I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2628
To provide affordable housing opportunities for families that are headed 
by grandparents and other relatives of children. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 26, 2003
Mr. CAPUANO (for himself, Mr. QUINN, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. REYES, Ms. 
LEE, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. 
RANGEL, Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Mr. OWENS, and 
Mr. LANTOS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To provide affordable housing opportunities for families that 
are headed by grandparents and other relatives of children.
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 ‘‘Living Equitably: 
Grandparents Aiding Children and Youth Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM FOR ELDERLY HOUS-
ING FOR INTERGENERATIONAL FAMILIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development shall carry out a demonstration pro-
movable dwelling units located adjacent to a larger 
project or dwelling. 
(c) PROGRAM TERMS.—Assistance provided pursuant 
to this section shall be subject to the provisions of section 
202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q), except 
that—
(1) notwithstanding subsection (d)(1) of such 
section or any provision of such section restricting 
occupancy to elderly persons, any intergenerational 
dwelling unit assisted under the demonstration pro-
gram may be occupied as provided in subsection 
(e)(2) of this section; 
(2) subsections (e) and (f) of such section 202 
(relating to applications and selection criteria) shall 
not apply; 
(3) in addition to the requirements under sub-
section (g) of such section 202, the Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Development shall ensure that 
occupants of dwelling units assisted under the dem-
onstration program are provided a range of services 
tailored to the needs of elderly persons, children, and 
intergenerational families and shall coordinate with 
the heads of other Federal agencies as may be ap-
propriate to ensure the provision of such services; 
and
(4) the Secretary may waive or alter any other 
provision of such section 202 necessary to provide 
for assistance under the demonstration program 
under this section. 
(d) SELECTION.—The Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development shall provide for private nonprofit or-
ganizations to submit applications for assistance under 
this section and, during the period consisting of fiscal 
years 2004 through 2007 shall, to the extent amounts are 
available pursuant to subsection (g), select not less than 
2 and not more than 4 projects assisted under section 202 
of the Housing Act of 1959 for such assistance based on 
the ability of the applicant to develop and operate 
intergenerational dwelling units and national geographical 
diversity among projects funded. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
(1) ELDERLY PERSON.—The term ‘‘elderly per-
son’’ has the meaning given such term in section 
202(k) of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 
1701q(k)). 
(2) INTERGENERATIONAL
DWELLING
UNIT.—
The term ‘‘intergenerational dwelling unit’’ means a 
qualified dwelling unit (as such term is defined in 
section 9 of this Act) that is reserved for occupancy 
only by an intergenerational family.
(3) INTERGENERATIONAL
FAMILY.—The term 
‘‘intergenerational family’’ means a covered family 
(as such term is defined in section 9 of this Act) 
that has a head of household who is an elderly per-
son. 
(f) REPORT.—Not later than 36 months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Hous-
ing and Urban Development shall submit a report to the 
Congress describing the demonstration program under 
this section and analyzing the effectiveness of the pro-
gram. 
(g) FUNDING.—Of any amounts made available for 
assistance under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 
(12 U.S.C. 1701q) for each of fiscal years 2004 through 
2007, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
shall reserve amounts in such fiscal years as may be nec-
essary to fund the demonstration projects selected under 
subsection (d). Such amounts shall be available for use 
only for providing assistance under this section. 
SEC. 3. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM FOR RENTAL ASSIST-
ANCE FOR GRANDPARENT-HEADED OR REL-
ATIVE-HEADED FAMILIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development shall carry out a demonstration pro-
gram to determine the feasibility of providing rental as-
sistance under section 8 of the United States Housing Act 
of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f) for the rental of suitable dwell-
ing units by covered families. 
(b) ELIGIBLE UNITS.—Under the demonstration pro-
gram, the Secretary shall make rental assistance amounts 
reserved pursuant to subsection (f) of this section avail-
able to public housing agencies selected to participate in 
the program for use only for assistance on behalf of cov-
ered families renting qualified dwelling units. Such a pub-
lic housing agency may not initially provide voucher assist-
ance under this section for any family after the end of 
fiscal year 2007. 
