedures for employing individuals

21 to construct and revitalize public housing.

22 SEC. 3. CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC HOUSING.

23 Section 5 of the United States Housing Act of 1937

24 (42 U.S.C. 1437c) is amended by adding at the end the

25 following new subsection:
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1 ‘‘(m)(1) The Secretary shall carry out a program for

2 the construction of 500,000 new dwelling units in public

3 housing during each of the fiscal years 1998 through

4 2007.

5 ‘‘(2) There are authorized to be appropriated to carry

6 out this subsection such sums as may be necessary for

7 each of the fiscal years 1998 through 2007. Any amount

8 appropriated under this paragraph shall remain available

9 until expended.’’.

10 SEC. 4. REVITALIZATION OF PUBLIC HOUSING.

11 Section 14(b) of the United States Housing Act of

12 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437l(b)) is amended by adding at the

13 end the following new paragraph:

14 ‘‘(3)(A) To the extent approved in appropriation Acts

15 and subject to subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall make

16 available and contract to make available financial assist17 ance under this subsection, in addition to financial assist18 ance made available under paragraphs (1) and (2). In

19 making assistance available under this paragraph, the Sec20 retary shall give particular preference to public housing

21 agencies requesting such assistance for public housing

22 projects that the Secretary determines would likely have

23 been subject to demolition or disposition under section 18,

24 as such section was in effect before the date of the enact25 ment of the Jesse Gray Housing Act.
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1 ‘‘(B) For purposes of this paragraph, the aggregate

2 amount of budget authority that may be obligated for con3 tracts for annual contributions is increased on October 1

4 of each of the years 1997 through 2006 by the amount

5 necessary to provide for the revitalization of 100,000

6 dwelling units in public housing during each of the fiscal

7 years 1998 through 2007, respectively.’’.

8 SEC. 5. PROHIBITION OF DEMOLITION AND DISPOSITION

9 OF PUBLIC HOUSING.

10 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 18(a) of the United

11 States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437p(a)) is

12 amended by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and all that follows

13 and inserting the following: ‘‘The Secretary may not au14 thorize any public housing agency to demolish or dispose

15 of any public housing project or any portion of a public

16 housing project.’’.

17 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 18 of the

18 United States Housing Act of 1937 is amended—

19 (1) by striking subsections (b), (c), (e), and (f);

20 (2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘without ob21 taining the approval of the Secretary and satisfying

22 the conditions specified in subsections (a) and (b)’’;

23 and

24 (3) by redesignating subsections (d) and (g) as

25 subsections (b) and (c), respectively.
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1 SEC. 6. EMPLOYMENT IN PUBLIC HOUSING CONSTRUCTION

2 AND REVITALIZATION.

3 Title I of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42

4 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end

5 the following new section:

6 ‘‘EMPLOYMENT IN PUBLIC HOUSING CONSTRUCTION AND

7 REVITALIZATION

8 ‘‘SEC. 29. (a) IN GENERAL.—In connection with any

9 construction and revitalization of public housing under

10 sections 5 and 14, each public housing agency shall carry

11 out a program of job training and employment of individ12 uals residing in the area with respect to which such public

13 housing agency has authority. Each such program shall

14 give preference to such individuals who reside in public

15 housing.

16 ‘‘(b) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—

17 ‘‘(1) Each training and employment program

18 required in subsection (a) shall provide that 50 per19 cent of the individuals employed in connection with

20 the construction of any public housing project shall

21 be individuals described in such subsection. Of the

22 individuals employed under this paragraph, 60 per23 cent shall be trained and employed in skilled and

24 semiskilled positions.
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1 ‘‘(2) Each training and employment program

2 required in subsection (a) shall provide that 35 per3 cent of the individuals employed in connection with

4 the revitalization of any public housing project shall

5 be individuals described in such subsection. Of the

6 individuals employed under this paragraph, 70 per7 cent shall be trained and employed in skilled and

8 semiskilled positions.

9 ‘‘(c) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall issue such

10 regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provi11 sions of this section.’’.

12 SEC. 7. TENANT RENT CONTRIBUTIONS.

13 (a) LOWER INCOME HOUSING UNDER THE UNITED

14 STATES HOUSING ACT OF 1937.—The United States

15 Housing Act of 1937 is amended—

16 (1) in section 3(a)(1)(A) (42 U.S.C.

