Fair Housing Enforcement Emergency Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.1674 | Sponsor: Rep. Green, Al (D-TX)
Policy area: Housing and Community Development

Summary:
Fair Housing Enforcement Emergency Act of 2021
This bill provides funds for fair housing organizations and state and local civil rights agencies to respond to and investigate fair housing complaints and housing discrimination resulting from the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.

To authorize assistance for fair housing enforcement activities to 
       respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, 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 ``Fair Housing Enforcement Emergency 
Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. FAIR HOUSING ACTIVITIES.

    (a) Definition of COVID-19 Emergency Period.--For purposes of this 
section, the term ``COVID-19 emergency period'' means the period that 
begins upon the date of the enactment of this Act and ends upon the 
date of the termination by the Federal Emergency Management Agency of 
the emergency declared on March 13, 2020, by the President under the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 4121 et seq.) relating to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-
19) pandemic.
    (b) FHIP; FHAP.--
            (1) Appropriations.--Out of any money in the Treasury not 
        otherwise appropriated, there is appropriated to ensure that 
        fair housing organizations and State and local civil rights 
        agencies have sufficient resources to deal with expected 
        increases in fair housing complaints, to investigate housing 
        discrimination, including financial scams that target protected 
        classes, associated with or resulting from the COVID-19 
        pandemic, and during such pandemic, for contracts, grants, and 
        other assistance--
                    (A) $39,740,000 for fiscal year 2021 for the Fair 
                Housing Initiatives Program under section 561 of the 
                Housing and Community Development Act of 1987 (42 
                U.S.C. 3616a), of which--
                            (i) $8,740,000 shall be available for 
                        assistance under subsection (d) of such section 
                        561 for education and outreach activities;
                            (ii) $18,500,000 shall be available for 
                        private enforcement initiatives under 
                        subsection (b) of such section 561;
                            (iii) $2,500,000 shall be available for an 
                        initiative to provide technical assistance and 
                        training to such organizations and entities 
                        regarding fair housing issues related to the 
                        COVID-19 pandemic; and
                            (iv) $10,000,000, which shall remain 
                        available until September 30, 2024, shall be 
                        available for the Office of Fair Housing and 
                        Equal Opportunity of the Department of Housing 
                        and Urban Development to carry out a national 
                        media campaign to educate the public of 
                        increased housing rights during COVID-19 
                        emergency period, that provides that 
                        information and materials used in such campaign 
                        are available--
                                    (I) in the languages used by 
                                communities with limited English 
                                proficiency; and
                                    (II) to persons with disabilities.
                    (B) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 for the Fair 
                Housing Assistance Program under the Fair Housing Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.).
            (2) Use of telephone and internet capabilities.--Amounts 
        made available by paragraph (1) may be used by such 
        organizations and agencies to establish the capacity to and to 
        carry out activities and services by telephone and online 
        means, including for individuals with limited English 
        proficiency and individuals with a disability in accordance 
        with requirements under the Americans With Disabilities Act of 
        1990.
            (3) Priority for private enforcement initiatives and 
        technical assistance.--In entering into contracts for private 
        enforcement initiatives under 561(b) of the Housing and 
        Community Development Act of 1987 (42 U.S.C. 3616a(b)) using 
        amounts made available by paragraph (1)(A)(ii) of this 
        subsection and contracts for technical assistance and training 
        using amounts made available by paragraph (1)(A)(iii), the 
        Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall give priority 
        to applications from qualified fair housing enforcement 
        organizations that have at least 2 years of fair housing 
        testing experience.
            (4) 3-year grants.--A grant for any grantee from any 
        amounts made available by clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of 
        paragraph (1)(A) shall be made for a 3-year period, subject to 
        the request of the grantee, and the grantee shall receive an 
        allocation of such grant amounts annually during such 3-year 
        period.
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