(c) SERVICES.—The Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development shall require any public housing agency par-
ticipating in the demonstration program under this section 
to provide, to covered families receiving rental assistance 
pursuant to the program, supportive services that are tai-
lored to the needs of children and covered families. The 
Secretary shall coordinate with the heads of other Federal 
agencies as may be appropriate to assist in ensuring the 
provision of such services 
(d) SELECTION.—The Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development shall provide for public housing agen-
cies to apply to participate in the demonstration program 
under this section and, during the period consisting of fis-
cal years 2004 through 2007 shall, to the extent amounts 
are available pursuant to subsection (f), select not less 
than two and not more than four agencies for such partici-
pation based on the ability of the applicant to provide as-
sistance and services under the program and national geo-
graphical diversity among agencies participating in the 
program. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 36 months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Hous-
ing and Urban Development shall submit a report to the 
Congress describing the demonstration program under 
this section and analyzing the effectiveness of the pro-
gram. 
(f) FUNDING.—Of any amounts made available for 
voucher assistance under section 8(o) of the United States 
Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)) for fiscal year 
2004 and fiscal years thereafter, the Secretary of Housing 
and Urban Development shall reserve such amounts in 
such fiscal years as may be necessary to provide voucher 
assistance for the agencies selected under subsection (d) 
for use only for providing assistance under this section.
SEC. 4. ELIGIBILITY OF GRANDPARENT-HEADED AND REL-
ATIVE-HEADED FAMILIES FOR FAMILY UNIFI-
CATION ASSISTANCE. 
Section 8(x) of the United States Housing Act of 
1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(x)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (2)—
(A) by striking ‘‘section 8’’ and inserting 
‘‘this section’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘and’’ before ‘‘(B)’’ and in-
serting a comma; and 
(C) by inserting before the period at the 
end the following: ‘‘, or (C) a covered family (as 
such term is defined in section 9 of the Living 
Equitably: Grandparents Aiding Children and 
Youth Act), who is otherwise eligible for such 
assistance, for rental of a qualified dwelling 
unit (as such term is defined in such section 
9)’’; and 
(2) in the second sentence of paragraph (3)—
(A) by striking ‘‘containing’’ and inserting 
‘‘, which shall contain, to the extent appropriate 
(based on the proposed use for the amounts 
made available under this subsection) (A)’’; and 
(B) by inserting before the period at the 
end the following: ‘‘, and (B) a description of 
the need for assistance under this subsection
for covered families (as such term is defined in 
section 9 of the Living Equitably: Grandparents 
Aiding Children and Youth Act)’’. 
SEC. 5. ELIGIBILITY OF HOME PROGRAM ECHO UNITS FOR 
USE FOR GRANDPARENT-HEADED AND REL-
ATIVE-HEADED FAMILIES. 
Section 104(8) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National 
Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12704(8)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new sentence: ‘‘Such 
term also includes cottage housing opportunity units that 
are installed adjacent to existing 1- to 4-family dwellings, 
are occupied by children who are members of covered fam-
ilies, and facilitate the habitation of covered families (as 
such term is defined in section 9 of the Living Equitably: 
Grandparents Aiding Children and Youth Act) as a single 
family unit.’’. 
SEC. 6. ASSISTANCE UNDER FAIR HOUSING INITIATIVES 
PROGRAM FOR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH 
REGARDING HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR 
GRANDPARENT-HEADED 
AND 
RELATIVE-
HEADED FAMILIES. 
Section 561 of the Housing and Community Develop-
ment Act of 1987 (42 U.S.C. 3616a) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) education, outreach, counseling, and as-
sistance programs designed to inform covered fami-
lies (as such term is defined in section 9 of the Liv-
ing Equitably: Grandparents Aiding Children and 
Youth Act) of affordable housing opportunities and 
services and to assist in obtaining such opportunities 
and services.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d), by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) HOUSING PROGRAMS FOR GRANDPARENT-
HEADED
AND
RELATIVE-HEADED
FAMILIES.—The 
Secretary shall provide funding to State and local 
governments and public and nonprofit organizations 
and institutions to carry out the activities under 
subsection (a)(3).’’.
