Homeowners Access to Visitability Enhancements (HAVE) Act of 2016

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. Short title This Act may be cited as the Homeowners Access to Visitability Enhancements (HAVE) Act of 2016 2. Visitable Homes Grants (a) Authority Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may make grants to low-income families to provide assistance with obtaining residences that are visitable for individuals. (b) Eligible Activities Amounts from a grant made under this section may be used only for the following activities: (1) Acquiring a visitable residence that has never previously been occupied. (2) Constructing a visitable residence. (3) Retrofitting an existing residence to make such residence visitable. (4) Renovating an existing residence to make such residence visitable. (c) Limitations (1) Amount A grant under this section may not exceed $5,000. (2) Renewal Not more than one grant may be made under this section with respect to any single residence. (3) Primary Residence A grant under this section may be used only for a residence that serves as the primary residence of the grantee, and the Secretary shall require a grantee to provide such assurances as may be necessary to ensure compliance with this paragraph. (4) Recapture of Unused Amounts If a grantee fails to use any amount of the grant awarded under this section before the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on the first disbursement of any such amounts to the grantee, the Secretary shall— (A) recapture the unused amounts; and (B) make such amounts available for grants under this section. (d) Applications To be eligible for a grant under this section, a low-income family shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including— (1) a description of the manner in which grant funds will be used to accomplish an eligible activity under subsection (b); and (2) an explanation of how such use will cause the residence of such family to meet the visitability standards identified in subsection (f)(4). (e) Reporting (1) Secretary The Secretary shall submit to Congress a biennial report regarding the progress and effectiveness of the grant program. (2) Grantees The Secretary shall require each grantee to submit such information as the Secretary considers necessary to ensure compliance with this Act and to enable the Secretary to comply with the requirement under paragraph (1). (f) Definitions For purposes of this section: (1) Low-income family The term low income family 42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(2) (2) Residence The term residence (A) is owned by the grantee or a member of the grantee’s household; or (B) will be owned by the grantee, or a member of the grantee’s household, during the residency of the grantee in accordance with subsection (c)(3). Such term includes a dwelling unit in a condominium or cooperative development owned by the grantee or a member of the grantee’s household. Such term does not include any dwelling unit that is subject to a lease. (3) Secretary The term Secretary (4) Visitable The term visitable Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities (g) Regulations Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue any regulations necessary to carry out this section. (h) Authorization of Appropriations (1) In General There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 to 2022. (2) Allocation Of the amounts appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) for each fiscal year— (A) 50 percent shall be used for grants for the eligible activities under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b); and (B) 50 percent shall be used for grants for the eligible activities under paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (b).

Summary: Homeowners Access to Visitability Enhancements (HAVE) Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the Department of Housing and Urban Development to make grants to low-income families to assist them in obtaining residences that are visitable for individuals. A residence shall be "visitable" if it complies with the most current version of the visitability standards of the International Code Council/American National Standards Institute. Amounts from such grants may be used only for: acquiring a visitable residence that has never previously been occupied, constructing a visitable residence, and retrofitting or renovating an existing residence to make it visitable.