Eviction Crisis Act of 2021
Bill: S.2182 | Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. (D-CO)
Policy area: Housing and Community Development

Summary:
Eviction Crisis Act of 2021
This bill creates several eviction-related grant programs and shields certain eviction records from consumer reports.
Specifically, the bill requires the Bureau of Justice Assistance to award matching grants to state and local governments to support landlord-tenant focused community courts that allow social service representatives to assist tenants in the court process. The bill also permits the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to award grants to state, local, territorial, and tribal governments to provide financial assistance and housing stabilization services to extremely low-income households.
HUD is also required under the bill to award grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations to collect data from landlords on illegal self-help evictions and to establish and maintain an eviction database.
The bill also requires a consumer report obtained in association with a rental application to be provided to the consumer applicant and requires that eviction information be excluded from a consumer report in cases decided in favor of the tenant.  Further, the bill requires the Government Accountability Office to track historical eviction data and to report on savings and revenue generated by the grants awarded under the bill.

To require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish 
         a national evictions database, 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 ``Eviction Crisis Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) based on the best available data, more than 3,000,000 
        evictions are filed in an average year in the United States, 
        affecting individuals and families in urban, suburban, and 
        rural areas alike;
            (2) evictions impose significant costs on tenants, 
        landlords, and communities as a whole;
            (3) evictions disproportionately affect certain populations 
        and communities, including families with children and renters 
        of color who face a particularly high risk of eviction;
            (4) collecting more comprehensive and consistent data 
        through a national eviction database would foster a deeper 
        understanding of the causes and contours of the eviction crisis 
        as well as what efforts can be made to prevent or mitigate the 
        consequences of evictions when they are unavoidable;
            (5) expanding landlord-tenant community courts would 
        benefit both landlords and tenants, as these courts can offer 
        services that help tenants become current again on their 
        obligations or offer alternatives to eviction that avoid 
        homelessness or housing instability while also providing 
        landlords with less costly alternatives to eviction;
            (6) emergency assistance programs that provide short-term 
        support to tenants facing a temporary emergency can also help 
        prevent evictions and homelessness for low-income households;
            (7) past evictions or eviction filings can contribute to 
        the cycle of poverty by appearing on credit reports, and 
        tenants have a right to know whether a tenant screening report 
        contains inaccurate data that may impede their ability to pass 
        a background check and secure a stable home;
            (8) the Legal Services Corporation, established in 1974 
        under the Legal Services Corporation Act (42 U.S.C. 2996 et 
        seq.) and funded by Congress to provide grants for free civil 
        legal aid, has documented--
                    (A) the ongoing justice gap in which 86 percent of 
                the civil legal problems reported by low-income people 
                in the United States, including housing-related legal 
                issues, are handled with inadequate or no assistance 
                from an attorney or other legal professional; and
                    (B) that more than 50 percent of the legal problems 
                presented to legal aid organizations funded by the 
                Legal Services Corporation receive only limited or no 
                legal assistance due to lack of resources;
            (9) the National Center for Access to Justice determined 
        that in 79 percent of housing cases, the tenants are not 
        represented by a lawyer; and
            (10) funding for the Legal Services Corporation must be 
        substantially increased to enable grantees of the Legal 
        Services Corporation to provide legal assistance to all people 
        facing residential eviction who cannot afford adequate counsel.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrative eviction.--The term ``administrative 
        eviction'' means a ruling in favor of the landlord in an 
        administrative forum within a public housing agency, such as 
        grievance procedures, to recover possession of residential 
        property from a tenant, including a tenant residing in a public 
        housing dwelling unit or receiving tenant-based assistance or 
        project-based assistance under section 8 of the United States 
        Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f).
            (2) Court-ordered eviction.--The term ``court-ordered 
        eviction'' means a court ruling in favor of the landlord in a 
        legal action to recover possession of residential property from 
        a tenant, including a tenant residing in a public housing 
        dwelling unit or receiving tenant-based assistance or project-
        based assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing 
        Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f).
            (3) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
        Department of Housing and Urban Development.
            (4) Eviction filing.--The term ``eviction filing'' means a 
        filing by a landlord with the court of jurisdiction to initiate 
        a legal action to recover possession of residential property 
        from a tenant, including a tenant residing in a public housing 
        dwelling unit or receiving tenant-based assistance or project-
        based assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing 
        Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f).
            (5) Executed eviction.--The term ``executed eviction'' 
        means a court order carried out by a sheriff's office or other 
        law enforcement agency that resulted in the landlord recovering 
        possession of residential property from a tenant, including a 
        tenant residing in a public housing dwelling unit or receiving 
        tenant-based assistance or project-based assistance under 
        section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
        1437f).
            (6) Illegal eviction.--The term ``illegal eviction'' means 
        self-help measures taken outside of the legal process for 
        eviction to recover possession of residential property from a 
        tenant, including a tenant residing in a public housing 
        dwelling unit or receiving tenant-based assistance or project-
        based assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing 
        Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f), such as--
                    (A) willfully interrupting or permitting the 
                interruption of essential items of services required by 
                the rental agreement;
                    (B) blocking or attempting to block the entry of a 
                tenant upon the premises;
                    (C) changing the locks or removing the front door 
                of the premises;
                    (D) removing the belongings of a tenant; and
                    (E) any other action defined as a self-help 
                eviction under State landlord-tenant law.
            (7) Local ordinance impacting eviction.--The term ``local 
        ordinance impacting eviction'' means a local ordinance that is 
        designed to address the number of emergency services calls 
        resulting from assault, sexual harassment, stalking, disorderly 
        conduct, or another type of behavior, situation, or condition 
        that results in the need for emergency services, that results 
        in loss of housing or limit the housing opportunities for 
        survivors of crime, including survivors of domestic violence, 
        or individuals with disabilities who may require emergency 
        services, abnegating local landlord-tenant law by--
                    (A) requiring, encouraging, or permitting the 
                eviction of a tenant or resident because of a certain 
                number of calls for emergency services;
                    (B) requiring, encouraging, or permitting the 
                eviction of a tenant or resident because of an arrest 
                even though the arrest has not resulted in the 
                conviction of that tenant or resident; or
                    (C) requiring, encouraging, or permitting the 
                eviction of a tenant or resident because of criminal 
                activity occurring at or near the place of residence of 
                the tenant or resident for which that tenant or 
                resident has not been convicted.
