I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6751 
To provide additional funds for affordable housing for low-income seniors, 
disabled persons, and others who lost their homes as a result of Hurri-
canes Katrina and Rita. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 31, 2008 
Mr. MELANCON (for himself, Mr. TAYLOR, and Mr. JEFFERSON) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To provide additional funds for affordable housing for low- 
income seniors, disabled persons, and others who lost 
their homes as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 
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 ‘‘Gulf Coast Multifamily 
and Assisted Housing Recovery Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR HOUSING LOW-INCOME 
ELDERLY PERSONS. 
Section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 
1701q) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(n) ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR LOW-INCOME EL-
DERLY PERSONS DISPLACED BY HURRICANES KATRINA 
AND RITA.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In addition to any amounts 
authorized under subsection (m), for fiscal year 
2009 there is authorized to be appropriated 
$125,000,000 to the Secretary to provide assistance 
pursuant to this section to private nonprofit organi-
zations and consumer cooperatives to expand the 
supply of supportive housing for low-income elderly 
persons— 
‘‘(A) who on August 28, 2005, for Hurri-
cane Katrina and September 24, 2005, for 
Hurricane Rita, were residents in a designated 
disaster area; 
‘‘(B) whose primary residence— 
‘‘(i) was significantly damaged by 
Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita or by 
flooding resulting from Hurricane Katrina 
or Hurricane Rita; or 
‘‘(ii) is uninhabitable as a result of 
damage or flooding resulting from Hurri-
cane Katrina or Hurricane Rita, including 
uninhabitability resulting from lack of elec-
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tricity, water, or other services due to such 
damage or flooding; and 
‘‘(C) who cannot, in the discretion of the 
Secretary, afford to rebuild such residence. 
‘‘(2) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.—Of the amounts 
authorized to be appropriated under paragraph (1), 
the Secretary shall allocate— 
‘‘(A) $55,000,000 to the State of Lou-
isiana; 
‘‘(B) $50,000,000 to the State of Mis-
sissippi; and 
‘‘(C) $20,000,000 to the State of Alabama. 
‘‘(3) DEFINITION.—As used in this subsection, 
the term ‘designated disaster area’ means any area 
in the States of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana 
that was the subject of a disaster declaration by the 
President under title IV of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) in response to Hurricanes 
Katrina and Rita of 2005.’’. 
SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR LOW-INCOME PERSONS 
WITH DISABILITIES. 
Section 811 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Af-
fordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 8013) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(o) ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR LOW-INCOME PER-
SONS WITH DISABILITIES DISPLACED BY HURRICANES 
KATRINA AND RITA.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In addition to any amounts 
authorized under subsection (m), for fiscal year 
2009 there is authorized to be appropriated 
$75,000,000 to the Secretary to provide assistance 
pursuant to this section to private, nonprofit organi-
zations to expand the supply of supportive housing 
for persons with disabilities— 
‘‘(A) who on August 28, 2005, for Hurri-
cane Katrina and September 24, 2005, for 
Hurricane Rita, were residents in a designated 
disaster area; 
‘‘(B) whose primary residence— 
‘‘(i) was significantly damaged by 
Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita or by 
flooding resulting from Hurricane Katrina 
or Hurricane Rita; or 
‘‘(ii) is uninhabitable as a result of 
damage or flooding resulting from Hurri-
cane Katrina or Hurricane Rita, including 
uninhabitability resulting from lack of elec-
tricity, water, or other services due to such 
damage or flooding; and 
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‘‘(C) who cannot, in the discretion of the 
Secretary, afford to rebuild such residence. 
‘‘(2) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.—Of the amounts 
authorized to be appropriated under paragraph (1), 
the Secretary shall allocate— 
‘‘(A) $35,000,000 to the State of Lou-
isiana; 
‘‘(B) $25,000,000 to the State of Mis-
sissippi; and 
‘‘(C) $15,000,000 to the State of Alabama. 
‘‘(3) DEFINITION.—As used in this subsection, 
the term ‘designated disaster area’ means any area 
in the States of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana 
that was the subject of a disaster declaration by the 
President under title IV of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) in response to Hurricanes 
Katrina and Rita of 2005.’’. 
SEC. 4. TARGETED HOUSING SUPPORT FOR LOW-INCOME 
ELDERLY PERSONS IN NEW ORLEANS AND ST. 
BERNARD PARISH. 
There is authorized to be appropriated for the rede-
velopment (rebuilding or replacement) of housing author-
ized under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 
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U.S.C. 1701q) which was damaged or destroyed as a re-
sult of Hurricane Katrina of 2005— 
(1) $2,500,000 to the City of New Orleans; and 
(2) $1,500,000 to the Parish of St. Bernard. 
SEC. 5. USE OF BUDGET-BASED RENT INCREASES FOR SEC-
TION 202 AND 811 PROJECTS IN A DES-
IGNATED DISASTER AREA. 
(a) SECTION 202.—Section 202 of the Housing Act 
of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q), as amended by section 2 of 
this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(o) APPROVAL OF RENT INCREASES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall annu-
ally adjust the rent levels on a budget-based basis of 
eligible projects to support the increased cost of op-
erating or rehabilitating such projects. 
‘‘(2) CONDITIONS.—Rent adjustments pursuant 
to this section shall— 
‘‘(A) be subject to adjustment by the Sec-
retary based on differences between estimated 
and actual costs of operating or rehabilitating 
such projects; and 
‘‘(B) not exceed the rent for comparable 
unassisted units in the area. 