SEC. 7. TRAINING FOR HUD PERSONNEL REGARDING 
GRANDPARENT-HEADED 
AND 
RELATIVE-
HEADED FAMILIES ISSUES. 
Section 7 of the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development Act (42 U.S.C. 3535) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(t) TRAINING REGARDING ISSUES RELATING TO 
GRANDPARENT-HEADED AND RELATIVE-HEADED FAMI-
LIES.—The Secretary shall ensure that all personnel em-
ployed in field offices of the Department who have respon-
sibilities for administering the program under section 8 
of the United States Housing Act of 1937 or under section 
202 of the Housing Act of 1959, and an appropriate num-
ber of personnel in the headquarters office of the Depart-
ment who have responsibilities for such programs, have 
received adequate training regarding the particular needs 
and problems of covered families (as such term is defined 
in section 9 of the Living Equitably: Grandparents Aiding 
Children and Youth Act), including appropriate affordable 
housing opportunities and legal custody issues.’’. 
SEC. 8. STUDY OF HOUSING NEEDS OF GRANDPARENT-
HEADED AND RELATIVE-HEADED FAMILIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development and the Bureau of the Census shall 
jointly conduct a study to determine an estimate of the 
number of covered families in the United States and their
affordable housing needs and shall submit a report to the 
Congress regarding the results of the study. 
(b) REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—The report 
required under subsection (a) shall be submitted to the 
Congress not later than 12 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. The report shall include rec-
ommendations by the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development regarding how the major assisted housing 
programs of the Department of Housing and Urban De-
velopment (including the rental assistance and public 
housing programs under the United States Housing Act 
of 1937 and the supportive housing for the elderly pro-
gram under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959) can 
be used and, if appropriate, amended or altered, to meet 
the affordable housing needs of covered families. 
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act: 
(1) CHILD.—The term ‘‘child’’ means an indi-
vidual who—
(A) is not attending school and is not more 
than 18 years of age; or 
(B) is attending school and is not more 
than 19 years of age. 
(2) COVERED
FAMILY.—The term ‘‘covered 
family’’ means a family that—
(A) includes a child; and 
(B) has a head of household who is—
(i) a grandparent of the child who is 
raising the child; or 
(ii) a relative of the child who is rais-
ing the child. 
(3) GRANDPARENT.—The term ‘‘grandparent’’ 
means, with respect to a child, an individual who is 
a grandparent or stepgrandparent of the child by 
blood or marriage, regardless of the age of such in-
dividual. In the case of a child who was adopted, the 
term includes an individual who, by blood or mar-
riage, is a grandparent or stepgrandparent of the 
child as adopted. 
(4) QUALIFIED
DWELLING
UNIT.—The term 
‘‘qualified dwelling unit’’ means a dwelling unit 
that—
(A) has at least 2 separate bedrooms; 
(B) is equipped with design features ap-
propriate to meet the special physical needs of 
elderly persons, as needed; and 
(C) is equipped with design features appro-
priate to meet the special physical needs of 
young children.
(5) RAISING A CHILD.—The term ‘‘raising a 
child’’ means, with respect to an individual, that the 
individual—
(A) resides with the child; and 
(B) is the primary caregiver for the 
child—
(i) because the biological or adoptive 
parents of the child do not reside with the 
child or are unable or unwilling to serve as 
the primary caregiver for the child; and 
(ii) regardless of whether the indi-
vidual has a legal relationship to the child 
(such as guardianship or legal custody) or 
is caring for the child informally and has 
no such legal relationship with the child. 
(6) RELATIVE.—The term ‘‘relative’’ means, 
with respect to a child, an individual who—
(A) is not a parent of the child by blood 
or marriage; and 
(B) is a relative of the child by blood or 
marriage, regardless of the age of the indi-
vidual.
In the case of a child who was adopted, the term in-
cludes an individual who, by blood or marriage, is a 
relative of the family who adopted the child.
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