            (8) Public housing; public housing agency.--The terms 
        ``public housing'' and ``public housing agency'' have the 
        meanings given those terms in section 3(b) of the United States 
        Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)).
            (9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Housing and Urban Development.
            (10) Tribally designated housing entity.--The term 
        ``tribally designated housing entity'' has the meaning given 
        the term in section 4 of the Native American Housing Assistance 
        and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103).

SEC. 4. LANDLORD-TENANT FOCUSED COMMUNITY COURTS.

    (a) In General.--The Attorney General, acting through the Bureau of 
Justice Assistance, shall award grants to States and local 
jurisdictions to support landlord-tenant focused community courts that 
offer a process with social service representatives who are available 
to assist tenants.
    (b) Goals for Process.--The process described in subsection (a) 
is--
            (1) intended to--
                    (A) divert landlords and tenants from proceeding 
                with a court-ordered eviction, which places costly 
                burdens on landlords, tenants, the court system, and 
                taxpayers; and
                    (B) help tenants who have fallen behind become 
                current again on their obligations or transition 
                tenants to a new stable home environment without losing 
                access to benefits and other support for which they are 
                eligible; and
            (2) not intended to keep tenants in housing that they will 
        be unable to afford.
    (c) Diversity Requirement.--In making grants under this section, 
the Attorney General shall ensure that landlord-tenant focused 
community courts--
            (1) are assisted in jurisdictions that serve urban areas, 
        suburban areas, and rural areas;
            (2) are assisted in serving communities that have high 
        rates of eviction and eviction filings or a large total number 
        of evictions and eviction filings, based on the best available 
        data;
            (3) are assisted in serving families with children;
            (4) provide assistance to individuals with limited English 
        proficiency;
            (5) provide effective communication with individuals with 
        disabilities; and
            (6) are located in facilities that are accessible to 
        individuals with disabilities and easily accessible by low-
        income individuals using public transportation.
    (d) Application.--A State or local jurisdiction desiring a grant 
under this section shall submit to the Attorney General an application 
at such time, in such manner, and containing--
            (1) a demonstrated unmet need in the community for a 
        landlord-tenant community court;
            (2) evidence of support from representatives of various and 
        diverse stakeholders within the community, including renters' 
        rights groups, landlords, and legal aid nonprofit 
        organizations;
            (3) a detailed description of how the grant will be spent;
            (4) a detailed description of how the landlord-tenant 
        community court will interact with the existing landlord-tenant 
        justice system of the State or local jurisdiction to, as 
        applicable, to alleviate the eviction crisis, including a 
        description of which cases will be diverted to the landlord-
        tenant community court;
            (5) a description of any local ordinance impacting 
        eviction;
            (6) a description of how the landlord-tenant community 
        court will not be designed to lengthen the process of pursuing 
        a legitimate eviction, limit the access of landlords to the 
        traditional justice system, curtail the right of landlords to 
        evict, or limit or curtail the due process or civil rights of 
        any tenant or housing resident; and
            (7) any other information as the Attorney General may 
        require, including information sought in consultation with the 
        Secretary.
    (e) Data.--Beginning 1 year after the date on which a State or 
local jurisdiction receives a grant under this section, and not later 
than 2 years after that date, the State or local jurisdiction, as 
applicable, shall submit to the Attorney General and the Secretary a 
report containing--
            (1) any aggregate data on landlord-tenant cases filed in 
        that State or local jurisdiction as the Attorney General or the 
        Secretary may require;
            (2) the data described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of 
        section 5(b)(1) and section 5(b)(2), as applicable; and
            (3) any other information as the Attorney General or the 
        Secretary may require.
    (f) Awarding Grants.--The Attorney General may award grants under 
this section in 3 rounds, with not fewer than 5 grants awarded in the 
first round.
    (g) Matching Requirement.--
            (1) In general.--As a condition of a grant provided under 
        this section, the Attorney General shall require the recipient 
        of the grant to contribute an amount equal to or more than the 
        amount of the grant, obtained solely from non-Federal sources.
            (2) Form.--In addition to cash or other direct funding, the 
        contribution required by the Attorney General under paragraph 
        (1) may include indirect costs or in-kind contributions paid 
        for under non-Federal programs.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL DATABASE OF EVICTIONS.

    (a) Establishment of Database.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and 
maintain a database that--
            (1) is accessible to the Office of Policy Development and 
        Research and the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity 
        of the Department and other employees of the Department as 
        determined necessary by the Secretary;
            (2) includes the data described in subsection (b) with 
        respect to court-ordered evictions, administrative evictions, 
        and illegal evictions in the United States; and
            (3) ensures appropriate security to prevent improper 
        disclosure of that data.
    (b) Contents.--The database established under subsection (a) shall 
contain the following data:
            (1) Data on each court-ordered or administrative 
        eviction.--With respect to each court-ordered or administrative 
        eviction case filed on or after the date on which the database 
        is established:
                    (A) Information on the tenant who is the defendant, 
                including--
                            (i) the name of the tenant;
                            (ii) the age of the tenant;
                            (iii) the race, ethnicity, gender, and 
                        disability status of the tenant;
                            (iv) the address of the residential 
                        property and the type of housing;
                            (v) the number of household members 
                        residing in the property, including the number 
                        of children; and
                            (vi) whether the tenant is a recipient of 
                        tenant-based or project-based assistance under 
                        section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 
                        1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f).
