costs, and severe public health and environmental prob-
lems. 
SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM TO ASSIST MUNICIPALITIES WITH 
A VACANT HOUSING PROBLEM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development (hereinafter in this Act referred to 
as the ‘‘Secretary’’) may make grants to a local govern-
ment to fund— 
(1) the demolition of vacant housing; or 
(2) the demolition of vacant housing in com-
bination with a study of neighborhood revitalization. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—To be eligible for 
a grant under this Act, a local government shall submit 
to the Secretary, at such time and in such manner as the 
Secretary may require, an application that demonstrates 
that the local government has— 
(1) a history of continued population loss to be 
measured beginning with the 1980 decennial census; 
(2) vacant housing within its borders; 
(3) substantial urban decay and neighborhood 
degradation resulting from vacant housing; and 
(4) a comprehensive, coordinated plan for the 
demolition of vacant housing. 
(c) AWARD.— 
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(1) To the extent provided in advance in appro-
priation Acts, the Secretary shall award grants 
under this Act to local governments that have best 
demonstrated the requirements of subsection (b) in 
such number and amounts that the Secretary deter-
mines is warranted by the applications submitted. 
(2) The Secretary shall evaluate grant applica-
tions using the following factors: 
(A) The severity of the vacant housing 
problem in the context of the applicant’s overall 
housing stock. 
(B) The level of positive impact the demo-
lition of vacant housing would provide in stabi-
lizing the neighborhoods facing vacant housing 
problems. 
(C) Other relevant factors that the Sec-
retary deems pertinent and appropriate. 
(d) REPORTS.— 
(1) One year after the Secretary awards to a 
local government a grant under this Act, that local 
government shall submit to the Secretary a report 
on the progress made on the plan for which the 
grant was awarded. 
(2) This report shall include— 
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(A) the number of housing units demol-
ished and the number remaining to be demol-
ished pursuant to the local governments com-
prehensive, coordinated plan; 
(B) progress in completing the study or 
studies for neighborhood revitalization; and 
(C) the extent to which a demonstrated 
public health or safety hazard exists in relation 
to the applicant’s vacant housing problem. 
(e) RELATION TO OTHER PROGRAMS OF THE DE-
PARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.— 
It is the intent of Congress that the Secretary’s award 
to a local government of a grant under this Act shall not 
affect a decision by the Secretary to award funding to that 
local government for demolition of vacant housing or a 
study of neighborhood revitalization under any other pro-
gram of the Department of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment. 
(f) RELATION TO OTHER LAW.—Any demolition re-
sulting from this Act must comply with appropriate local, 
State, and Federal law. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
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(1) the term ‘‘vacant housing’’ means a group 
of buildings intended for use as residences that are 
vacant and are located in a well-defined area; 
(2) the term ‘‘local government’’ means any 
county, city, town, township, village, or other general 
purpose political subdivision of a State; and 
(3) the term ‘‘a study of neighborhood revital-
ization’’ means a study conducted by the local gov-
ernment, or by an organization on behalf of the local 
government, of how best to use the real property un-
derlying vacant housing after that vacant housing 
has been demolished. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act— 
(1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 
(2) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and 
(3) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2011. 
Æ 
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