17 1437a(a)(1)(A)), by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting

18 ‘‘25’’;

19 (2) in section 8(o) (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)), by

20 striking ‘‘30’’ each place it appears and inserting

21 ‘‘25’’;

22 (3) in section 8(u)(2) (42 U.S.C. 1437f(u)(2)),

23 by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting ‘‘25’’;
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1 (4) in section 8(y)(2)(A) (42 U.S.C.

2 1437f(y)(2)(A)), by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting

3 ‘‘25’’;

4 (5) in section 16(d)(1) (42 U.S.C.

5 1437n(d)(1)), by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting ‘‘25’’;

6 (6) in section 23(d) (42 U.S.C. 1437u(d)), by

7 striking ‘‘30’’ each place it appears and inserting

8 ‘‘25’’; and

9 (7) in section 304(b) (42 U.S.C. 1437aaa–

10 3(b)), by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting ‘‘25’’.

11 (b) PUBLIC HOUSING MIXED INCOME NEW COMMU12 NITIES STRATEGY DEMONSTRATION.—Section 521(e)(4)

13 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing

14 Act (42 U.S.C. 1437f note) is amended by striking ‘‘30’’

15 and inserting ‘‘25’’.

16 (c) SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY.—Sec17 tion 202(c)(3) of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C.

18 1701q(c)(3)) is amended by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting

19 ‘‘25’’.

20 (d) SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR PERSONS WITH DIS21 ABILITIES.—Section 811(d)(3) of the Cranston-Gonzalez

22 National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 8013(d)(3))

23 is amended by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting ‘‘25’’.

24 (e) HOME PROGRAM.—Section 215(a) of the Cran25 ston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42
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1 U.S.C. 12745(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘30’’ each place

2 it appears and inserting ‘‘25’’.

3 (f) RENT SUPPLEMENTS.—Section 101(d) of the

4 Housing and Urban Development Act of 1965 (12 U.S.C.

5 1701s(d)) is amended by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting

6 ‘‘25’’.

7 (g) RENTAL AND COOPERATIVE HOUSING FOR

8 LOWER INCOME FAMILIES.—Section 236(f) of the Na9 tional Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1715z–1(f)) is amended—

10 (1) in paragraphs (1), (2), and (5)(A)(i), by

11 striking ‘‘30’’ each place it appears and inserting

12 ‘‘25’’; and

13 (2) in paragraph (1)(ii), by striking ‘‘25’’ and

14 inserting ‘‘20’’.

15 (h) MULTIFAMILY PROPERTY DISPOSITION.—Section

16 203 of the Housing and Community Development Amend17 ments of 1978 (12 U.S.C. 1701z–11) is amended by strik18 ing ‘‘30’’ each place it appears in subsections (b)(5) and

19 (g) and inserting ‘‘25’’.

20 (i) TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS.—Section 206(d)(6)

21 of the Housing and Urban-Rural Recovery Act of 1983

22 (42 U.S.C. 1437a note) is amended by striking ‘‘30’’ and

23 inserting ‘‘25’’.

24 (j) LOW-INCOME HOUSING PRESERVATION AND

25 RESIDENT HOMEOWNERSHIP ACT OF 1990.—The Low-
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1 Income Housing Preservation and Resident Homeowner2 ship Act of 1990 is amended—

3 (1) in section 218(a)(1)(A) (12 U.S.C.

4 4108(a)(1)(A)), by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting

5 ‘‘25’’; and

6 (2) in subparagraphs (D) and (E)(iii) of section

7 222(a)(2) (12 U.S.C. 4112(a)(2)), by striking ‘‘30’’

8 each place it appears and inserting ‘‘25’’.

9 (k) STATE PRESERVATION PROJECT ASSISTANCE.—

10 Section 613(b)(2) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Af11 fordable Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 4125(b)(2)) is amended

12 by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting ‘‘25’’.

