I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1004
To amend the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949
to authorize the transfer of surplus real property and surplus personal
property to nonprofit organizations for housing use, and to authorize
the transfer of surplus personal property for donation to nonprofit provid-
ers of necessaries to impoverished families and individuals.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 11, 1997
Mr. BOEHNER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight
A BILL
To amend the Federal Property and Administrative Services
Act of 1949 to authorize the transfer of surplus real
property and surplus personal property to nonprofit orga-
nizations for housing use, and to authorize the transfer
of surplus personal property for donation to nonprofit
providers of necessaries to impoverished families and in-
dividuals.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Neighborhood Assist-
ance Act’’.
SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF SURPLUS PROPERTY TO NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS FOR HOUSING USE.
(a) AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER SURPLUS PROPERTY
FOR HOUSING USE.—Section 203 of the Federal Property
and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 484)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(r) Under such regulations as the Administrator
may prescribe, and with the written consent of appropriate
local governmental authorities, the Administrator may
transfer to any nonprofit organization which exists for the
primary purpose of providing housing or housing assist-
ance for homeless individuals or families, such surplus real
property and surplus personal property, including build-
ings, fixtures, and equipment situated thereon, as is need-
ed for housing use.
‘‘(s)(1) Under such regulations as the Administrator
may prescribe, and with the written consent of appropriate
local governmental authorities, the Administrator may
transfer to any nonprofit organization which exists for the
primary purpose of providing housing or housing assist-
ance for low-income individuals or families, such surplus
real property and surplus personal property, including
buildings, fixtures, and equipment situated thereon, as is
needed for housing use.
‘‘(2) In making transfers under this subsection, the
Administrator shall take such action, which may include
grant agreements with an organization receiving a grant,
as may be necessary to ensure that—
‘‘(A) assistance provided under this subsection
is used to facilitate and encourage homeownership
opportunities through the construction of self-help
housing, under terms which require that the person
receiving the assistance contribute a significant
amount of labor toward the construction; and
‘‘(B) the dwellings constructed with property
transferred under this subsection shall be quality
dwellings that comply with local building and safety
codes and standards and shall be available at prices
below the prevailing market prices.
‘‘(t)(1) If the Administrator transfers a significant
portion of a surplus real property, including buildings, fix-
tures, and equipment situated thereon, under subsection
(r) or (s) of this section, the transfer of the entire surplus
real property is deemed to be in compliance with title V
of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 11411 et seq.).
‘‘(2) In this subsection, the term ‘significant portion’
means a portion—
‘‘(A) that consists of at least five acres;
‘‘(B) the fair market value of which ex-
ceeds $100,000;
‘‘(C) that represents at least 15 percent of
the total acreage of the surplus property; or
‘‘(D) the fair market value of which ex-
ceeds 15 percent of the fair market value of the
surplus property.’’.
SEC. 3. TRANSFER OF SURPLUS PERSONAL PROPERTY FOR
DONATION TO PROVIDERS OF NECESSARIES
TO IMPOVERISHED FAMILIES AND INDIVID-
UALS.
Section 203(j)(3)(B) of the Federal Property and Ad-
ministrative 
Services 
Act 
of 
1949 
(40 
U.S.C.
484(j)(3)(B)) is amended by inserting after ‘‘homeless in-
dividuals’’ the following: ‘‘, providers of assistance to fami-
lies or individuals whose annual incomes are below the
amount equal to 185 percent of the poverty line (as that
term is defined in section 673 of the Community Services
Block Grant Act),’’.
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