                    (B) Information on the landlord who filed the 
                court-ordered or administrative eviction case, 
                including--
                            (i) the name of the landlord;
                            (ii) the number of rental units owned by 
                        the landlord;
                            (iii) the name of the attorney or legally 
                        permitted representative of the landlord, or an 
                        indication that the landlord was self-
                        represented;
                            (iv) the rent charged for the unit in 
                        question;
                            (v) any amount that the landlord alleges 
                        that the tenant owes, including--
                                    (I) rent;
                                    (II) late fees and penalties; and
                                    (III) court fees and attorney's 
                                fees; and
                            (vi) any costs incurred by the landlord for 
                        engaging in the eviction process, including--
                                    (I) court costs, such as filing 
                                fees;
                                    (II) the cost of legal 
                                representation; and
                                    (III) the cost to set out a tenant.
                    (C) Procedural data on the court-ordered or 
                administrative eviction case, including--
                            (i) the date, if applicable, on which the 
                        tenant was served with a notice to quit;
                            (ii) the date of the initial court filing 
                        by the landlord;
                            (iii) the reason asserted by the landlord 
                        for filing for eviction, such as nonpayment or 
                        breach of lease;
                            (iv) whether the eviction was as a result 
                        of the enforcement of a local ordinance 
                        impacting eviction;
                            (v) whether the tenant moved out before the 
                        initial hearing; and
                            (vi) the final outcome of the court-ordered 
                        or administrative eviction case, including--
                                    (I) the disposition of the case, 
                                including whether the initial hearing 
                                resulted in a default judgment, 
                                dismissal, consent agreement, 
                                settlement, or trial;
                                    (II) the date of final disposition;
                                    (III) any amount owed to the 
                                landlord or tenant, if any, and over 
                                what time period;
                                    (IV) whether a judgment was made in 
                                favor of the tenant for code violations 
                                or warranty of habitability claims;
                                    (V) the overall outcome of the 
                                case, including whether the tenant paid 
                                any amounts to the landlord, whether 
                                the tenant stayed in the housing or was 
                                evicted from the housing, and whether 
                                the judge ordered that the tenant's 
                                future wages be garnished to pay the 
                                judgment; and
                                    (VI) whether the tenant was present 
                                when the judgment was rendered and 
                                whether the tenant had legal 
                                representation and the nature of that 
                                representation, including a lawyer, a 
                                law student participating in a clinic, 
                                or another non-lawyer trained to 
                                represent clients in landlord-tenant 
                                court, or whether the tenant was a 
                                lawyer representing himself or herself;
                            (vii) the total court fees incurred by the 
                        tenant, separated into categories of fees;
                            (viii) whether the landlord had appeared in 
                        landlord-tenant court for a court-ordered or 
                        administrative eviction matter involving the 
                        landlord in the 6 month, 1 year, or 2 year-
                        period preceding the court-ordered or 
                        administrative eviction case, and how many were 
                        such appearances involving the same tenant; and
                            (ix) whether the tenant had appeared in 
                        landlord-tenant court for a court-ordered or 
                        administrative eviction matter involving the 
                        landlord in the 6 month, 1 year, or 2 year-
                        period preceding the court-ordered or 
                        administrative eviction case, and how many were 
                        such appearances involving the same landlord.
            (2) Aggregate data on court-ordered or administrative 
        eviction cases.--Aggregate data on court-ordered or 
        administrative eviction cases filed on or after the date on 
        which the database is established, including--
                    (A) the total number of cases filed, including a 
                breakdown by--
                            (i) the number of cases filed for 
                        nonpayment, other breach of lease, both 
                        nonpayment and breach of lease, and any other 
                        reason;
                            (ii) the number of cases filed because of 
                        the enforcement of a local ordinance impacting 
                        eviction; and
                            (iii) the outcome of the dispositive 
                        hearing, including default judgment, dismissal, 
                        a consent agreement, a trial, and a settlement 
                        with or without mediation;
                    (B) the number of tenants and landlords who showed 
                up for the dispositive hearing of a court-ordered or an 
                administrative eviction case;
                    (C) the number and share of tenants and landlords 
                who were represented by counsel, and the number and 
                share of landlords who were represented by counsel when 
                not legally required to be so represented;
                    (D) the average duration of a court-ordered or an 
                administrative eviction case, including the average 
                time from filing to first hearing;
                    (E) the average amount allegedly owed by a tenant, 
                per landlord;
                    (F) the average months of rent allegedly owed by a 
                tenant;
                    (G) the average amount paid by a tenant to resolve 
                the case and stay in the housing;
                    (H) the number of court-ordered or administrative 
                eviction cases resulting in a judgment in favor of the 
                tenant due to code violations or warranty of 
                habitability claims;
                    (I) the number and percentage of court-ordered or 
                administrative eviction cases broken down by age 
                bracket;
                    (J) the number and percentage of court-ordered or 
                administrative eviction cases broken down by race and 
                ethnicity;
                    (K) the number and percentage of court-ordered or 
                administrative eviction cases broken down by gender;
                    (L) the number and percentage of court-ordered or 
                administrative eviction cases broken down by disability 
                status;
                    (M) the number and percentage of court-ordered or 
                administrative eviction cases with a tenant or 
                household with children;
                    (N) the number of tenants evicted from public 
                housing, broken down by each public housing agency;
                    (O) the number of tenants evicted from dwelling 
                units who were receiving tenant-based assistance or 
                project-based assistance under section 8 of the United 
                States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f), the 
                supplemental nutrition assistance program under the 
                Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), 
                or the temporary assistance for needy families under 
                part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 
                U.S.C. 601 et seq.); and
                    (P) the number of court-ordered or administrative 
                eviction or cases where late fees were collected from 
                tenants by landlords, and the average amount of late 
                fees in those cases.
            (3) Data on executed evictions.--Local law enforcement or 
        any other official who executes an eviction shall report to the 
        adjudicating court or administrative forum sufficient data on 
        each executed eviction, such that the court may determine which 
        court-ordered or administrative evictions resulted in a law 
        enforcement officer or other local official removing the 
        tenant.
            (4) Data on tenant status following a court-ordered or 
        administrative eviction.--Each court or administrative forum 
        responsible for adjudicating evictions should contact landlords 
        to determine whether tenants who were the subject of a court-
        ordered or administrative eviction were removed or remained in 
        the property 90 days after the court-ordered or administrative 
        eviction.
