I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 372 
To authorize funds to prevent housing discrimination through the use of 
nationwide testing, to increase funds for the Fair Housing Initiatives 
Program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 14, 2015 
Mr. AL GREEN of Texas (for himself, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. LEE, Ms. SCHA-
KOWSKY, Mr. TAKANO, Mr. HONDA, Ms. CHU of California, Mr. GRI-
JALVA, Mr. RUSH, Ms. HAHN, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. HINOJOSA, Ms. 
MOORE, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, 
and Mr. ELLISON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To authorize funds to prevent housing discrimination through 
the use of nationwide testing, to increase funds for the 
Fair Housing Initiatives Program, and for other pur-
poses. 
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 ‘‘Veterans, Women, 
Families with Children, Race, and Persons with Disabil-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:33 Jan 24, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H372.IH
H372
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
ities Housing Fairness Act of 2015’’ or the ‘‘Housing 
Fairness Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. TESTING FOR DISCRIMINATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development shall conduct a nationwide program 
of testing to— 
(1) detect and document differences in the 
treatment of persons seeking to rent or purchase 
housing or obtain or refinance a home mortgage 
loan, and measure patterns of adverse treatment be-
cause of the race, color, religion, sex, familial status, 
disability status, or national origin of a renter, home 
buyer, or borrower; and 
(2) measure the prevalence of such discrimina-
tory practices across the housing and mortgage lend-
ing markets as a whole. 
(b) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary of Housing 
and Urban Development shall enter into agreements with 
qualified fair housing enforcement organizations, as such 
organizations are defined under subsection (h) of section 
561 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 
1987 (42 U.S.C. 3616a(h)), for the purpose of conducting 
the testing required under subsection (a). 
(c) 
PROGRAM
REQUIREMENTS.—The 
Secretary 
shall— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:33 Jan 24, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H372.IH
H372
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(1) submit to the Congress an evaluation by the 
Secretary of the effectiveness of the program under 
this section; and 
(2) issue regulations that require each applica-
tion for the program under this section to contain— 
(A) a description of the assisted activities 
proposed to be undertaken by the applicant; 
(B) a description of the experience of the 
applicant in formulating or carrying out pro-
grams to carry out the activities described in 
subsection (a); and 
(C) a description of proposed procedures to 
be used by the applicant for evaluating the re-
sults of the activities proposed to be carried out 
under the program. 
(d) REPORT.—The Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development shall report to Congress— 
(1) on a biennial basis, the aggregate outcomes 
of testing required under subsection (a) along with 
any recommendations or proposals for legislative or 
administrative action to address any issues raised by 
such testing; and 
(2) on an annual basis, a detailed summary of 
the messages received by the Office of Fair Housing 
and Equal Opportunity of the Department through 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:33 Jan 24, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H372.IH
H372
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
its 24-hour toll-free telephone hotline, through elec-
tronic mail, and through its website. 
The Secretary may submit the reports required under 
paragraph (1) of this subsection as part of the reports 
prepared in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (6) of 
section 808(e) of the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 
3608(e)) and section 561(j) of the Housing and Commu-
nity Development Act of 1987 (42 U.S.C. 3616a(j)). 
(e) USE OF RESULTS.—The results of any testing re-
quired under subsection (a) may be used as the basis for 
the Secretary, or any Federal agency authorized to bring 
such an enforcement action, or any State or local govern-
ment or agency, public or private nonprofit organization 
or institution, or other public or private entity that the 
Secretary has entered into a contract or cooperative agree-
ment with under section 561 of the Housing and Commu-
nity Development Act of 1987 (42 U.S.C. 3616a) to com-
mence, undertake, or pursue any investigation or enforce-
ment action to remedy any discriminatory housing practice 
(as such term is defined in section 802 of the Fair Hous-
ing Act (42 U.S.C. 3602)) uncovered as a result of such 
testing. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section: 
(1) DISABILITY STATUS.—The term ‘‘disability 
status’’ has the same meaning given the term 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:33 Jan 24, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H372.IH
H372
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘handicap’’ in section 802 of the Civil Rights Act of 
1968 (42 U.S.C. 3602). 
(2) FAMILIAL STATUS.—The term ‘‘familial sta-
tus’’ has the same meaning given that term in sec-
tion 802 of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 
3602). 
