Safely Sheltering Disaster Victims Act of 2013

To increase the number of tenant-based rental assistance vouchers made available for low-income families displaced by Hurricane Sandy. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Safely Sheltering Disaster Victims Act of 2013 2. Transfer of amounts to provide tenant-based rental assistance for low-income families displaced by Hurricane Sandy (a) Transfer Of the amounts made available for Department of Housing and Urban Development—Community Planning and Development—Community Development Fund Public Law 113–2 Department of Housing and Urban Development—Public and Indian Housing—Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (b) Use for disaster assistance The amounts transferred by subsection (a) shall be used only for activities and assistance for the provision of tenant-based rental assistance, including related administrative expenses, authorized under the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq. (1) Expedited availability The amounts transferred by subsection (a) shall be made available for such tenant-based rental assistance not later than the expiration of the 60-day period that begins on the date of the enactment of this Act. (2) Waiver of PHA project-based limitation In carrying out the activities authorized under this heading, the Secretary shall waive section 8(o)(13)(B) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(13)(B) (3) Local admissions preference Amounts transferred by subsection (a) may be provided only to public housing agencies that agree to provide a preference, pursuant to section 8(o)(6)(A) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(6)(A)), for making tenant-based assistance under such section 8(o) available to eligible families displaced by Hurricane Sandy. (4) Eligible families Amounts transferred by subsection (a) may be used only for tenant-based rental assistance for families that are otherwise eligible for such assistance under the terms of the program for such assistance under section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)). (5) Continuation of assistance An eligible family that is provided tenant-based rental assistance with amounts transferred by subsection (a) may continue to receive such assistance after the transferred amounts are no longer available for such assistance, subject to the eligibility of such family and the availability of amounts for such assistance made available in appropriation Acts. (c) Emergency designation Amounts transferred under subsection (a) shall retain their designation as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

Summary: Safely Sheltering Disaster Victims Act of 2013 - Transfers a specified amount made available for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Fund in the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 to the Public and Indian Housing Tenant-Based Rental Assistance HUD account for tenant-based rental assistance only, including related administrative expenses, to areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Subjects such funds to specified requirements, including that: they be made available for such assistance by 60 days after enactment of this Act; the HUD Secretary waive the public housing agency (PHA) project-based limitation for use of such assistance (under the voucher program) for low-income families; the amounts may be provided only to PHAs that agree to give a preference to making such assistance available to eligible families displaced by Hurricane Sandy; such families are otherwise eligible for such assistance; and an eligible family may continue to receive such assistance after the transferred amounts are no longer available, subject to family eligibility and the availability of amounts in appropriation Acts. Retains the designation of such amounts as an emergency requirement pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act).