            (5) Data on each illegal eviction.--With respect to each 
        illegal eviction occurring on or after the date on which the 
        database is established, as reported by local governments and 
        nonprofit organizations receiving grants under section 6:
                    (A) The data described in paragraph (1)(A).
                    (B) Information on the landlord, including--
                            (i) the name of the landlord; and
                            (ii) any amount that the landlord alleges 
                        that the tenant owes, including any penalties.
                    (C) The primary reason or reasons the tenant was 
                evicted.
                    (D) If the tenant was evicted for nonpayment, the 
                amount owed.
                    (E) If the tenant was evicted for nonpayment, the 
                total number of months owed.
                    (F) Whether the tenant was evicted because of the 
                enforcement of a local ordinance impacting eviction.
            (6) Aggregate data on illegal evictions.--Aggregate data on 
        illegal eviction cases occurring on or after the date on which 
        the database is established, as reported by local governments 
        and nonprofit organizations receiving grants under section 6, 
        including--
                    (A) the average amount owed by a tenant, per 
                landlord;
                    (B) the average months of rent owed by a tenant;
                    (C) the number and percentage of illegal eviction 
                cases broken down by age bracket;
                    (D) the number and percentage of illegal eviction 
                cases with a tenant or household with children;
                    (E) the number and percentage of illegal eviction 
                cases broken down by race and ethnicity;
                    (F) the number and percentage of illegal eviction 
                cases broken down by gender;
                    (G) the number and percentage of illegal eviction 
                cases broken down by sex;
                    (H) the number and percentage of illegal eviction 
                cases broken down by sexual orientation;
                    (I) the number and percentage of illegal eviction 
                cases broken down by disability status; and
                    (J) the number and percentage of illegal eviction 
                cases based on the enforcement of a local ordinance 
                impacting eviction.
    (c) Submission of Data.--
            (1) Submission by courts.--Not later than March 1 of each 
        year, the Attorney General of each State shall submit to the 
        Secretary data on court-ordered eviction cases that occurred in 
        that State during the preceding calendar year for inclusion in 
        the database established under this section.
            (2) Submission to secretary.--
                    (A) In general.--The Attorney General of the State 
                shall--
                            (i) ensure the accuracy and consistency of 
                        the data submitted under paragraph (1); and
                            (ii) upon receipt of the data, aggregate 
                        the data and report the individual and 
                        aggregate data to the Secretary in a timely 
                        manner.
                    (B) Submission by courts.--If the Attorney general 
                of the State fails to submit the data described in 
                paragraph (1) to the Secretary in a timely manner under 
                subparagraph (A), the clerk of each State or local 
                court that handles landlord-tenant cases may submit the 
                data directly to the Secretary.
    (d) Guidelines.--The Secretary shall promulgate rules and establish 
guidelines for the submission of data under subsection (c) and 
publication of data in the database established under this section, 
which shall include--
            (1) a technological solution that provides a single point 
        of entry for data submissions to reduce the burden on clerks of 
        the courts;
            (2) in consultation with local governments and judges, 
        appropriate safeguards for protecting the privacy of personally 
        identifiable information, including of vulnerable populations, 
        which shall incorporate confidentiality measures to ensure that 
        any personally identifiable information regarding a tenant who 
        is a survivor of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual 
        assault, or stalking is not disclosed during the process of 
        data submission and publication;
            (3) standards for--
                    (A) external researchers to be granted permission 
                to access data in the database, including both 
                aggregate data and, if necessary for the conduct of 
                their research, personally identifiable information, 
                with appropriate safeguards to ensure identities are 
                protected in any publicly released analysis;
                    (B) the establishment of a research data center to 
                support analysis of that data; and
                    (C) using generally accepted statistical principles 
                to validate the data, in consultation with outside 
                participants;
            (4) methods for collecting data required under subsection 
        (b) that are not currently collected;
            (5) establishing definitions for terms related to the 
        eviction process based on how they are legally defined by 
        courts of jurisdiction handling eviction cases; and
            (6) standards for local officials to identify and designate 
        social services agencies that may access the database to 
        provide targeted social services to those tenants.
    (e) Annual Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall 
make publicly available a report on the contents of the database 
established under this section which shall not include personally 
identifiable information.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to carry 
out this section.

SEC. 6. GRANT PROGRAM TO COLLECT DATA ON ILLEGAL EVICTIONS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall award grants to local 
governments and nonprofit organizations to set up programs to collect 
data from landlords on illegal evictions in the United States.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary for each of 
fiscal years 2020 through 2024 to provide grants under this section.

SEC. 7. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish an advisory 
committee to be known as the Committee on Eviction Research (in this 
section referred to as the ``Committee'') to advise the Secretary on 
matters relating to--
            (1) the creation, operation, maintenance, methodology, and 
        privacy matters of the statistical efforts relating to the 
        database established under section 5;
            (2) developing a research agenda to determine the causes 
        and consequences of evictions; and
            (3) disseminating information with regard to policies or 
        practices that reduce the number of evictions or mitigate the 
        consequences of evictions.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Committee shall be composed of 16 
        members who shall be appointed by the Secretary, in 
        consultation with the chair and ranking member of the Committee 
        on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the 
        chair and ranking member of the Committee on Financial Services 
        of the House of Representatives, of whom--
                    (A) 2 members shall be employees of the Department 
                with expertise in housing data and an interest in 
                issues relating to evictions and housing instability;
                    (B) 3 members shall be landlords or representatives 
                of landlords, at least 1 of whom shall be a small or 
                independent landlord or a representative of small or 
                independent landlords;
                    (C) 4 members shall be from the academic or 
                research community;
                    (D) 3 members shall be from civil society, of 
                whom--
                            (i) not less than 2 shall be from entities 
                        that advocate for civil rights related to 
                        housing or eviction; and
                            (ii) not less than 1 shall have experienced 
                        eviction;
                    (E) 2 members shall be from private industry, civil 
                society, or the academic community with backgrounds in 
                data science and privacy; and
                    (F) 2 members shall be individuals with specific 
                knowledge of and expertise in eviction law and court 
                procedures.