(g) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS.—Nothing in 
this section may be construed to amend, alter, or affect 
any provision of criminal law or the Truth in Lending Act 
(15 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.). 
(h) REGULATIONS.—Not later than the expiration of 
the 180-day period beginning on the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment shall issue regulations that establish minimum 
standards for the training of testers of organizations con-
ducting testing required under subsection (a). Such regu-
lations shall serve as the basis of an evaluation of such 
testers, which shall be developed by the Secretary, and 
such regulations shall be issued after notice and an oppor-
tunity for public comment in accordance with the proce-
dure under section 553 of title 5, United States Code, ap-
plicable to substantive rules (notwithstanding subsections 
(a)(2), (b)(3)(B), and (d)(3) of such section). 
(i) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the provi-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:33 Jan 24, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H372.IH
H372
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
sions of this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2015 through 2019. 
SEC. 3. INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR THE FAIR HOUSING INI-
TIATIVES PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 561 of the Housing and 
Community Development Act of 1987 (42 U.S.C. 3616a) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘quali-
fied’’ before ‘‘private nonprofit fair housing en-
forcement organizations,’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘quali-
fied’’ before ‘‘private nonprofit fair housing en-
forcement organizations,’’; 
(2) by striking subsection (g) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the provisions of this sec-
tion $42,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2015 
through 2019, of which— 
‘‘(A) not less than 75 percent of such 
amounts shall be for private enforcement initia-
tives authorized under subsection (b); 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:33 Jan 24, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H372.IH
H372
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(B) not more than 10 percent of such 
amounts shall be for education and outreach 
programs under subsection (d); and 
‘‘(C) any remaining amounts shall be used 
for program activities authorized under this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(2) AVAILABILITY.—Any amount appropriated 
under this section shall remain available until ex-
pended to carry out the provisions of this section.’’; 
(3) in subsection (h), in the matter following 
subparagraph (C), by inserting ‘‘and meets the cri-
teria described in subparagraphs (A) and (C)’’ after 
‘‘subparagraph (B)’’; and 
(4) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(ii) in subparagraph (D), by striking 
the period and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(iii) by adding after subparagraph (D) 
the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(E) websites and other media outlets.’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘or other 
public or private entities’’ and inserting ‘‘or 
other public or private nonprofit entities’’; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:33 Jan 24, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H372.IH
H372
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘or other 
public or private entities’’ and inserting ‘‘or 
other public or private nonprofit entities’’. 
(b) REGULATIONS.—Not later than the expiration of 
the 180-day period beginning on the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment shall issue regulations that establish minimum 
standards for the training of testers of organizations fund-
ed with any amounts made available to carry out this sec-
tion for any of fiscal years 2015 through 2019. Such regu-
lations shall serve as the basis of an evaluation of such 
testers, which shall be developed by the Secretary, and 
shall be issued after notice and an opportunity for public 
comment in accordance with the procedure under section 
553 of title 5, United States Code, applicable to sub-
stantive 
rules 
(notwithstanding 
subsections 
(a)(2), 
(b)(3)(B), and (d)(3) of such section). 
SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Development should— 
(1) fully comply with the requirements of sec-
tion 561(d) of the Housing and Community Develop-
ment Act of 1987 (42 U.S.C. 3616a(d)) to establish, 
design, and maintain a national education and out-
reach program to provide a centralized, coordinated 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:33 Jan 24, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H372.IH
H372
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
effort for the development and dissemination of the 
fair housing rights of individuals who seek to rent, 
purchase, sell, or facilitate the sale of a home; 
(2) expend for such education and outreach 
programs all amounts appropriated for such pro-
grams; 
(3) promulgate regulations regarding the fair 
housing obligations of each recipient of Federal 
housing and community development funds to af-
firmatively further fair housing, as that term is de-
fined under title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 
1968 (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.); and 
(4) fully comply with the requirements of sec-
tion 810(a) of the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 
3610(a)). 
SEC. 5. GRANTS TO PRIVATE ENTITIES TO STUDY HOUSING 
DISCRIMINATION. 
(a) GRANT PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Housing 
and Urban Development shall carry out a competitive 
matching grant program to assist public and private non-
profit organizations in— 
(1) conducting comprehensive studies that ex-
amine— 
(A) the causes of housing discrimination 
and segregation; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:33 Jan 24, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H372.IH
H372
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS