Saving Hazardous And Declining Environments Act
Bill: H.R.4166 | Sponsor: Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie (D-NJ)
Policy area: Housing and Community Development

Summary:
Saving Hazardous And Declining Environments Act or the SHADE Act
This bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development to award grants for government entities and nonprofit organizations to plant trees in low-income communities and in communities meeting designated minority or limited English-proficiency thresholds.

To direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a 
 grant program for planting of qualifying trees in eligible areas, 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 ``Saving Hazardous And Declining 
Environments Act'' or the ``SHADE Act''.

SEC. 2. TREE PLANTING GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, 
in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the 
Chief of the Forest Service, shall establish a grant program under 
which the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to plant 
qualifying trees in eligible areas.
    (b) Applications.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible entity that seeks to receive a 
        grant under subsection (a) shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary at such time, in such form, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary may require.
            (2) Contents.--An application submitted under paragraph (1) 
        shall include a 5-year timeline and budget for the planting and 
        maintenance associated with any qualifying trees awarded.
            (3) Community involvement.--The Secretary shall require 
        eligible entities to develop a public participation plan to 
        ensure that residents of the area in which a project is to be 
        implemented are involved in decision-making about the project 
        and such public participation plan may include--
                    (A) opportunities for local non-profits to be 
                involved;
                    (B) opportunities for public input; and
                    (C) demonstrated support from the community.
    (c) Selection.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall determine which 
        eligible entities shall receive a grant under this section.
            (2) Priority.--When awarding grants under subsection (a), 
        the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that, as 
        determined by the Secretary, have or are likely to develop a 
        housing policy plan designed to avoid the displacement of 
        current residents, including a plan for new housing development 
        or a plan for increasing property value in the eligible area.
    (d) Use of Amounts.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under 
subsection (a) shall use amounts provided to cover costs associated 
with--
            (1) implementing the tree planting project in an eligible 
        area, including--
                    (A) planning and designing the planting activity;
                    (B) purchasing qualifying trees; and
                    (C) preparing the site and conducting planting, 
                including the labor and cost associated with the use of 
                machinery;
            (2) maintaining and monitoring planted trees for a period 
        of up to 5 years to ensure successful establishment of the 
        qualifying trees;
            (3) training activities associated with the project; and
            (4) other relevant costs, as determined by the Secretary.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the Program $50,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2032.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a State, Territory, or Tribal agency;
                    (B) a local government entity;
                    (C) an Indian Tribe; and
                    (D) a nonprofit organization.
            (2) Eligible areas.--The term ``eligible area'' means a 
        redlined area or an overburdened area.
            (3) Limited english proficiency household.--The term 
        ``limited English proficiency household'' means that a 
        household does not have an adult that speaks English ``very 
        well'' as determined by the United States Census Bureau.
            (4) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
        meaning given the term ``Indian tribe'' in section 4 of the 
        Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 
        U.S.C. 5304).
            (5) Local governmental entity.--The term ``local 
        governmental entity'' means any municipal government or county 
        government with jurisdiction over local land use decisions.
            (6) Overburdened area.--The term ``overburdened area'' 
        means, as determined by the Secretary, an area where--
                    (A) 35 percent or more of households qualify as 
                low-income households;
                    (B) 40 percent or more of residents identify as a 
                minority or as members of a State-recognized tribal 
                community; or
                    (C) 40 percent or more of households are limited 
                English proficiency households.
            (7) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit 
        organization'' means an organization that--
                    (A) is described in section 170(h)(3) of the 
                Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
                    (B) operates in accordance with one or more of the 
                purposes described in section 170(h)(4)(A) of that 
                Code.
            (8) Qualifying tree.--The term qualifying tree means a tree 
        that--
                    (A) is a species that is not an invasive species in 
                the eligible area in which such tree is to be planted; 
                and
                    (B) is not a species that is, in the eligible area 
                at the time of planting, being attacked by an invasive 
                species, unless the eligible entity has a plan to limit 
                the risk of death of the tree to be planted.
            (9) Redlined area.--The term ``redlined area'' means, as 
        determined by the Secretary--
                    (A) a census tract graded as ``hazardous'' or 
                ``definitely declining'' in maps drawn by the Home 
                Owners' Loan Corporation that are, as of the date of 
                enactment of this Act, low-income communities; and
                    (B) a census tract that was designated for non-
                White citizens in jurisdictions that historically had 
                racially segregated zoning codes and are, as of the 
                date of enactment of this Act, low-income communities.
            (10) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Housing and Urban Development.
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