I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2347 
To revitalize suburban communities, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 12, 2005 
Mr. KING of New York (for himself and Mrs. MCCARTHY) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, 
and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To revitalize suburban communities, 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. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Suburban Core Oppor-
tunity, Restoration, and Enhancement (SCORE) Act of 
2005’’. 
SEC. 2. GENERAL PROVISIONS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘unit of local government’’ means 
any city, other than a metropolitan city located in a
metropolitan statistical area, county, town, township, 
parish, village, hamlet, or other general purpose po-
litical subdivision of a State that contains within its 
boundaries an eligible SCORE project area; 
(2) the term ‘‘State’’ means any State of the 
United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Is-
lands, and America Samoa; 
(3) the term ‘‘metropolitan area’’ means a 
standard metropolitan statistical area as established 
by the Office of Management and Budget; 
(4) the term ‘‘metropolitan city’’ means— 
(A) a city within a metropolitan area which 
is the central city of such area, as defined and 
used by the Office of Management and Budget; 
or 
(B) any other city, within a metropolitan 
area, which has a population of 50,000 or more; 
(5) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Housing and Urban Development; and 
(6) the term ‘‘SCORE project area’’ means any 
area that— 
(A) is not eligible to be designated as a re-
newal community under section 1400E of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
(B) is not smaller than a census-des-
ignated place (‘‘CDP’’) as defined by the 
United States Bureau of the Census; and 
(C) includes some of the following: 
(i) Close proximity to existing develop-
ment and infrastructure, including access 
to mass transit. 
(ii) Substandard, deteriorating, dis-
tressed, abandoned, or underutilized resi-
dential, commercial, and industrial prop-
erties. 
(iii) An average housing cost-burden 
of at least 50 percent of gross income. 
(iv) A commercial property vacancy 
rate 30 percent higher than the average 
commercial vacancy rate for all metropoli-
tan areas. 
(v) An older, economically obsolescent 
regional mall, commonly referred to as a 
‘‘Greyfield mall’’. 
(b) BASIS AND MODIFICATION OF DEFINITIONS.— 
Where appropriate, the definitions in subsection (a) shall 
be based, with respect to any fiscal year, on the most re-
cent data compiled by the United States Bureau of the 
Census and the latest published reports of the Office of
Management and Budget available 90 days prior to the 
beginning of such fiscal year. The Secretary may by regu-
lation change or otherwise modify the meaning of the 
terms defined in subsection (a) in order to reflect any 
technical change or modification thereof made subsequent 
to such date by the United States Bureau of the Census 
or the Office of Management and Budget. 
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF SCORE PROJECT AREAS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—From among the areas nominated 
for designation under this section, the Secretary may des-
ignate 1 or more SCORE project areas. 
(b) LIMITATIONS ON DESIGNATION.—No area may 
be designated under subsection (a) unless— 
(1) the area is nominated by 1 or more units 
of local government, including municipal and county 
authorities; 
(2) the unit of local government provides writ-
ten assurances and other documentation satisfactory 
to the Secretary that— 
(A) it convened a SCORE advisory com-
mittee to enter into a collaborative community 
planning process to determine the SCORE 
project area to be nominated; 
(B) the SCORE advisory committee held a 
series of open meetings to develop a vision
statement with the consensus of the community 
that describes— 
(i) the geographical extent of the 
SCORE project area; 
(ii) the community’s goals in applying 
for such a designation; and 
(iii) the community’s plan for the use 
of any funds received under this Act; and 
(C) the SCORE advisory committee passed 
a resolution, that was later adopted by the unit 
of local government, adopting the vision state-
ment agreed to in subparagraph (B); and 
(3) the Secretary determines that any informa-
tion furnished is reasonably accurate. 
SEC. 4. PLANNING GRANTS FOR SCORE PROJECT AREAS. 
(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award a 
grant to a unit of local government to plan activities 
in accordance with the provisions of this section. 
