I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3541
To explicitly authorize religious organizations and organizations having reli-
gious purposes to participate in certain housing assistance programs
of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DECEMBER 19, 2001
Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Financial Services
A BILL
To explicitly authorize religious organizations and organiza-
tions having religious purposes to participate in certain
housing assistance programs of the Department of Hous-
ing and Urban Development.
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 ‘‘New Hope in Housing
Act’’.
SEC. 2. ELIGIBLE PROJECT OWNERS UNDER HOUSING PRO-
GRAMS FOR THE ELDERLY AND PERSONS
WITH DISABILITIES.
(a) SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY.—Sec-
tion 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q)
is amended—
(1) in subsection (f), by inserting after and
below paragraph (7) the following:
‘‘The selection criteria used by the Secretary shall specifi-
cally provide that religious organizations and organiza-
tions having religious purposes that qualify under sub-
section (k)(4) as private nonprofit organizations, may own
projects assisted under this section.’’;
(2) in subsection (j), by adding at the end the
following new paragraph:
‘‘(9) ELIGIBILITY
OF
RELIGIOUS
ORGANIZA-
TIONS AS PROJECT OWNERS.—The Secretary may
not prohibit religious organizations or organizations
having religious purposes that, under subsection
(k)(4) qualify as private nonprofit organizations,
from owning projects assisted under this section be-
cause of their status as such religious organiza-
tions.’’; and
(3) in subsection (k)(4), by inserting after the
period at the end the following: ‘‘Such term also in-
cludes a religious organization or an organization
having religious purposes, that meets the require-
ments of this paragraph, not including subparagraph
(B)(i).’’.
(b) SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR PERSONS WITH DIS-
ABILITIES.—Section 811 of the Cranston-Gonzalez Na-
tional Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 8013) is
amended—
(1) in subsection (f), by inserting after and
below paragraph (7) the following:
‘‘The selection criteria used by the Secretary shall specifi-
cally provide that religious organizations and organiza-
tions having religious purposes, that qualify under sub-
section (k)(6) as private nonprofit organizations may own
projects assisted under this section.’’;
(2) in subsection (j), by adding at the end the
following new paragraph:
‘‘(8) ELIGIBILITY
OF
RELIGIOUS
ORGANIZA-
TIONS AS PROJECT OWNERS.—The Secretary may
not prohibit religious organizations or organizations
having religious purposes that, under subsection
(k)(6) qualify as private nonprofit organizations,
from owning projects assisted under this section be-
cause of their status as such religious organiza-
tions.’’; and
(3) in subsection (k)(6), by inserting after and
below subparagraph (D) the following:
‘‘Such term includes a religious organization or an
organization having religious purposes, that meets
the requirements of this paragraph, not including
subparagraph (C).’’.
SEC. 3. ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES UNDER HOME PROGRAM AND
CDBG PROGRAM.
(a) HOME INVESTMENT
PARTNERSHIPS
PRO-
GRAM.—Title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Af-
fordable Housing Act is amended—
(1) in section 202(10) (42 U.S.C. 12721(10)),
by inserting ‘‘religious organizations,’’ after ‘‘trade
unions,’’; and
(2) in section 212 (42 U.S.C. 12742), by add-
ing at the end the following new subsection:
‘‘(h) ELIGIBLE SUBRECIPIENTS.—Funds made avail-
able under this subtitle may be provided to religious orga-
nizations, or organizations having religious purposes, for
carrying out secular activities that qualify under this sec-
tion as eligible uses for such funds.’’.
(b) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PRO-
GRAM.—Section 105 of the Housing and Community De-
velopment Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5305) is amended by
adding at the end the following new subsection:
‘‘(i) ELIGIBLE
SUBRECIPIENTS.—Grant amounts
under this title may be provided to religious organizations,
or organizations having religious purposes, for carrying
out secular activities that are eligible under this section
to be assisted under this title.’’.
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