            (2) Chair.--The Secretary shall appoint a chair of the 
        Committee from among the members of the Committee.
            (3) Period of appointment; vacancies.--
                    (A) In general.--A member of the Committee shall be 
                appointed for a period of 2 years.
                    (B) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Committee--
                            (i) shall not affect the powers of the 
                        Committee; and
                            (ii) shall be filled in the same manner as 
                        the original appointment.
    (c) Meetings.--The Committee shall meet in person or via electronic 
conference not less frequently than once every 2 months.
    (d) Powers.--In carrying out the duties of the Committee, the 
Committee may--
            (1) hold such hearings, sit, and act at such times and 
        places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as the 
        Committee determines to be appropriate;
            (2) issue reports, guidelines, and memoranda;
            (3) hold or host conferences and symposia;
            (4) enter into cooperative agreements with third-party 
        experts to obtain relevant advice or expertise, and oversee 
        staff;
            (5) establish subcommittees; and
            (6) establish rules of procedure.
    (e) Gifts.--The Committee may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or 
donations of services or property.
    (f) Travel Expenses.--The members of the Committee shall be allowed 
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates 
authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 
of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular 
places of business in the performance of service for the Committee.
    (g) Staff.--
            (1) In general.--The chair of the Committee may, without 
        regard to the civil service laws (including regulations), 
        appoint and terminate an executive director and such other 
        additional personnel as may be necessary to enable the 
        Commission to perform its duties, except that the employment of 
        an executive director shall be subject to confirmation by the 
        Commission.
            (2) Compensation.--The chair of the Committee may fix the 
        compensation of the executive director and other personnel 
        without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 
        of title 5, United States Code, relating to classification of 
        positions and General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate 
        of pay for the executive director and other personnel may not 
        exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule 
        under section 5316 of that title.
    (h) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which the 
Committee terminates, the Committee shall submit to the Secretary a 
report containing--
            (1) recommendations for statistical efforts relating to the 
        database established under section 5, including how additional 
        data may potentially be collected, consistent with civil rights 
        protections, to understand eviction trends by race, sex, 
        gender, sexual orientation, disability status, ethnicity, age, 
        and immigration status; and
            (2) a research agenda to determine the causes and 
        consequences of evictions and to illuminate policies or 
        practices that reduce the number of evictions or mitigate the 
        consequences of evictions, including an assessment of the 
        housing challenges resulting from the prohibition on public 
        housing participation due to the prior eviction of an 
        individual.
    (i) No Additional Funds.--The amounts necessary to carry out this 
section shall be derived from amounts appropriated or otherwise made 
available to the Secretary.

SEC. 8. EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to make funds 
available to State, local, territorial, and Tribal governments (in this 
section referred to as ``eligible grantees'') for the purpose of 
providing financial assistance and housing stabilization services to 
extremely low-income households to prevent evictions, homelessness, and 
other housing instability.
    (b) Distribution of Funds.--An eligible grantee receiving 
assistance under this section may distribute all or a portion of such 
assistance to private nonprofit organizations, other government 
entities, public housing agencies, Tribally designated housing 
entities, or other entities as determined by the Secretary to carry out 
programs in accordance with this section.
    (c) Designation.--An eligible grantee that receives a grant under 
this section may designate 1 or more entities to carry out programs in 
accordance with this section.
    (d) Household Eligibility.--
            (1) In general.--A household that is eligible to receive 
        assistance under a program established under this section (in 
        this section referred to as an ``eligible household'') shall 
        be--
                    (A) extremely low-income, as defined in section 
                3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
                U.S.C. 1437a(b));
                    (B) at risk of housing instability and experiencing 
                a short-term crisis, as attested to in writing by the 
                household, which may include--
                            (i) a decline in household income;
                            (ii) a family or health crisis;
                            (iii) unexpected expenses;
                            (iv) unsafe or unhealthy living conditions; 
                        or
                            (v) any other event as determined by the 
                        Secretary; and
                    (C) obligated to pay rent on a residential dwelling 
                or experiencing homelessness, as defined in section 103 
                of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 
                U.S.C. 11302).
            (2) Housing type.--Assistance under a program established 
        under this section shall be provided to eligible households 
        regardless of housing type, or lack thereof, including--
                    (A) rental properties, hotels, or motels where the 
                households are covered by State, Tribal, or local 
                eviction laws;
                    (B) manufactured housing;
                    (C) mobile homes;
                    (D) single rooms; and
                    (E) other types of subsidized and unsubsidized 
                housing.
            (3) Lease requirements.--Assistance under a program 
        established under this section shall be provided to eligible 
        households with written or oral leases, subleases, or informal 
        tenancy arrangements, allowing households to self-certify lease 
        agreements.
    (e) Limitation.--
            (1) In general.--Assistance under a program established 
        under this section shall be provided to an eligible household 
        for arrears and a period not to exceed 4 months during any 
        period of 3 years, except that grantees may provide assistance 
        for an additional 3 months only if necessary to ensure housing 
        stability for the eligible household, subject to the 
        availability of funds.
            (2) Exception for periods of high unemployment, emergency, 
        or major disaster.--Assistance under a program established 
        under this section shall be provided to an eligible household 
        for a period not to exceed 12 months, except that grantees may 
        provide assistance for an additional 3 months only if necessary 
        to ensure housing stability for the eligible household, subject 
        to the availability of funds--
                    (A) if for any month during the fiscal year the 
                average rate of unemployment (seasonally adjusted) for 
                the United States or for the State in which the 
                eligible grantee is located, for the period consisting 
                of the most recent 3 months for which data for all 
                States are published, equals or exceeds 5.5 percent; or
                    (B) in any fiscal year in which a declaration of a 
                major disaster or emergency under section 401 or 501 of 
                the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
                Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170, 5191) is in effect with 
                respect to the jurisdiction covered by an eligible 
                grantee.
    (f) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible grantee shall--
                    (A) use grant amounts to help eligible households 
                overcome a short-term crisis impacting housing 
                stability and provide financial assistance and housing 
                stability-related services to those eligible 
                households; and
                    (B) evaluate the eligibility of households in a 
                manner consistent with Federal nondiscrimination 
                requirements.
