(1) The subprime mortgage foreclosure crisis 
has led to the widespread and unprecedented aban-
donment of housing in many urban neighborhoods. 
(2) Communities that have experienced a sig-
nificant decrease in population since 1980 due to the 
loss of well-paying manufacturing jobs and subse-
quent economic decline were already subject to a se-
vere problem of vacant and abandoned housing when 
the subprime mortgage foreclosure crisis struck, fur-
ther exacerbating the problem. 
(3) Although the prompt demolition and re-
moval of vacant and abandoned housing is necessary 
in order to protect public health and safety, commu-
nities experiencing both economic decline and large 
numbers of subprime mortgage foreclosures have in-
sufficient resources to demolish and remove such 
housing in a timely manner. 
(4) Emergency grant assistance to such com-
munities would enable them to quickly demolish and 
remove vacant and abandoned housing in order to 
promote public health and safety, and to create open 
space that could be used for park land, recreation, 
future economic and residential development, or 
other purposes that would benefit such communities. 
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SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM TO ASSIST MUNICIPALITIES WITH 
A VACANT HOUSING PROBLEM. 
(a) AUTHORITY
TO
MAKE
GRANTS.—From the 
amounts appropriated under section 4, the Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Development shall make grants to eli-
gible units of general local government for the purpose of 
neighborhood reclamation in accordance with subsection 
(c). 
(b) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—To be eligible to 
receive a grant under subsection (a), a unit of general local 
government shall submit to the Secretary, at such time 
and in such manner as the Secretary may require pursu-
ant to regulations, an application that demonstrates that 
such local government has— 
(1) experienced significant population loss with-
in its jurisdiction since 1980, as measured by decen-
nial census data; 
(2) neighborhoods or other areas within its ju-
risdiction with— 
(A) a high incidence of vacant and aban-
doned housing, or other vacant and abandoned 
structures, located in areas that are primarily 
residential in character; and 
(B) substantial urban decay and neighbor-
hood degradation resulting from such housing 
or such other structures; and 
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(3) a comprehensive plan for the demolition of 
all such housing, and such other structures, within 
the jurisdiction of such local government, that will 
increase the stability of neighborhoods, or promote 
the rational utilization of land, within the jurisdic-
tion of such local government. 
(c) PURPOSES.—A unit of local government awarded 
a grant under subsection (a), shall use such grant to 
fund— 
(1) the demolition of vacant and abandoned 
housing, and other vacant and abandoned struc-
tures, located in areas that are primarily residential 
in character, and which are within the jurisdiction of 
such local government, pursuant to such local gov-
ernment’s comprehensive plan for demolition under 
subsection (b)(3); 
(2) prior to demolition, the abatement of any 
health and safety hazards in accordance with appli-
cable State and Federal laws, within such housing or 
such other structures, or on the site upon which 
such housing or other structures are located; and 
(3) after demolition— 
(A) the capping or removal of utility con-
nections and public infrastructure, including 
street pavements and sewer lines; and 
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(B) the rehabilitation of a site for use as 
public open space, inclusion in a land bank, or 
for sale. 
(d) REPORTS.—One year after the Secretary awards 
a grant under this Act to a unit of general local govern-
ment, such local government shall submit to the Secretary 
a report on— 
(1) the number of houses and other structures 
demolished, and the number of houses and other 
structures remaining to be demolished, pursuant to 
such local government’s comprehensive plan under 
subsection (b)(3); and 
(2) the amount of site rehabilitation completed 
pursuant to subsection (c)(3)(B). 
(e) RELATION TO OTHER PROGRAMS OF THE DE-
PARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.— 
The Secretary’s award of a grant under this Act to a unit 
of general local government shall not affect a decision by 
the Secretary to award funding to such local government 
for the demolition of vacant and abandoned housing under 
any other program of the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development. 
(f) RELATION TO OTHER LAW.—Nothing in this Act 
shall be construed to waive any obligations under local, 
State, and Federal law. 
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(g) PUBLIC HOUSING.—Funds made available under 
this Act shall not be used to demolish public housing, as 
such term is defined in section 3 of the United States 
Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a). 
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act, $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, and such 
sums as are necessary for each fiscal year thereafter. 
SEC. 5. IMPLEMENTATION. 
(a) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This Act shall take effect not 
later than 60 days after the date that funds are appro-
priated or otherwise made available to carry out this Act. 
(b) INTERIM REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall 
issue such interim regulations as may be necessary to im-
plement this Act not later than 60 days after the effective 
date in subsection (a). 
(c) FINAL REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall issue 
final regulations necessary to implement this Act not later 
than 180 days after such effective date. 
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Housing and Urban Development; 
(2) the term ‘‘unit of general local government’’ 
means a unit of general local government as defined 
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in section 102 of the Housing and Community De-
velopment Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5302); and 
(3) the term ‘‘other vacant and abandoned 
structures’’ means vacant and abandoned structures 
not used for residential purposes, or used for a com-
bination of residential and other purposes. 
Æ 
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