Farmworker Housing Improvement Act of 2018

To reform the programs of the Secretary of Agriculture for housing for rural farmworkers, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Farmworker Housing Improvement Act of 2018 2. Reforms to farmworker housing programs Section 514 of the Housing Act of 1949 ( 42 U.S.C. 1484 (j) Coordination with low-Income housing tax credit (1) Consultation The Secretary shall consult with the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service and take such actions as are appropriate in conjunction with such consultation to simplify the coordination of rules, regulations, forms, and approval requirements for multifamily housing projects for which assistance is provided by the Secretary in conjunction with any low-income housing tax credits under section 42 (2) Recommendations In implementing the changes required under this subsection, the Secretary shall solicit recommendations regarding such changes from project owners and sponsors, investors and stakeholders in housing tax credits, State and local housing finance agencies, public housing agencies, tenant advocates, and other stakeholders in such projects. (3) Report Not later than the expiration of the 9-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate that— (A) identifies the actions taken by the Secretary to comply with this subsection; (B) includes information regarding any resulting improvements in the expedited approval for multifamily housing projects; (C) identifies recommendations made pursuant to paragraph (2); and (D) makes recommendations for any legislative changes that are needed to facilitate prompt approval of assistance for such projects. (k) Funding caps Upon the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall increase the maximum amount of a loan or grant that may be made under this section or section 516 to $3,000,000 and may not establish a maximum funding amount that is lower than such amount. (l) Notice of funding availability Any notice of funding availability relating to assistance under this section or section 516 shall provide for a period for application for such funding having a duration not shorter than 60 days. (m) Annual schedule of awards of assistance The Secretary shall establish and implement an annual schedule for notice of funding, submission of applications, and awards of funding for assistance under this section and section 516. (n) Publication of self-Scoring assessments The Secretary shall make publicly available on a website of the Department, with respect to assistance under this section and section 516— (1) the self-scoring form and assessment for such assistance of the applicant; (2) a summary of the applications for such assistance and such loans made and grants awarded; and (3) a description of the compliance procedures, mechanisms, and activities used by the Department to monitor compliance and performance of such borrowers and grantees. (o) Eligibility for assistance The Secretary shall provide that any person not ineligible for financial assistance by reason of section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980 ( 42 U.S.C. 1436a . 3. Consistency between programs Section 516 of the Housing Act of 1949 ( 42 U.S.C. 1486 (1) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting or any limited partnership in which the general partner is a nonprofit entity, or any Indian tribe, (2) in subsection (k)(7)(A), by striking any limited partnership in which the general partner is a nonprofit entity, or

Summary: Farmworker Housing Improvement Act of 2018 This bill modifies certain housing programs administered by the Department of Agriculture for rural farmworkers, including by increasing the maximum amount of a loan or grant that may be made under such programs.