            (2) Financial assistance.--A recipient of a grant under 
        this section shall use the grant funds to provide housing-
        related financial assistance to eligible households in the form 
        of payments, including--
                    (A) direct payments to the eligible households; and
                    (B) the payment of--
                            (i) rent and rent arrears;
                            (ii) utilities and home energy costs and 
                        utilities and home energy costs arrears;
                            (iii) relocation costs; and
                            (iv) other housing-related expenses, as 
                        defined by the Secretary.
            (3) Housing stability-related services.--Not more than 25 
        percent of amounts received by a recipient of a grant under 
        this section shall be used to provide housing stability- 
        related services to eligible households, including--
                    (A) services for case management, including 
                community resources to negotiate and resolve issues to 
                keep eligible households housed;
                    (B) rehousing and relocation services;
                    (C) services provided by housing counseling 
                agencies approved by the Department to negotiate and 
                resolve financial issues;
                    (D) legal services;
                    (E) services to connect those eligible households 
                to other public supports, including long-term housing 
                assistance;
                    (F) referrals to other services for behavioral, 
                emotional, and mental health issues, domestic violence, 
                child welfare issues, employment, substance abuse 
                treatment, or other services; and
                    (G) other services to promote housing stability as 
                determined by the Secretary.
            (4) Evaluation.--Of amounts made available under subsection 
        (n) for fiscal year 2022, not more than $10,000,000 shall be 
        used by the Secretary to conduct a rigorous program evaluation 
        under subsection (k).
            (5) Administrative costs.--A recipient of a grant under 
        this section may not use more than 10 percent of the total 
        amount received under this section for administrative costs.
    (g) Allocation of Resources.--
            (1) Initial eligibility.--The Secretary, in consultation 
        with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary 
        of the Treasury, and the Secretary of Agriculture, shall 
        develop a formula for determining the initial funding 
        eligibility for eligible grantees based on--
                    (A) the number of extremely low-income renter 
                households with severe cost burdens, the number of 
                extremely low-income households experiencing severe 
                overcrowding, and the unemployment rate in each 
                jurisdiction;
                    (B) the prior performance of the grantee, including 
                whether the eligible grantee has any unresolved, 
                systemic housing-related civil rights violations; and
                    (C) other factors as determined by the Secretary.
            (2) Notification of initial eligibility.--The Secretary 
        shall notify eligible grantees of their initial eligibility for 
        funding within 30 days of the date of enactment of the 
        appropriate Act making appropriations for the Department for 
        the fiscal year.
            (3) Statement of grantee interest and commitment.--Within 
        90 days of receiving the notification described in paragraph 
        (2), each eligible grantee shall--
                    (A) notify the Secretary of its intent to 
                participate in the program authorized by this section 
                during the fiscal year for which the Secretary is 
                making funds available; and
                    (B) if the eligible grantee notifies the Secretary 
                of its intent to participate in the program, the 
                eligible grantee shall concurrently submit--
                            (i) a detailed plan describing how the 
                        eligible grantee will--
                                    (I) use the funds to prevent 
                                evictions, homelessness, and other 
                                housing instability, consistent with 
                                the requirements of this section, 
                                including any plans to distribute the 
                                funds to private nonprofit 
                                organizations, other government 
                                entities, public housing agencies, or 
                                other entities as determined by the 
                                Secretary;
                                    (II) implement and administer a 
                                program to distribute funds quickly and 
                                efficiently to eligible households, 
                                including through the use of 
                                appropriate technology;
                                    (III) make the plan publicly 
                                accessible; and
                                    (IV) raise awareness of the 
                                availability of assistance under the 
                                plan, including among renters and 
                                rental property owners; and
                            (ii) a statement that the eligible grantee 
                        will participate in a rigorous evaluation of 
                        the effectiveness of the program, if requested 
                        to do so by the Secretary.
            (4) Plan submission and public availability.--An eligible 
        grantee shall--
                    (A) make the plan submitted under paragraph 
                (3)(B)(i) publicly available on a website of the 
                eligible grantee, including in a format that is 
                accessible to individuals with disabilities; and
                    (B) conduct public hearings and solicit comment on 
                the plan submitted under paragraph (3)(B)(i) using the 
                procedure described in paragraph (5).
            (5) Public hearing and solicitation of comments.--
                    (A) In general.--In conducting public hearings and 
                soliciting comments on a plan submitted under paragraph 
                (3)(B)(i), each eligible grantee shall follow the 
                requirements of the citizen participation plan adopted 
                pursuant to section 91.105 of title 24, Code of Federal 
                Regulations, or any successor regulation, except as 
                provided in this paragraph.
                    (B) Initial hearing.--Before submitting the plan to 
                the Secretary required under paragraph (3)(B)(i), an 
                eligible grantee shall--
                            (i) hold a public hearing on the plan; and
                            (ii) provide the public with a reasonable 
                        opportunity to view and comment on the plan, 
                        which shall be for a period of not less than 10 
                        days.
                    (C) Subsequent hearings.--Not later than 60 days 
                after the initial hearing under subparagraph (B), an 
                eligible grantee shall conduct a public hearing to 
                solicit feedback on grants provided under this section.
                    (D) Consultation.--In addition to any other citizen 
                participation and consultation requirements, in 
                developing and implementing a plan to carry out this 
                section, each eligible grantee shall consult with--
                            (i) the applicable Continuum or Continuums 
                        of Care for the area served by the eligible 
                        grantee;
                            (ii) organizations representing underserved 
                        communities and populations; and
                            (iii) organizations with expertise in 
                        affordable housing, fair housing, and services 
                        for individuals with disabilities.
            (6) Allocation of prorated funds.--Not later than 120 days 
        after the enactment of appropriations Act making appropriations 
        for the program authorized under this section, the Secretary 
        shall allocate to each eligible grantee that notified the 
        Secretary of its intent to participate in the program, 
        consistent with the requirements in paragraph (3), the amount 
        of funding for which the eligible grantee is eligible under the 
        formula described in paragraph (1), plus any additional 
        prorated amounts made available as a result of State, local, 
        and Tribal governments having notified the Secretary of their 
        intent to decline to participate or has indicated its intent 
        not to participate under the terms of paragraph (3), in 
        accordance with the payment schedule described in paragraph 
        (8).