(2) AMOUNT.—A grant awarded under sub-
section (a) shall not exceed $250,000. 
(3) AWARD BASIS.—The Secretary shall award 
grants under this section on a competitive basis. 
(b) APPLICATION.—A unit of local government seek-
ing a grant under this section on behalf of a designated
SCORE project area shall submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Secretary may require. 
(c) USE OF FUNDS.—A grant awarded to a unit of 
local government on behalf of a designated SCORE 
project area pursuant to subsection (a) shall be used to 
create a strategic plan for the SCORE project area. Such 
a strategic plan shall include plans for— 
(1) increasing the types of housing available 
within the SCORE project area; 
(2) protecting natural resources, farmland, and 
critical environmental lands within the SCORE 
project area; 
(3) preserving or increasing the amount of open 
space, public plazas, parks, and recreation areas 
within the SCORE project area; 
(4) increasing the construction of mixed use 
properties and buildings within the SCORE project 
area; 
(5) enhancing and promoting public transpor-
tation and improved circulation and access within 
the SCORE project area, including the construction 
and renovation of streets for pedestrian use, improv-
ing access to and condition of transit stations and
facilities, and the creation of commercial and mixed 
use properties adjacent to transit stations; 
(6) preserving the character of the community 
within the SCORE project area, including limits on 
the choice of architectural designs and the loss of 
historic features; and 
(7) programs or initiatives that enhance the 
economic base of the SCORE project area, including 
the creation of business improvement districts, fa-
cade enhancement programs, retail store recruit-
ment, and community marketing. 
(d) SCORE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any unit of local govern-
ment seeking to receive funds under this section 
shall work in close association with a SCORE advi-
sory committee. 
(2) PUBLIC HEARING.—The SCORE advisory 
committee shall hold at least one hearing, open to 
the public, concerning the strategic plan with stake-
holders and other interested groups within the com-
munity so that the opinions of such parties can be 
taken into account and so that outside groups can 
learn of the strategic plan. 
(3) PUBLIC NOTICE.—Copies of the strategic 
plan as well as the date and time of the hearing
shall be made available to the public at least two 
weeks prior to the hearing. 
(4) 90 DAY PERIOD FOR COMMENTS.—After the 
hearing, any interested party shall have 90 days in 
which to submit comments to the strategic plan ad-
visory committee. At the end of this period, the 
SCORE advisory committee shall hold an additional 
hearing, open to the public, to discuss any revisions 
made to the strategic plan. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2006 to 
carry out the provisions of this section. 
(2) AMOUNTS AVAILABLE UNTIL EXPENDED.— 
Amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) shall re-
main available until expended. 
SEC. 5. REVITALIZATION GRANTS FOR SCORE PROJECT 
AREAS. 
(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award a 
grant to a unit of local government to fund activities 
to revitalize SCORE project areas in accordance 
with the provisions of this section.
(2) LIMITATION ON AMOUNT.—No unit of local 
government may receive grants under this section to-
taling more than $50,000,000. 
(3) AWARD BASIS.—The Secretary shall award 
grants under this section on a competitive basis. 
(b) APPLICATION.—A unit of local government seek-
ing a grant under this section shall submit an application 
to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary may require. 
(c) SCORE REINVESTMENT FUND.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any unit of local govern-
ment receiving a grant pursuant to subsection (a) 
shall establish a separate fund, to be known as a 
SCORE Reinvestment Fund, to be administered by 
the unit local government, in consultation with a 
SCORE advisory committee. The SCORE Reinvest-
ment Fund shall be credited with all grant funds 
made available under this Act. 
(2) DISTRIBUTION.—A unit of local govern-
ment, in consultation with a SCORE advisory com-
mittee, shall distribute such sums as are necessary 
from the SCORE Reinvestment Fund to fund 
projects to revitalize SCORE project areas. 
