Building More Housing for Servicemembers Act
Bill: S.4563 | Sponsor: Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. (D-GA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Building More Housing for Servicemembers Act
This bill addresses the availability and quality of housing for members of the Armed Forces.
First, the bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to report to Congress on the housing shortage for members of the Armed Forces.
DOD must prescribe guidance for eligible entities and landlords regarding acceptable housing standards for privatized military housing. Under the bill, an eligible entity is any private person, corporation, firm, partnership, company, or state or local government that is prepared to enter into a contract for the construction of housing units and ancillary supporting facilities.
DOD must establish a five-year pilot program to assess the feasibility of using the rental partnership programs of the Armed Forces to assure tenants for eligible entities to secure financing to construct privatized military housing.
Additionally, DOD must coordinate with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop a five-year pilot program to provide financial incentives to eligible entities to build privatized military housing, or to purchase or lease existing facilities, to house members of the Armed Forces and their dependents and low-income individuals and families.
Finally, DOD and HUD may jointly operate a grant program through the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation within DOD to build housing for members of the Armed Forces and their dependents, and low-income individuals and families. Household income limits for eligible entities to receive a grant must not differ based on whether a household includes a member of the Armed Forces.

To direct the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development to take certain actions regarding the housing shortage for 
                      members of the Armed Forces.

    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 ``Building More Housing for 
Servicemembers Act''.

SEC. 2. RESPONSES TO THE HOUSING SHORTAGE FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
              FORCES.

    (a) Report on Housing Shortage for Members of the Armed Forces.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
        submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
        Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a 
        report on the housing shortage for members of the Armed Forces.
            (2) Elements.--The report required under subsection (a) 
        shall include the following elements:
                    (A) The determination of the Secretary regarding 
                the feasibility of acquiring real property near 
                military installations that face housing shortages to 
                be used for the development of privatized housing.
                    (B) The determination of the Secretary regarding 
                the need for an officer or civilian employee of the 
                Department of Defense to serve, at each military 
                installation, as a housing manager.
    (b) Guidance to Landlords of Privatized Housing.--Not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall prescribe guidance for eligible entities and landlords 
regarding acceptable housing standards for privatized housing.
    (c) Pilot and Grant Programs.--
            (1) Pilot program on using rental partnership programs of 
        the armed forces to assure tenants for developers of privatized 
        housing.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
                date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
                Defense shall establish a pilot program to assess the 
                feasibility of using the rental partnership programs of 
                the Armed Forces to assure tenants for eligible 
                entities to secure financing to construct privatized 
                housing.
                    (B) Locations.--The Secretary shall operate the 
                pilot program under subparagraph (A) in not more than 
                10 military housing areas that each have a rental 
                vacancy rate of less than seven percent.
                    (C) Term.--The pilot program under subparagraph (A) 
                shall terminate on the date that is five years after 
                the Secretary establishes the pilot program.
                    (D) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the 
                termination of the pilot program under subparagraph 
                (A), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on 
                the results of the pilot program.
            (2) Joint pilot program on financial incentives for 
        developers of privatized housing.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
                date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
                Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Housing 
                and Urban Development, shall develop a pilot program to 
                provide financial incentives to eligible entities to 
                build privatized housing or to purchase or lease 
                existing facilities to house members of the Armed 
                Forces and their dependents and to house low-income 
                individuals and families, as determined by the 
                Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
                    (B) Eligible projects.--
                            (i) In general.--In order to be eligible 
                        for an incentive under the pilot program under 
                        subparagraph (A), proposed privatized housing 
                        shall ensure that a percentage of such housing 
                        is reserved for members of the Armed Forces and 
                        dependents of such members.
                            (ii) Percentage.--The percentage under 
                        clause (i) shall vary proportionately to the 
                        value of the incentive provided under 
                        subparagraph (A).
                    (C) Locations.--The Secretary of Defense and the 
                Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall 
                operate the pilot program under subparagraph (A) in 
                areas that have the longest wait times for on-base 
                housing.
                    (D) Priority.--In selecting eligible entities under 
                the pilot program under subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
                of Defense and the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
                Development shall give priority to entry-level housing 
                and projects with greater density.
                    (E) Term.--The pilot program under subparagraph (A) 
                shall terminate on the date that is five years after 
                the Secretary of Defense establishes the pilot program.
                    (F) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the 
                termination of the pilot program, the Secretary of 
                Defense and the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
                Development shall submit to Congress a report on the 
                results of the pilot program.
            (3) Joint grant program.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary of Defense and 
                Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may jointly 
                operate a grant program through the Office of Local 
                Defense Community Cooperation of the Department of 
                Defense to build housing for members of the Armed 
                Forces and their dependents and for low-income 
                individuals and families.
                    (B) Treatment of household income limits.--
                Household income limits for entities eligible to 
                receive a grant under subparagraph (A) shall not differ 
                based on whether a household includes a member of the 
                Armed Forces.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity; landlord.--The terms ``eligible 
        entity'' and ``landlord'' have the meanings given such terms in 
        section 2871 of title 10, United States Code.
            (2) Privatized housing.--The term ``privatized housing'' 
        means housing under subchapter IV of chapter 169 of such title.
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