Military Housing Affordability Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.8281 | Sponsor: Rep. Williams, Nikema (D-GA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Military Housing Affordability Act of 2022
This bill extends certain authorities of the Department of Defense (DOD) to adjust basic housing allowances for military housing in certain areas.
Specifically, the bill extends to December 31, 2024, DOD's authority to increase the rates of basic housing allowance in areas of a declared major disaster or areas containing one or more military installations that are experiencing a sudden increase in the number of members assigned to the installation.
The bill also extends to September 30, 2024, DOD's authority to prescribe a temporary adjustment to basic housing allowance rates if DOD determines the costs of adequate housing for civilians in that military housing area differs from the current allowance rates by more than 20%.

To amend title 37, United States Code, to extend the authority to 
  temporarily adjust the basic allowance for housing in certain areas.

    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 ``Military Housing Affordability Act 
of 2022''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) In April 2022, the median price for existing home sales 
        increased 14.8 percent from the previous year and 2021 saw 
        year-over-year median price increases as high as 23.6 percent, 
        according to data from the National Association of Realtors.
            (2) The Military Times, in July 2021, reported, ``A number 
        of service members [are] being forced to pay hundreds of 
        dollars more in rent per month than their housing allowance 
        covers.''.
            (3) In September 2021, the Department of Defense exercised 
        its authority to temporarily adjust basic allowance for housing 
        rates in 56 housing markets for members of the uniformed 
        services who incurred increased housing costs above their 
        current basic allowance for housing rate, in order to ``help 
        ease the financial burden of rising housing costs facing 
        Service members moving to new duty stations or signing new 
        leases''.
            (4) In November 2021, the Secretary of Defense approved a 
        temporary basic allowance for housing increase for members in 
        locations where rental prices rose at least 10 percent in 2021.
            (5) The Secretary of Defense's authority to temporarily 
        adjust basic allowance for housing rates in a military housing 
        area, if the actual costs of adequate housing for civilians in 
        that military housing area differs from the basic allowance for 
        housing rate by more than 20 percent, is set to expire on 
        September 30, 2022.

SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO TEMPORARILY ADJUST BASIC ALLOWANCE 
              FOR HOUSING IN CERTAIN AREAS.

    Section 403(b) of title 37, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``2022'' both places it appears and inserting ``2024''.
                                 <all>