I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1397 
To create jobs and reinvest in communities through the rehabilitation of 
abandoned and foreclosed residential and commercial properties, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 21, 2013 
Ms. WATERS (for herself, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. CICILLINE, Mrs. BEATTY, Ms. 
BASS, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. 
WILSON of Florida, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. SEWELL of Alabama, Mr. DAVID 
SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. HAS-
TINGS of Florida, Mr. VEASEY, Mr. RICHMOND, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. 
WATT, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, and Ms. EDWARDS) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To create jobs and reinvest in communities through the 
rehabilitation of abandoned and foreclosed residential 
and commercial properties, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Project Rebuild Act of 2013’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
15:55 Apr 01, 2013
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1397.IH
H1397
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Direct appropriations. 
Sec. 3. Allocation of appropriated amounts. 
Sec. 4. Use of funds. 
Sec. 5. Limitations. 
Sec. 6. Rules of construction. 
Sec. 7. Authority to specify alternative requirements. 
Sec. 8. Nationwide distribution of resources. 
Sec. 9. Limitation on use of funds with respect to eminent domain. 
Sec. 10. Limitation on distribution of funds. 
Sec. 11. Rental housing preferences. 
Sec. 12. Job creation. 
Sec. 13. Program support and capacity building. 
Sec. 14. Enforcement and prevention of fraud and abuse. 
Sec. 15. Conformance of policies and procedures. 
Sec. 16. Severability. 
Sec. 17. Buy American—use of American iron, steel, and manufactured goods. 
Sec. 18. Wage rate and employment protection requirements. 
SEC. 2. DIRECT APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is appropriated, out of any money in the Treas-
ury not otherwise appropriated, $15,000,000,000, to re-
main available until September 30, 2016, for assistance 
to eligible entities, including States and units of general 
local government (as such terms are defined in section 102 
of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 
(42 U.S.C. 5302)), and qualified nonprofit organizations, 
businesses or consortia of eligible entities, for the redevel-
opment of abandoned and foreclosed-upon properties and 
for the stabilization of affected neighborhoods. 
SEC. 3. ALLOCATION OF APPROPRIATED AMOUNTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Of the amounts appropriated, 
two-thirds shall be allocated to States and units of general 
local government based on a funding formula established 
by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (in 
this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’). Of the amounts 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
15:55 Apr 01, 2013
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1397.IH
H1397
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
appropriated, one-third shall be distributed competitively 
to eligible entities. 
(b) FORMULA TO BE DEVISED SWIFTLY.—The fund-
ing formula required under subsection (a) shall be estab-
lished and the Secretary shall announce formula funding 
allocations, not later than 30 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act. 
(c) FORMULA CRITERIA.—The Secretary may estab-
lish a minimum grant size, and the funding formula re-
quired under subsection (a) shall ensure that any amounts 
appropriated or otherwise made available under this Act 
are allocated to States and units of general local govern-
ment with the greatest need, as such need is determined 
in the discretion of the Secretary based on— 
(1) the number and percentage of home fore-
closures in each State or unit of general local gov-
ernment; 
(2) the number and percentage of homes in de-
fault or delinquency in each State or unit of general 
local government; and 
(3) other factors such as established program 
designs, grantee capacity and performance, number 
and percentage of commercial foreclosures, overall 
economic conditions, and other market needs data, 
as determined by the Secretary. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
15:55 Apr 01, 2013
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1397.IH
H1397
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS