Mapping Housing Discrimination Act
Bill: S.2549 | Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Tina (D-MN)
Policy area: Housing and Community Development

Summary:
Mapping Housing Discrimination Act
This bill provides grants to institutions of higher education to analyze, digitize, and map historic housing discrimination records. The Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Policy Development and Research must use data submitted by institutions under the bill to create a publicly available national database of historic housing discrimination records.
Historic housing discrimination records are (1) deeds or historic property records that demonstrate housing discrimination, or (2) state or local ordinances that permitted housing discrimination.

To authorize a grant program for educational institutions to analyze, 
digitize, and map historic records relating to housing discrimination, 
                        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 ``Mapping Housing Discrimination 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to support--
            (1) efforts by educational institutions to conduct primary 
        analysis and digitization of historic housing discrimination 
        patterns between 1850 and 1988;
            (2) efforts by local governments to digitize property deeds 
        and other historic records relating to housing discrimination; 
        and
            (3) the creation of a national, publicly available database 
        of local records of housing discrimination patterns between 
        1850 and 1988.

SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity''--
                    (A) means an institution of higher education (as 
                defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 
                1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)); and
                    (B) includes a minority-serving institution.
            (2) Historic housing discrimination record.--The term 
        ``historic housing discrimination record'' means--
                    (A) a deed or other historic property record 
                originating between 1850 and 1988 in which there is 
                evidence of housing discrimination, which may include--
                            (i) a racial covenant or other provision in 
                        a property deed that was legally enforceable on 
                        the date on which the racial covenant or other 
                        provision was written; or
                            (ii) racially restrictive language in any 
                        agreement entered into by the developer of a 
                        subdivision, a neighborhood association, a real 
                        estate operator, or a group of property owners; 
                        or
                    (B) a State law, a local ordinance, or a document 
                that presents evidence of a State law or local 
                ordinance, that--
                            (i) originated between 1850 and 1988; and
                            (ii) permitted housing discrimination.
            (3) Jurisdiction.--The term ``jurisdiction'' means--
                    (A) a political subdivision of a State; or
                    (B) the District of Columbia.
            (4) Mapping project.--The term ``mapping project'' means a 
        project performed with a grant awarded under subsection (b)(1).
            (5) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
        serving institution'' means an institution of higher education 
        described in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)).
            (6) Office.--The term ``Office'', except as otherwise 
        specified, means the Office of Policy Development and Research 
        of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
            (7) Office of fair housing and equal opportunity.--The term 
        ``Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity'' means the 
        Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity of the Department 
        of Housing and Urban Development.
            (8) State.--The term ``State'' means any State of the 
        United States.
    (b) Mapping Projects.--
            (1) In general.--The Office may award grants on a 
        competitive basis to eligible entities for the purpose of 
        performing projects for analyzing, digitizing, and mapping the 
        historic housing discrimination records of not less than 1 
        jurisdiction.
            (2) Duration and amount.--
                    (A) Duration.--The duration of a mapping project 
                shall be not more than 3 years.
                    (B) Amount.--In determining the amount of a grant 
                under this section, the Office shall consider--
                            (i) the size of the jurisdiction or 
                        jurisdictions that are the focus of the mapping 
                        project; and
                            (ii) the estimated duration of the mapping 
                        project included in the application of an 
                        eligible entity under paragraph (3)(B)(ii).
            (3) Applications.--
                    (A) In general.--An eligible entity desiring a 
                grant under this section shall submit to the Office an 
                application at such time, in such manner, and 
                accompanied by such information as the Office may 
                require.
                    (B) Contents.--An application submitted by an 
                eligible entity under this paragraph shall include a 
                description of--
                            (i) each jurisdiction that will be the 
                        focus of the mapping project;
                            (ii) the estimated duration of the mapping 
                        project;
                            (iii) any necessary partnership with a 
                        jurisdiction to digitize and collect historic 
                        housing discrimination records, including any--
                                    (I) memorandum of understanding 
                                entered into by the eligible entity and 
                                the jurisdiction; or
                                    (II) compensation given to the 
                                jurisdiction to aid in document 
                                digitization efforts;
                            (iv) the methodology that the eligible 
                        entity will use to--
                                    (I) review documents for racial 
                                covenants or racially restrictive 
                                language;
                                    (II) compile historic housing 
                                discrimination records; and
                                    (III) create a spatial dataset of 
                                historic housing discrimination 
                                records;
                            (v) any research the eligible entity has 
                        already conducted on historic housing 
                        discrimination records in a jurisdiction that 
                        will be a focus of the mapping project; and
                            (vi) if the eligible entity has conducted 
                        any research described in clause (v), a plan 
                        for coordinating that research with research 
                        the eligible entity will perform during the 
                        mapping project.
            (4) Project requirements.--An eligible entity that performs 
        a mapping project shall--
                    (A) use the data standards developed under 
                paragraph (6) to create and maintain a dataset relating 
                to historic housing discrimination records; and
                    (B) upon the completion of the mapping project, 
                submit to the Office--
                            (i) the dataset required under subparagraph 
                        (A); and
                            (ii) with respect to the dataset required 
                        under subparagraph (A)--
                                    (I) raw data relating to the 
                                dataset;
                                    (II) metadata that describes--
                                            (aa) the methodology of the 
                                        eligible entity in creating the 
                                        dataset; and
                                            (bb) the dataset; and
                                    (III) any other information 
                                relevant to the creation of the 
