Build More Housing Near Transit Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.2483 | Sponsor: Rep. Peters, Scott H. (D-CA)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Build More Housing Near Transit Act of 2021
This bill revises requirements for the fixed guideway capital investment grant program.
Specifically, the bill revises how the Department of Transportation evaluates and rates fixed guideway capital projects under the program to include affordable housing incentives.

To amend title 49, United States Code, to include affordable housing 
    incentives in certain capital investment grants, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Build More Housing Near Transit Act 
of 2021''.

SEC. 2. AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCENTIVES IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS.

    Section 5309 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (g)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2)(B)--
                            (i) in clause (i) by striking ``; and'' and 
                        inserting a semicolon;
                            (ii) in clause (ii) by striking the period 
                        and inserting ``; and''; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iii) allow a weighting of up to five 
                        percentage points greater to the criteria 
                        relating to economic development under 
                        subsection (d)(2)(A)(iii) or (e)(2)(A)(iv), as 
                        applicable, and up to five percentage points 
                        lesser to the lowest scoring criteria under 
                        either such subsection, if the applicant 
                        demonstrates substantial effort to preserve or 
                        encourage affordable housing near the project 
                        by--
                                    ``(I) providing documentation of 
                                policies that allow for the approval of 
                                multi-family housing, single room 
                                occupancy units, and accessory dwelling 
                                units without a discretionary review 
                                process;
                                    ``(II) providing local capital 
                                sources for transit-oriented 
                                development; or
                                    ``(III) other methods, as 
                                determined appropriate by the 
                                Secretary.'';
                    (B) in paragraph (3)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (C) by striking ``and'' 
                        at the end;
                            (ii) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as 
                        subparagraph (E); and
                            (iii) by inserting after subparagraph (C) 
                        the following:
                    ``(D) in the case of a warrant that applies to the 
                criteria relating to economic development under 
                subsection (d)(2)(A)(iii) or (e)(2)(A)(iv), the 
                applicant that requests the use of such warrant has 
                completed and submitted a housing feasibility 
                assessment; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) Definition.--In this subsection, the term `housing 
        feasibility assessment' means an analysis of the physical, 
        legal, and financial viability of developing additional housing 
        along a project corridor.''; and
            (2) in subsection (l)(4)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``; or'' and 
                inserting a semicolon;
                    (B) in subparagraph (C) by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; or''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) from grant proceeds distributed under section 
                103 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 
                1974 (42 U.S.C. 5303) or section 201 of the Public 
                Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 
                3141), except that--
                            ``(i) such proceeds are used in conjunction 
                        with the planning or development of affordable 
                        housing; and
                            ``(ii) such affordable housing is located 
                        within one-half of a mile of a new defined 
                        station.''.
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