13 (l) PRESERVING EXISTING HOUSING INVESTMENT.—

14 The item relating to ‘‘HOUSING PROGRAMS—PRESERVING

15 EXISTING HOUSING INVESTMENT’’ in title II of the De16 partments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban

17 Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations

18 Act, 1997 (12 U.S.C. 4101 note) is amended by striking

19 ‘‘30’’ and inserting ‘‘25’’.

20 (m) EMERGENCY LOW INCOME HOUSING PRESERVA21 TION ACT OF 1987.—In carrying out the provisions of the

22 Emergency Low Income Housing Preservation Act of

23 1987 (12 U.S.C. 1715l note) pursuant to section 604 of

24 the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act,

25 each reference in such provisions to 30 percent of adjusted
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1 income shall be considered to refer to 25 percent of ad2 justed income.

3 (n) HOPE HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAMS.—Sections

4 424(b) and 444(b) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Af5 fordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12874(b), 12894(b)) are

6 each amended by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting ‘‘25’’.

7 (o) NATIVE AMERICAN HOUSING ASSISTANCE.—Sec8 tion 203(a)(2) of the Native American Housing Assistance

9 and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C.

10 4133(a)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting

11 ‘‘25’’.

12 (p) FHA-INSURED ASSISTED HOUSING.—Section

13 221 of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1715l) is

14 amended by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting ‘‘25’’ in each of

15 the following provisions:

16 (1) Subparagraph (A) of the last undesignated

17 paragraph of subsection (f).

18 (2) Subsection (l)(1).

19 (q) AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS FOR FEDERAL

20 HOUSING ENTERPRISES.—Sections 1332(c)(2) and

21 1333(c)(2) of the Housing and Community Development

22 Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 4562(c)(2), 4563(c)(2)) are each

23 amended by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting ‘‘15’’.

24 (r) RURAL HOUSING FOR LOWER INCOME FAMI25 LIES.—The Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.)
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1 is amended by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting ‘‘25’’ each

2 place it appears in each of the following sections:

3 (1) Section 521(a).

4 (2) Section 530.

5 (3) Section 542(a).

6 (s) FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK ACT.—The Federal

7 Home Loan Bank Act is amended by striking ‘‘30’’ and

8 inserting ‘‘25’’ in each of the following sections:

9 (1) Section 10(j)(13)(D) (12 U.S.C.

10 140(j)(13)(D)).

11 (2) Section 21A(c) (12 U.S.C. 1441a(c))—

12 (A) in paragraph (4)(A); and

13 (B) in paragraph (14)(G).

14 (t) FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE ACT.—Section 40

15 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1831q)

16 is amended by striking ‘‘30’’ and inserting ‘‘25’’ in each

17 of the following subsections:

18 (1) Subsection (e)(1).

19 (2) Subsection (n)(7).

20 (u) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS.—

21 Section 104(d)(2)(A)(iii)(I) of the Housing and Commu22 nity Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C.

23 5304(d)(2)(A)(iii)(I)) is amended by striking ‘‘30’’ and in24 serting ‘‘25’’.
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1 (v) NEW TOWNS EMERGENCY RELIEF DEMONSTRA2 TION.—Sections 1103(c)(4) and 1106(d)(1)(A)(iii)(I) of

3 the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992

4 (42 U.S.C. 5318 note) are each amended by striking ‘‘30’’

5 and inserting ‘‘25’’.

6 (w) EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN INCOME.—Notwith7 standing any other provision of law, for purposes of deter8 mining the monthly contribution to be made by a family

9 under the provisions amended by this section, the adjusted

10 income of a family shall exclude any income attributable

11 to any cost-of-living adjustment made after the effective

12 date of this section in—

13 (1) any welfare assistance received by such fam14 ily from a public agency; or

15 (2) any benefits received by such family under

16 the Social Security Act.

17 (x) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The provisions of, and

18 amendments made by, this section shall take effect on Oc19 tober 1, 1997.

20 SEC. 8. REPORT REGARDING FEDERAL HOUSING ASSIST21 ANCE.

22 The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development,

23 following consultation with public housing agencies, shall
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1 prepare and submit to the Congress a comprehensive re2 port setting forth a proposal to limit Federal housing as3 sistance to assistance for public housing in order to ensure

4 that all funds for housing assistance provided by the Fed5 eral Government benefit lower income families.

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