            (7) Distribution of declined funds.--
                    (A) In general.--If the Secretary determines as of 
                120 days after the enactment of appropriations for the 
                program authorized under this section that an eligible 
                grantee has declined to receive its full allocation or 
                has not indicated its intent to participate, not later 
                than 15 days after such date, the Secretary--
                            (i) except as provided in clause (ii) and 
                        subparagraph (B), shall redistribute, on a pro 
                        rata basis, such allocation among the other 
                        eligible grantees in the State (or States, if 
                        the eligible grantee is a Tribal government 
                        with jurisdiction in more than 1 State) that 
                        have not declined to receive their allocations; 
                        or
                            (ii) if no other eligible grantees exist in 
                        a relevant State, may contract with units of 
                        local government within the State to administer 
                        funds within the State.
                    (B) Exception.--If a redistribution under 
                subparagraph (A)(i) would result in eligible grantees 
                in a State receiving an increase of not less than 20 
                percent in funds received under the grant program, any 
                amount above the 20 percent increase in funds shall be 
                returned to the Secretary and distributed across all 
                eligible grantees that did not decline their full 
                allocation.
    (h) Continuous Improvement.--The Secretary shall establish a 
process that incorporates findings from rigorous evaluation of the 
grant program authorized under this section into subsequent guidance 
and best practices for eligible grantees.
    (i) Evaluation of Grantees.--The Secretary shall--
            (1) using data provided by eligible grantees, conduct a 
        rigorous evaluation of the grant program authorized under this 
        section that includes an assessment of--
                    (A) the ease with which eligible households are 
                able to access assistance;
                    (B) the effectiveness of the intervention models of 
                the program in preventing housing instability in 
                general and for eligible households of different types 
                and income levels;
                    (C) the cost-effectiveness of the program; and
                    (D) other indicators as determined by the 
                Secretary;
            (2) publicly disseminate, through internet websites and 
        other means, interim findings as soon as they become available 
        relating to programs established by recipients of a grant under 
        this section; and
            (3) make the evaluations described in paragraph (1) 
        publicly available.
    (j) Reporting Requirements.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall publish public reports 
        not less frequently than annually regarding the use of funds 
        made available under this section, which shall include, with 
        respect to each eligible grantee under this section--
                    (A) the number of eligible households that receive 
                assistance;
                    (B) the acceptance rate of applicants for 
                assistance;
                    (C) the type or types of assistance provided to 
                each eligible household;
                    (D) the average amount of funding provided per 
                eligible household receiving assistance;
                    (E) the average number of monthly rental or utility 
                payments that were covered by the funding amount that 
                an eligible household received, as applicable;
                    (F) the rate of evictions in the jurisdiction; and
                    (G) the rate of evictions of households that 
                received assistance under this program in the 
                jurisdiction.
            (2) Data.--Each report under this subsection shall 
        disaggregate the information relating to eligible households by 
        the gender, race, and ethnicity of the primary applicant for 
        assistance in those eligible households.
            (3) Alternative requirements.--The Secretary may establish 
        alternative reporting requirements for Tribal and territorial 
        eligible grantees and Tribally designated housing entities in 
        carrying out activities under this section, including exempting 
        Tribal eligible grantees and Tribally designated housing 
        entities from--
                    (A) the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.); 
                and
                    (B) the citizen participation and consultation 
                requirements under subpart B of part 91 of title 24, 
                Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor 
                regulation.
            (4) Privacy requirements.--
                    (A) In general.--Each eligible grantee that 
                receives a grant under this section shall establish 
                data privacy and security requirements for the 
                information described in paragraph (1) that--
                            (i) include appropriate measures to ensure 
                        that the privacy of individuals is protected;
                            (ii) provide that the information, 
                        including any personally identifiable 
                        information, is collected and used only for the 
                        purpose of submitting reports under paragraph 
                        (1); and
                            (iii) provide confidentiality protections 
                        for data collected about any individuals who 
                        are survivors of intimate partner violence, 
                        sexual assault, or stalking.
                    (B) Statistical research.--
                            (i) In general.--The Secretary--
                                    (I) may provide full and unredacted 
                                information provided under 
                                subparagraphs (A) through (F) of 
                                paragraph (1), including personally 
                                identifiable information, for 
                                statistical research purposes in 
                                accordance with existing law; and
                                    (II) may collect and make available 
                                for statistical research, at the census 
                                block group level, information 
                                collected under subparagraph (A).
                            (ii) Application of privacy requirements.--
                        A recipient of information under clause (i) 
                        shall establish for such information the data 
                        privacy and security requirements described in 
                        subparagraph (A).
            (5) Provision of data.--Each eligible grantee shall provide 
        to the Secretary such data as may be necessary for the 
        Secretary to complete the reporting requirements under this 
        subsection.
    (k) Report on Program.--Not later than 5 years after the 
establishment of the program under this section, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the 
Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of 
Representatives and publish in the Federal Register a report--
            (1) evaluating the effectiveness of the strategies pursued 
        under the grant program; and
            (2) that includes recommendations for any necessary changes 
        to law.
    (l) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
        $3,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026, and 
        such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year thereafter, 
        to carry out this section.
            (2) Reservation of funds for tribal communities.--Of the 
        amount appropriated under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
        reserve $9,600,000 for activities and assistance authorized 
        under titles I and VIII of the Native American Housing 
        Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4111 
        et seq.) and title I of the Housing and Community Development 
        Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) with respect to Indian 
        Tribes, which shall be made available for entities that are 
        eligible for payments under clauses (i) and (ii) of section 
        501(b)(2)(A) of subtitle A of title V of division N of the 
        Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260).
