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
‘‘Housing Opportunity and Responsibility Act of 1997’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents.
Sec. 2. Declaration of policy to renew American neighborhoods.
TITLE I—GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 101. Statement of purpose.
Sec. 102. Definitions.
Sec. 103. Organization of public housing agencies.
Sec. 104. Determination of adjusted income and median income.
Sec. 105. Community work and family self-sufficiency requirements.
Sec. 106. Local housing management plans.
Sec. 107. Review of plans.
Sec. 108. Reporting requirements.
Sec. 109. Pet ownership.
Sec. 110. Administrative grievance procedure.
Sec. 111. Headquarters reserve fund.
Sec. 112. Labor standards.
Sec. 113. Nondiscrimination.
Sec. 114. Prohibition on use of funds.
Sec. 115. Inapplicability to Indian housing.
Sec. 116. Regulations.
TITLE II—PUBLIC HOUSING
Subtitle A—Block Grants
Sec. 201. Block grant contracts.
Sec. 202. Grant authority, amount, and eligibility.
Sec. 203. Eligible and required activities.
Sec. 204. Determination of grant allocation.
Sec. 205. Sanctions for improper use of amounts.
Subtitle B—Admissions and Occupancy Requirements
Sec. 221. Low-income housing requirement.
Sec. 222. Family eligibility.
Sec. 223. Preferences for occupancy.
Sec. 224. Admission procedures.
Sec. 225. Family choice of rental payment.
Sec. 226. Lease requirements.
Sec. 227. Designated housing for elderly and disabled families.
Subtitle C—Management
Sec. 231. Management procedures.
Sec. 232. Housing quality requirements.
Sec. 233. Employment of residents.
Sec. 234. Resident councils and resident management corporations.
Sec. 235. Management by resident management corporation.
Sec. 236. Transfer of management of certain housing to independent manager at
request of residents.
Sec. 237. Resident opportunity program.
Subtitle D—Homeownership
Sec. 251. Resident homeownership programs.
Subtitle E—Disposition, Demolition, and Revitalization of Developments
Sec. 261. Requirements for demolition and disposition of developments.
Sec. 262. Demolition, site revitalization, replacement housing, and choice-based
assistance grants for developments.
Sec. 263. Voluntary voucher system for public housing.
Subtitle F—Mixed-Finance Public Housing
Sec. 271. Authority.
Sec. 272. Mixed-finance housing developments.
Sec. 273. Mixed-finance housing plan.
Sec. 274. Rent levels for housing financed with low-income housing tax credit.
Sec. 275. Carry-over of assistance for replaced housing.
Subtitle G—General Provisions
Sec. 281. Payment of non-Federal share.
Sec. 282. Authorization of appropriations for block grants.
Sec. 283. Funding for operation safe home.
Sec. 284. Funding for relocation of victims of domestic violence.
TITLE III—CHOICE-BASED RENTAL HOUSING AND
HOMEOWNERSHIP ASSISTANCE FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES
Subtitle A—Allocation
Sec. 301. Authority to provide housing assistance amounts.
Sec. 302. Contracts with PHA’s.
Sec. 303. Eligibility of PHA’s for assistance amounts.
Sec. 304. Allocation of amounts.
Sec. 305. Administrative fees.
Sec. 306. Authorizations of appropriations.
Sec. 307. Conversion of section 8 assistance.
Sec. 308. Recapture and reuse of annual contract project reserves under choice-
based housing assistance and section 8 tenant-based assistance
programs.
Subtitle B—Choice-Based Housing Assistance for Eligible Families
Sec. 321. Eligible families and preferences for assistance.
Sec. 322. Resident contribution.
Sec. 323. Rental indicators.
Sec. 324. Lease terms.
Sec. 325. Termination of tenancy.
Sec. 326. Eligible owners.
Sec. 327. Selection of dwelling units.
Sec. 328. Eligible dwelling units.
Sec. 329. Homeownership option.
Sec. 330. Assistance for rental of manufactured homes.
Subtitle C—Payment of Housing Assistance on Behalf of Assisted Families
Sec. 351. Housing assistance payments contracts.
Sec. 352. Amount of monthly assistance payment.
Sec. 353. Payment standards.
Sec. 354. Reasonable rents.
Sec. 355. Prohibition of assistance for vacant rental units.
Subtitle D—General and Miscellaneous Provisions
Sec. 371. Definitions.
Sec. 372. Rental assistance fraud recoveries.
Sec. 373. Study regarding geographic concentration of assisted families.
Sec. 374. Study regarding rental assistance.
TITLE IV—HOME RULE FLEXIBLE GRANT OPTION
Sec. 401. Purpose.
Sec. 402. Flexible grant program.
Sec. 403. Covered housing assistance.
Sec. 404. Program requirements.
Sec. 405. Applicability of certain provisions.
Sec. 406. Application.
Sec. 407. Training.
Sec. 408. Accountability.
Sec. 409. Definitions.
