Building More Housing for Servicemembers Act

To direct the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to take certain actions regarding the housing shortage for members of the Armed Forces. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Building More Housing for Servicemembers Act 2. Responses to the housing shortage for members of the Armed Forces (a) Report on housing shortage for members of the Armed Forces Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the housing shortage for members of the Armed Forces. Such report shall include the following elements: (1) The determination of the Secretary regarding the feasibility of acquiring real property near military installations that face housing shortages, to be used for the development of privatized housing. (2) The determination of the Secretary regarding the need for an officer or civilian employee of the Department of Defense to serve, at each military installation, as a housing manager. (b) Guidance to landlords of privatized housing Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe guidance for eligible entities and landlords regarding acceptable housing standards for privatized housing. (c) Authorizations (1) Pilot program on using rental partnership programs of the Armed Forces to assure tenants for developers of privatized housing Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a pilot program to assess the feasibility of using the rental partnership programs of the Armed Forces to assure tenants for eligible entities to secure financing to construct privatized housing. (A) Locations The Secretary shall operate the pilot program in no more than 10 military housing areas that each have a rental vacancy rate of less than 7 percent. (B) Term The pilot program shall terminate on the date that is five years after the Secretary establishes the pilot program. (C) Report Not later than 90 days after the termination of the pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the results of the pilot program. (2) Joint pilot program on financial incentives for developers of privatized housing Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, shall develop a pilot program to provide financial incentives to eligible entities to build privatized housing, or to purchase or lease existing facilities, to house members of the Armed Forces and their dependents, and low-income individuals and families, as determined by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (A) Eligible projects In order to be eligible for an incentive under the pilot program, proposed privatized housing shall ensure that a percentage of such housing is reserved for members of the Armed Forces and dependents of such members. Such percentage shall vary proportionately to the value of the incentive. (B) Locations The Secretaries shall operate the pilot program in areas that have the longest wait times for on-base housing. (C) Priority In selecting eligible entities, the Secretaries shall give priority to entry-level housing and projects with greater density. (D) Term The pilot program shall terminate on the date that is five years after the Secretary establishes the pilot program. (E) Report Not later than 90 days after the termination of the pilot program, the Secretaries shall submit to Congress a report on the results of the pilot program. (3) Joint grant program The Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may jointly operate a grant program through the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation to build housing for members of the Armed Forces and their dependents, and low-income individuals and families. Household income limits for entities eligible to receive such a grant shall not differ based on whether a household includes a member of the Armed Forces. (d) Definitions In this section: (1) The terms eligible entity landlord (2) The term privatized housing

Summary: Building More Housing for Servicemembers Act This bill addresses the availability and quality of housing for members of the Armed Forces. First, the bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to report to Congress on the housing shortage for members of the Armed Forces. DOD must prescribe guidance for eligible entities and landlords regarding acceptable housing standards for privatized military housing. Under the bill, an eligible entity is any private person, corporation, firm, partnership, company, or state or local government that is prepared to enter into a contract for the construction of housing units and ancillary supporting facilities. DOD must establish a five-year pilot program to assess the feasibility of using the rental partnership programs of the Armed Forces to assure tenants for eligible entities to secure financing to construct privatized military housing. Additionally, DOD must coordinate with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop a five-year pilot program to provide financial incentives to eligible entities to build privatized military housing, or to purchase or lease existing facilities, to house members of the Armed Forces and their dependents and low-income individuals and families. Finally, DOD and HUD may jointly operate a grant program through the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation within DOD to build housing for members of the Armed Forces and their dependents, and low-income individuals and families. Household income limits for eligible entities to receive a grant must not differ based on whether a household includes a member of the Armed Forces.