            (3) Allocation for states, territories, and units of local 
        government.--The amount appropriated under paragraph (1) for a 
        fiscal year that remains after the application of paragraph (2) 
        shall be allocated to eligible grantees that are eligible under 
        subtitle A of title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National 
        Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12741 et seq.), to be used in 
        a manner that conforms to the formula authorized under section 
        (f).
            (4) Pro rata availability.--The Secretary shall only 
        distribute a pro rata amount of the total appropriated under 
        paragraph (1) in a fiscal year based on the number of eligible 
        grantees that are eligible to receive a grant due to the 
        limitation described in subsection (m)(4).
    (m) Availability.--
            (1) In general.--Each eligible grantee shall--
                    (A) with respect to the first 2 fiscal years in 
                which grants are awarded under this section--
                            (i) obligate not less than 60 percent of 
                        such grant amounts within 2 years of the date 
                        that such funds become available to the 
                        eligible grantee for obligation; and
                            (ii) obligate 100 percent of such grant 
                        amounts within 3 years of such date; and
                    (B) for each subsequent fiscal year--
                            (i) obligate not less than 60 percent of 
                        such grant amounts within 1 year of the date 
                        that such funds become available to the 
                        eligible grantee for obligation; and
                            (ii) obligate 100 percent of such grant 
                        amounts within 2 years of such date.
            (2) Reallocation after 2 years.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary may recapture any 
                amounts not obligated in compliance with paragraph 
                (1)(A) and reallocate and repay such amounts to 
                eligible grantees in compliance that, at the time of 
                reallocation, have obligated not less than 65 percent 
                of the amount originally allocated and paid to the 
                eligible grantee.
                    (B) Amount.--The amount of a reallocation described 
                in subparagraph (A) shall be determined based on 
                demonstrated need within the jurisdiction covered by 
                the eligible grantee, as determined by the Secretary.
            (3) Rescission and reallocation of funds.--An eligible 
        grantee may use any funds from grants made under this section 
        that are unobligated within 3 years for purposes in addition to 
        those specified in this section, provided that such other 
        purposes are affordable housing purposes, as defined by the 
        Secretary, serving very low-income families (as such term is 
        defined in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 
        1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)).
            (4) Limitation on availability of funds.--An eligible 
        grantee may only receive a grant under this section after the 
        earlier of--
                    (A) the date on which the eligible grantee has 
                expended all funds provided under the emergency rental 
                assistance programs under section 501 of division N of 
                the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 
                116-260) and section 3201 of the American Rescue Plan 
                Act (Public Law 117-2); or
                    (B) the date on which funds provided under the 
                emergency rental assistance programs under section 501 
                of division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
                2021 (Public Law 116-260) and section 3201 of the 
                American Rescue Plan Act (Public Law 117-2) are no 
                longer available for obligation.
    (n) Prohibition on Prerequisites.--None of the funds made available 
pursuant to this section may be used to require any eligible household 
receiving assistance under the program under this section to receive 
treatment or perform any other prerequisite activities as a condition 
for receiving shelter, housing, or other services.
    (o) Use of Self-Certification or Self-Attestation.--The Secretary 
shall require eligible grantees to allow eligible households to use 
self-certification or self-attestation to meet statutory or regulatory 
requirements, to the greatest extent possible.
    (p) Treatment of Assistance.-- Assistance provided to an eligible 
household from a payment made under this section shall not be regarded 
as income and shall not be regarded as a resource for purposes of 
determining the eligibility of the eligible household or any member of 
the eligible household for benefits or assistance, or the amount or 
extent of benefits or assistance, under any Federal program or under 
any State, local, or Tribal program financed in whole or in part with 
Federal funds.
    (q) Written Notice of Denial of Assistance.--An eligible household 
that is denied assistance by an eligible grantee under the grant 
program under this section shall receive written notice of the denial 
of assistance within 5 days of the denial, which shall describe the 
basis for the denial and provide the eligible household with not less 
than 10 days to correct or amend the application.
    (r) Non-Supplantation Requirement.--An eligible grantee under this 
section shall expend, from other Federal funding sources available to 
the eligible grantee, an amount equal to the average fiscal year amount 
of total expenditures the eligible grantee made for eviction 
prevention, housing stabilization, and homelessness assistance for 
fiscal years 2017, 2018, and 2019 for those same activities during the 
fiscal year for which funds are paid to an eligible grantee under this 
section.

SEC. 9. TENANT SCREENING REPORTS.

    The Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) in section 604 (15 U.S.C. 1681b), by adding at the end 
        the following:
    ``(h) Additional Requirement Relating to Use of Consumer Report for 
Rental Housing.--If a person procures a consumer report, or causes a 
consumer report to be procured, from a consumer reporting agency in 
connection with evaluating a consumer applying for tenancy in rental 
housing, the consumer reporting agency shall provide to the consumer a 
copy of the consumer report.''; and
            (2) in section 605(a) (15 U.S.C. 1681c(a)), by adding at 
        the end the following:
            ``(9) Eviction judgments and related suits in instances of 
        an eviction judgment that is in the favor of the tenant.''.

SEC. 10. GAO STUDY AND REPORT.

    (a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall 
conduct a comprehensive qualitative and quantitative study to--
            (1) track evictions during the period for which appropriate 
        data is available or the 30-year period preceding the date of 
        enactment of this Act, whichever is shorter;
            (2) analyze local eviction laws, regulations, and judicial 
        process; and
            (3) assess the factors that contribute to evictions and 
        whether those factors differ in urban areas versus suburban and 
        rural areas, as well as across different protected class 
        groups, including race, color, national origin, religion, sex, 
        familial status, disability status, and age.
    (b) Report.--Not earlier than 5 years but not later than 6 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
United States shall submit to Congress a report on the grants awarded 
pursuant to sections 4, 6, and 8 of this Act, including best estimates 
of the amount saved, if any, at all levels of government on housing, 
medical, or social welfare programs, as well as any additional revenues 
generated by participants being more likely to remain employed or for 
other reasons.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 11. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

    Nothing in this Act may be construed to--
            (1) deny a landlord the ability to file and execute an 
        eviction for a lawful reason; or
            (2) change the standards for determining a violation of the 
        Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.).
                                 <all>