(d) USE OF FUNDS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—A grant awarded to a unit 
of local government and distributed from a SCORE 
Reinvestment Fund shall be used to— 
(A) acquire real, commercial, or industrial 
property and existing structures within a 
SCORE project area; 
(B) pay for the costs of hiring engineers to 
develop or redevelop real, commercial, or indus-
trial property and existing structures within a 
SCORE project area; and 
(C) pay for the construction, reconstruc-
tion, alteration, rehabilitation, or to make sub-
stantial improvements to real, commercial, or 
industrial property and existing structures with 
a SCORE project area. 
(2) LIMITATION.—No more than 20 percent of 
the sums distributed from a SCORE Reinvestment 
Fund shall be allocated to any single project to revi-
talize SCORE project areas. 
(e) CERTIFICATION
OF ASSESSED VALUES.—Any 
unit of local government receiving a grant pursuant to 
subsection (a) must determine and certify the assessed 
value of all taxable real property within the SCORE 
project area as of the date the unit of local government 
applied for the grant, and for each fiscal year thereafter.
(f) RECEIPT OF REVENUE.—A unit of local govern-
ment receiving a grant pursuant to subsection (a) shall 
ensure that— 
(1) it will receive for each fiscal year the equiv-
alent of any tax revenues generated from taxes lev-
ied on the assessed value of real property within the 
SCORE project area as of the date it applied for the 
grant; 
(2) until an amount equal to the amount of the 
grant awarded pursuant to subsection (a) is col-
lected, the SCORE Reinvestment Fund will receive 
all taxes generated as result of any increase in the 
assessed value of all taxable real property within a 
SCORE project area after the date it applied for the 
grant; and 
(3) after an amount equal to the amount of the 
grant awarded pursuant to subsection (a) is col-
lected, the SCORE Reinvestment Fund will receive 
50 percent of all taxes generated as result of any in-
crease in the assessed value of all taxable real prop-
erty within a SCORE project area after the date it 
applied for the grant. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated $250,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2006 to carry out the provisions of this section.
SEC. 6. REQUIREMENT FOR AUDITS AND REPORTS BY 
UNITS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT. 
(a) REPORTS.—The Secretary may not award a grant 
under section 5 for a fiscal year unless the unit of local 
government shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an 
annual report in such form and containing such informa-
tion as the Secretary determines to be necessary for— 
(1) securing a record and a description of the 
purposes for which a grant received by a unit of 
local government pursuant to section 5 was ex-
pended and of the recipients of such expenditures; 
(2) determining whether the grant awarded was 
expended in accordance with the purposes and limi-
tations required pursuant to subsection (d) of sec-
tion 5; and 
(3) determining the percentage of the grant 
awarded that was expended by the unit of local gov-
ernment for administrative expenses during the pre-
ceding fiscal year. 
(b) AUDIT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may not 
award a grant under section 5 for a fiscal year un-
less the unit of local government shall establish such 
fiscal controls and fund accounting procedures as 
may be necessary to ensure the proper disbursal of,
and accounting for, amounts received by the unit of 
local government under such section. 
(2) STANDARDS.—The Secretary may not 
award a grant under section 5 unless the unit of 
local government shall— 
(A) provide for a single financial and com-
pliance audit of each SCORE Reinvestment 
Fund; 
(B) perform an audit biennially and that 
such an audit will cover expenditures in each 
fiscal year; and 
(C) conduct such an audit in accordance 
with standards established by the Comptroller 
General of the United States for the audit of 
governmental organizations, programs, activi-
ties, and functions. 
(3) DEFINITION.—For purposes of paragraph 
(2), the term ‘‘financial and compliance audit’’ 
means an audit to determine whether the financial 
statements of an audited SCORE Reinvestment 
Fund present fairly the financial position, and the 
results of financial operations, of the SCORE Rein-
vestment Fund in accordance with generally accept-
ed accounting principles, and whether the SCORE 
Reinvestment Fund has complied with laws and reg-