‘‘(3) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section— 
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‘‘(A) the term ‘eligible project’ means a 
project that is— 
‘‘(i) assisted under subsection (c)(2); 
and 
‘‘(ii) located in a designated disaster 
area; and 
‘‘(B) the term ‘designated disaster area’ 
means any area in the States of Alabama, Mis-
sissippi, and Louisiana that was the subject of 
a disaster declaration by the President under 
title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re-
lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5121 et seq.) in response to Hurricanes Katrina 
and Rita of 2005.’’. 
(b) SECTION 811.—Section 811 of the Cranston-Gon-
zalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 8013), 
as amended by section 3 of this Act, is further amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(p) APPROVAL OF RENT INCREASES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall annu-
ally adjust the rent levels on a budget-based basis of 
eligible projects to support the increased cost of op-
erating or rehabilitating such projects. 
‘‘(2) CONDITIONS.—Rent adjustments pursuant 
to this section shall— 
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‘‘(A) be subject to adjustment by the Sec-
retary based on differences between estimated 
and actual costs of operating or rehabilitating 
such projects; and 
‘‘(B) not exceed the rent for comparable 
unassisted units in the area. 
‘‘(3) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section— 
‘‘(A) the term ‘eligible project’ means a 
project that is— 
‘‘(i) assisted under subsection (d)(2); 
and 
‘‘(ii) located in a designated disaster 
area; and 
‘‘(B) the term ‘designated disaster area’ 
means any area in the States of Alabama, Mis-
sissippi, and Louisiana that was the subject of 
a disaster declaration by the President under 
title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re-
lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5121 et seq.) in response to Hurricanes Katrina 
and Rita of 2005.’’. 
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SEC. 6. PRESERVATION AND PROVISION OF PROJECT- 
BASED HOUSING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING 
UNITS DAMAGED OR DESTROYED BY HURRI-
CANES KATRINA OR RITA. 
(a) REPORT ON TERMINATED PROJECT-BASED CON-
TRACTS
IN DESIGNATED DISASTER AREA.—Not later 
than 45 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall pro-
vide a report to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Finan-
cial Services of the House of Representatives detailing— 
(1) information on the number of project-based 
assistance contracts and units which were termi-
nated in the designated disaster area after Sep-
tember 30, 2005; 
(2) information on the specific developer, 
project name, location, number of units, and project 
description for each project-based assistance con-
tract which was terminated in the designated dis-
aster area after September 2005; and 
(3) such additional information as the Com-
mittee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of 
the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services 
of the House of Representatives shall reasonably re-
quire. 
(b) TOLLING OF CONTRACT TERM.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, a project-based assistance payments 
contract for a covered assisted multifamily housing 
project shall not expire or be terminated because of 
the damage or destruction of dwelling units in the 
project as a result of Hurricane Katrina or Hurri-
cane Rita. 
(2) EXPIRATION DATE.—The expiration date of 
the contract for a covered assisted multifamily hous-
ing project described under paragraph (1) shall be 
deemed to be the later of— 
(A) the date specified in the contract; or 
(B) the date that is not less than 3 months 
after the dwelling units in such project, or in a 
replacement project, are first made habitable. 
(c) OWNER PROPOSALS FOR REUSE OR RESITING OF 
AFFORDABLE UNITS.—Pursuant to section 215 of title II 
of division K of Public Law 110–161 (121 Stat. 2433), 
the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall, 
not later than October 1, 2009, promptly review and ap-
prove— 
(1) any feasible proposal made by the owner of 
a covered assisted multifamily housing project sub-
mitted to the Secretary that provides for the reha-
bilitation of such project and the resumption of use 
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of the project-based assistance under the contract 
for such project; or 
(2) the transfer, subject to the conditions estab-
lished under section 215(b) of title II of division K 
of Public Law 110–161, of the contract for such 
covered assisted multifamily housing project, or in 
the case of a covered assisted multifamily housing 
project with an interest reduction payments con-
tract, of the remaining budget authority under the 
contract, to a receiving project or projects. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘covered assisted multifamily 
housing project’’ means housing that— 
(A) meets one of the conditions established 
in section 215(c)(2) of title II of division K of 
Public Law 110–161; 
(B) was damaged or destroyed by Hurri-
cane Katrina or Hurricane Rita of 2005; and 
(C) is located in an area in the States of 
Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana that was 
the subject of a disaster declaration by the 
President under title IV of the Robert T. Staf-
ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) in response to 
Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita of 2005; 
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(2) the term ‘‘designated disaster area’’ means 
any area in the States of Alabama, Mississippi, and 
Louisiana that was the subject of a disaster declara-
tion by the President under title IV of the Robert 
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) in response to 
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita of 2005; 
(3) the term ‘‘project-based assistance’’ has the 
same meaning as in section 215(c)(3) of title II of 
division K of Public Law 110–161; and 
(4) the term ‘‘receiving project or projects’’ has 
the same meaning as in section 215(c)(4) of title II 
of division K of Public Law 110–161. 
SEC. 7. HOUSING DISASTER PLAN. 
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment shall— 
(1) develop a written disaster response plan for 
federally assisted properties, including for properties 
that receive assistance pursuant to— 
(A) section 202 of the Housing Act of 
1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q); and 
(B) section 811 of the Cranston-Gonzalez 
National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 
8013); and 
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(2) submit such plan to the Committee on 
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate 
and the Committee on Financial Services of the 
House of Representatives. 
Æ 
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