TITLE V—ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT OF PUBLIC HOUSING
AGENCIES
Subtitle A—Study of Alternative Methods for Evaluating Public Housing
Agencies
Sec. 501. In general.
Sec. 502. Purposes.
Sec. 503. Evaluation of various performance evaluation systems.
Sec. 504. Consultation.
Sec. 505. Contract to conduct study.
Sec. 506. Report.
Sec. 507. Funding.
Sec. 508. Effective date.
Subtitle B—Housing Evaluation and Accreditation Board
Sec. 521. Establishment.
Sec. 522. Membership.
Sec. 523. Functions.
Sec. 524. Powers.
Sec. 525. Fees.
Sec. 526. GAO audit.
Subtitle C—Interim Applicability of Public Housing Management Assessment
Program
Sec. 531. Interim applicability.
Sec. 532. Management assessment indicators.
Sec. 533. Designation of PHA’s.
Sec. 534. On-site inspection of troubled PHA’s.
Sec. 535. Administration.
Subtitle D—Accountability and Oversight Standards and Procedures
Sec. 541. Audits.
Sec. 542. Performance agreements for authorities at risk of becoming troubled.
Sec. 543. Performance agreements and CDBG sanctions for troubled PHA’s.
Sec. 544. Option to demand conveyance of title to or possession of public housing.
Sec. 545. Removal of ineffective PHA’s.
Sec. 546. Mandatory takeover of chronically troubled PHA’s.
Sec. 547. Treatment of troubled PHA’s.
Sec. 548. Maintenance of records.
Sec. 549. Annual reports regarding troubled PHA’s.
Sec. 550. Applicability to resident management corporations.
Sec. 551. Advisory council for Housing Authority of New Orleans.
TITLE VI—REPEALS AND RELATED AMENDMENTS
Subtitle A—Repeals, Effective Date, and Savings Provisions
Sec. 601. Effective date and repeal of United States Housing Act of 1937.
Sec. 602. Other repeals.
Subtitle B—Other Provisions Relating to Public Housing and Rental
Assistance Programs
Sec. 621. Allocation of elderly housing amounts.
Sec. 622. Pet ownership.
Sec. 623. Review of drug elimination program contracts.
Sec. 624. Amendments to Public and Assisted Housing Drug Elimination Act of
1990.
Subtitle C—Limitations Relating to Occupancy in Federally Assisted Housing
Sec. 641. Screening of applicants.
Sec. 642. Termination of tenancy and assistance for illegal drug users and alco-
hol abusers.
Sec. 643. Lease requirements.
Sec. 644. Availability of criminal records for tenant screening and eviction.
Sec. 645. Definitions.
TITLE VII—AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
Sec. 701. Rural housing assistance.
Sec. 702. Treatment of occupancy standards.
Sec. 703. Implementation of plan.
Sec. 704. Income eligibility for HOME and CDBG programs.
Sec. 705. Prohibition of use of CDBG grants for employment relocation activities.
Sec. 706. Use of American products.
Sec. 707. Consultation with affected areas in settlement of litigation.
Sec. 708. Use of assisted housing by aliens.
Sec. 709. Effective date.
SEC. 2. DECLARATION OF POLICY TO RENEW AMERICAN
NEIGHBORHOODS.
The Congress hereby declares that—
(1) the Federal Government has a responsibility
to promote the general welfare of the Nation—
(A) by using Federal resources to aid fami-
lies and individuals seeking affordable homes
that are safe, clean, and healthy and, in particu-
lar, assisting responsible, deserving citizens who
cannot provide fully for themselves because of
temporary circumstances or factors beyond their
control;
(B) by working to ensure a thriving na-
tional economy and a strong private housing
market; and
(C) by developing effective partnerships
among the Federal Government, State and local
governments, and private entities that allow gov-
ernment to accept responsibility for fostering the
development of a healthy marketplace and allow
families to prosper without government involve-
ment in their day-to-day activities;
(2) the Federal Government cannot through its
direct action alone provide for the housing of every
American citizen, or even a majority of its citizens,
but it is the responsibility of the Government to pro-
mote and protect the independent and collective ac-
tions of private citizens to develop housing and
strengthen their own neighborhoods;
(3) the Federal Government should act where
there is a serious need that private citizens or groups
cannot or are not addressing responsibly;
(4) housing is a fundamental and necessary com-
ponent of bringing true opportunity to people and
communities in need, but providing physical struc-
tures to house low-income families will not by itself
pull generations up from poverty;
(5) it is a goal of our Nation that all citizens
have decent and affordable housing; and
(6) our Nation should promote the goal of pro-
viding decent and affordable housing for all citizens
through the efforts and encouragement of Federal,
State, and local governments, and by the independent
and collective actions of private citizens, organiza-
tions, and the private sector.
TITLE I—GENERAL PROVISIONS
SEC. 101. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to promote safe, clean, and
healthy housing that is affordable to low-income families,