                                dataset.
            (5) Use of funds.--An eligible entity may use funds from a 
        grant under this section to--
                    (A) confer with other educational institutions or 
                other entities conducting research on historic housing 
                discrimination patterns to develop and adopt best 
                practices for--
                            (i) coordination with jurisdictions;
                            (ii) data collection;
                            (iii) the involvement of volunteer 
                        researchers in mapping projects; and
                            (iv) the creation of spatial datasets of 
                        historic housing discrimination records;
                    (B) compensate jurisdictions to aid in the 
                digitization of local property deeds or other records;
                    (C) develop or purchase digital tools to identify 
                racial covenants in digitized property deeds or other 
                records;
                    (D) create a spatial dataset of historic housing 
                discrimination records; and
                    (E) make the submission required under paragraph 
                (4)(B).
            (6) Data standards.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                date of enactment of this Act, the Office, in 
                coordination with the Office of Fair Housing and Equal 
                Opportunity, shall establish a set of uniform data 
                standards for the analysis, digitization, and mapping 
                of historic housing discrimination records with which 
                eligible entities performing mapping projects shall 
                comply.
                    (B) Metadata.--The set of uniform data standards 
                established under subparagraph (A) shall include 
                guidance for the creation of the metadata required 
                under paragraph (4)(B)(ii)(II).
                    (C) Input.--In developing the uniform data 
                standards under subparagraph (A), the Office shall seek 
                input from educational institutions or other entities 
                conducting research on historic housing discrimination 
                patterns.
                    (D) Third party proposal.--
                            (i) In general.--The Office may award a 
                        grant to, or enter into a contract with, a non-
                        Federal entity on a competitive basis for the 
                        purpose of proposing the uniform data standards 
                        required to be established under subparagraph 
                        (A).
                            (ii) Input.--A non-Federal entity that 
                        proposes uniform data standards under clause 
                        (i) shall seek input from the entities 
                        described in subparagraph (C).
            (7) National database.--
                    (A) In general.--
                            (i) Creation.--Subject to clause (ii), the 
                        Office shall use the data submitted by eligible 
                        entities under paragraph (4)(B) to create a 
                        national database of historic housing 
                        discrimination records.
                            (ii) Optional 6-month delay.--At the 
                        request of an eligible entity, the Office shall 
                        wait to add data submitted by the eligible 
                        entity under paragraph (4)(B) to the national 
                        database created under clause (i) of this 
                        subparagraph until the date that is 180 days 
                        after the date on which the eligible entity 
                        submitted the data.
                    (B) Public availability.--
                            (i) In general.--The Office shall make the 
                        database created under subparagraph (A) 
                        publicly available at no cost on the website of 
                        the Office.
                            (ii) Other information.--At the request of 
                        any individual, the Office shall provide the 
                        individual with the information submitted by an 
                        eligible entity under paragraph (4)(B)(ii).
                    (C) Optional additions.--The Office may import 
                Federal data relating to historic housing 
                discrimination records into the national database 
                created under subparagraph (A).
            (8) Digitization.--If an eligible entity compensates a 
        jurisdiction for the purpose of digitizing local property deeds 
        or other records with funds from a mapping project, the 
        jurisdiction shall make those deeds and records publicly 
        available at no cost.
    (c) Reports.--
            (1) Project report.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
        on which an eligible entity receives a grant under this 
        section, and annually thereafter for the duration of the 
        mapping project, an eligible entity performing a mapping 
        project shall submit to the Office a report on the status of 
        the mapping project, which shall include information on the 
        progress of the eligible entity--
                    (A) in community outreach and engagement, including 
                whether volunteers are involved in the mapping project;
                    (B) on any necessary collaboration with a 
                jurisdiction for the purpose of digitizing historic 
                housing discrimination records;
                    (C) on data collection and identification of 
                historic housing discrimination records relating to 
                racial discrimination;
                    (D) on data collection and the identification of 
                historic housing discrimination records that suggest a 
                pattern of discrimination against individuals with any 
                protected characteristic other than race; and
                    (E) on the creation of the dataset required under 
                subsection (b)(4)(A).
            (2) Report to congress.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than 
        once every 3 years thereafter, the Office 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 a report that includes--
                    (A) information relating to--
                            (i) the status of the grant program 
                        established under subsection (b), including a 
                        list of the ongoing and completed mapping 
                        projects and the jurisdictions that are the 
                        focus of those mapping projects;
                            (ii) the status of the national database 
                        required under subsection (b)(7); and
                            (iii) any research the Office or the 
                        Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
                        performs with information from the national 
                        database required under subsection (b)(7); and
                    (B) an addendum from the Office of Fair Housing and 
                Equal Opportunity that details--
                            (i) the involvement of the Office of Fair 
                        Housing and Equal Opportunity in the grant 
                        program established under subsection (b), 
                        including any coordination with the Office of 
                        Policy Development and Research of the 
                        Department of Housing and Urban Development; 
                        and
                            (ii) how the grant program established 
                        under subsection (b) relates to--
                                    (I) the mission of the Office of 
                                Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity to 
                                enforce the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 
                                3601 et seq.); and
                                    (II) any ongoing work of the Office 
                                of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Office--
            (1) $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2031 
        to award grants under subsection (b); and
            (2) $750,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2031, to 
        remain available until expended, for costs associated with 
        carrying out the requirements of this Act.
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