Emergency Tribal Housing Assistance Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.1719 | Sponsor: Rep. Vargas, Juan (D-CA)
Policy area: Native Americans

Summary:
Emergency Tribal Housing Assistance Act of 2021
This bill provides additional FY2021 funding for tribal communities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill provides funding for federal housing assistance through the Native American Housing Block Grant, Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant, and Indian Community Development Block Grant programs.
The bill also reserves funds for technical assistance and administrative costs.

To provide homelessness and supportive services assistance for Native 
 Americans 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 ``Emergency Tribal Housing Assistance 
Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES PROGRAMS FOR 
              NATIVE AMERICANS.

    (a) Appropriation.--In addition to amounts otherwise made 
available, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, 
there are appropriated for fiscal year 2021, $750,000,000, to remain 
available until September 30, 2025, to prevent, prepare for, and 
respond to coronavirus, for activities and assistance authorized under 
title I of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA) (25 U.S.C. 4111 et seq.), under 
title VIII of NAHASDA (25 U.S.C. 4221 et seq.), and under title I of 
the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 with respect to 
Indian tribes (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.), which amounts shall be made 
available as follows:
            (1) Housing block grants.--$455,000,000 shall be available 
        for the Native American Housing Block Grants and Native 
        Hawaiian Housing Block Grant programs, as authorized under 
        titles I and VIII of NAHASDA, subject to the following terms 
        and conditions:
                    (A) Formula.--Of the amounts made available under 
                this paragraph, $450,000,000 shall be for grants under 
                title I of NAHASDA and shall be distributed according 
                to the same funding formula used in fiscal year 2021.
                    (B) Native hawaiians.--Of the amounts made 
                available under this paragraph, $5,000,000 shall be for 
                grants under title VIII of NAHASDA.
                    (C) Use.--Amounts made available under this 
                paragraph shall be used by recipients to prevent, 
                prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including to 
                maintain normal operations and fund eligible affordable 
                housing activities under NAHASDA during the period that 
                the program is impacted by coronavirus. In addition, 
                amounts made available under subparagraph (B) shall be 
                used to provide rental assistance to eligible Native 
                Hawaiian families both on and off the Hawaiian Home 
                Lands.
                    (D) Timing of obligations.--Amounts made available 
                under this paragraph shall be used, as necessary, to 
                cover or reimburse allowable costs to prevent, prepare 
                for, and respond to coronavirus that are incurred by a 
                recipient, including for costs incurred as of January 
                21, 2020.
                    (E) Waivers.--Any provision of statute or 
                regulation used to administer amounts made available 
                under this paragraph (except for requirements related 
                to fair housing, nondiscrimination, labor standards, 
                and the environment), shall be waived upon a finding 
                that any such waivers or alternative requirements are 
                necessary to expedite or facilitate the use of amounts 
                made available under this paragraph.
                    (F) Unobligated amounts.--Amounts made available 
                under this paragraph which are not accepted, are 
                voluntarily returned, or otherwise recaptured for any 
                reason shall be used to fund grants under paragraph 
                (2).
            (2) Indian community development block grants.--
        $280,000,000 shall be available for grants under title I of the 
        Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, subject to the 
        following terms and conditions:
                    (A) Use.--Amounts made available under this 
                paragraph shall be used, without competition, for 
                emergencies that constitute imminent threats to health 
                and safety and are designed to prevent, prepare for, 
                and respond to coronavirus.
                    (B) Planning.--Not to exceed 20 percent of any 
                grant made with funds made available under this 
                paragraph shall be expended for planning and management 
                development and administration.
                    (C) Timing of obligations.--Amounts made available 
                under this paragraph shall be used, as necessary, to 
                cover or reimburse allowable costs to prevent, prepare 
                for, and respond to coronavirus incurred by a 
                recipient, including for costs incurred as of January 
                21, 2020.
                    (D) Inapplicability of public services cap.--
                Notwithstanding section 105(a)(8) of the Housing and 
                Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 
                5305(a)(8)), there shall be no per centum limitation 
                for the use of funds made available under this 
                paragraph for public services activities to prevent, 
                prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.
                    (E) Waivers.--Any provision of any statute or 
                regulation used to administer amounts made available 
                under this paragraph (except for requirements related 
                to fair housing, nondiscrimination, labor standards, 
                and the environment), shall be waived upon a finding 
                that any such waivers or alternative requirements are 
                necessary to expedite or facilitate the use of amounts 
                made available under this paragraph.
            (3) Technical assistance.--$10,000,000 shall be used, 
        without competition, to make new awards or increase prior 
        awards to existing technical assistance providers to provide an 
        immediate increase in training and technical assistance to 
        Indian tribes, Indian housing authorities, and tribally 
        designated housing entities for activities under this section.
            (4) Other costs.--$5,000,000 shall be used for the 
        administrative costs to oversee and administer the 
        implementation of this section, and pay for associated 
        information technology, financial reporting, and other costs.
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