Building More Housing for Servicemembers Act
Bill: H.R.7564 | Sponsor: Rep. Strickland, Marilyn (D-WA)
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.--
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the 
housing shortage for members of the Armed Forces. Such report shall 
include the following elements:
            (1) 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.
            (2) 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 
shall prescribe guidance for eligible entities and landlords regarding 
acceptable housing standards for privatized housing.
    (c) Authorizations.--
            (1) Pilot program on using rental partnership programs of 
        the armed forces to assure tenants for developers of privatized 
        housing.--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.
                    (A) Locations.--The Secretary shall operate the 
                pilot program in no more than 10 military housing areas 
                that each have a rental vacancy rate of less than 7 
                percent.
                    (B) Term.--The pilot program shall terminate on the 
                date that is five years after the Secretary establishes 
                the pilot program.
                    (C) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the 
                termination of the pilot program, 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.--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 low-
        income individuals and families, as determined by the Secretary 
        of Housing and Urban Development.
                    (A) Eligible projects.--In order to be eligible for 
                an incentive under the pilot program, proposed 
                privatized housing shall ensure that a percentage of 
                such housing is reserved for members of the Armed 
                Forces and dependents of such members. Such percentage 
                shall vary proportionately to the value of the 
                incentive.
                    (B) Locations.--The Secretaries shall operate the 
                pilot program in areas that have the longest wait times 
                for on-base housing.
                    (C) Priority.--In selecting eligible entities, the 
                Secretaries shall give priority to entry-level housing 
                and projects with greater density.
                    (D) Term.--The pilot program shall terminate on the 
                date that is five years after the Secretary establishes 
                the pilot program.
                    (E) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the 
                termination of the pilot program, the Secretaries shall 
                submit to Congress a report on the results of the pilot 
                program.
            (3) Joint grant program.--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 to build housing for members of the Armed Forces 
        and their dependents, and low-income individuals and families. 
        Household income limits for entities eligible to receive such a 
        grant shall not differ based on whether a household includes a 
        member of the Armed Forces.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The terms ``eligible entity'' and ``landlord'' have the 
        meanings given such terms in section 2871 of title 10, United 
        States Code.
            (2) The term ``privatized housing'' means housing under 
        subchapter IV of chapter 169 of such title.
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