Title: Protecting Rural Housing Act of 2020
Policy area: Housing and Community Development

Summary:
Protecting Rural Housing Act of 2020
This bill addresses housing affordability, including by establishing a pilot grant program for government or nonprofit entities that primarily serve rural areas to support the development or rehabilitation of housing that is affordable for low-income families.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8661 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8661

To address the housing needs in rural communities in the United States, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 23, 2020

Ms. Finkenauer (for herself and Mr. Riggleman) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To address the housing needs in rural communities in the United States, 
                        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 ``Protecting Rural Housing Act of 
2020''.

SEC. 2. HUD REPORT ON ACTIONS TO ADDRESS LANDLORDS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than the expiration of the 12-month 
period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall submit a report to the 
Congress identifying any legislative and regulatory actions and changes 
needed to hold accountable and punish owners of housing that is 
assisted under the housing choice voucher program under section 8 of 
the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)) who violate 
the requirements of such program or operate in bad faith with respect 
to such requirements. Such report shall include recommendations 
regarding the circumstances under which such assistance should be 
recovered from such owners.
    (b) Consultation.--In conducting any analysis for, and preparing, 
the report required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult 
with the Secretary of Agriculture, State and local governments, 
advocates for tenants' right, and public housing agencies.

SEC. 3. RURAL HOUSING RELIEF PILOT PROGRAM.

     Title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 14) is amended by 
inserting after section 538 (42 U.S.C. 1490p-2) the following new 
section:

``SEC. 539. RURAL HOUSING RELIEF PILOT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Affordable Housing Grants.--The Secretary may make grants 
under this section to eligible entities described in subsection (b) 
that primarily serve rural areas for purposes described in subsection 
(c).
    ``(b) Eligible Entities.--The Secretary may make grants under this 
subsection only to--
            ``(1) State or local governmental agencies or entities;
            ``(2) Indian tribes; and
            ``(3) nonprofit entities.
    ``(c) Eligible Activities.--Amounts from a grant under this Act may 
be used only to support or acquire housing that is affordable to low-
income families or to finance, assist, or otherwise benefit the 
development or rehabilitation of such housing, including for--
            ``(1) costs of construction, development, rehabilitation, 
        or acquisition of such housing, including predevelopment costs;
            ``(2) costs of demolition of substandard housing, with or 
        without development of replacement affordable housing;
            ``(3) relocation of residents of substandard housing or 
        residents of housing during rehabilitation of housing that is 
        affordable to low-income families;
            ``(4) purchase of housing by or for low-income families in 
        rural areas;
            ``(5) construction, development, installation, or 
        rehabilitation of related infrastructure for housing that is 
        affordable to low-income families;
            ``(6) establishment of revolving loan funds to finance and 
        assist carrying out other eligible activities under this 
        subsection; and
            ``(7) such other purposes as the Secretary may provide.
    ``(d) Cost-Sharing.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        Secretary shall require each eligible entity receiving a grant 
        under this section to contribute to the cost of activities to 
        be carried out with such grant amounts an amount that is equal 
        to or exceeding 10 percent of the total cost of such 
        activities. In the case of eligible entities that are State 
        agencies or entities, such contributed amount shall be derived 
        from non-Federal sources.
            ``(2) Exception.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply in the case 
        of any activities carried out with grant amounts in any area 
        with respect to which a major disaster was declared by the 
        President under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
        Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) during the 
        5-year period ending upon approval of the application for a 
        grant under this section to carry out such activities, but not 
        including the major disaster declared by reason of the novel 
        coronavirus (COVID-19).
    ``(e) Reports.--Not later than September 30, 2025, the Secretary 
shall submit a report to the Congress describing the activities carried 
out with grants under this section and evaluating the effectiveness of 
the program under this section in developing and rehabilitating housing 
that is affordable to low-income families.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary for grants under this section 
$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2021, which amount shall remain available 
until September 30, 2024.''.

SEC. 4. STUDY OF RHS HOME OWNERSHIP OUTREACH EFFORTS.

    The Secretary of Agriculture shall conduct a study to determine the 
efficacy and effectiveness of outreach and education activities of the 
Rural Housing Service of the Department of Agriculture regarding the 
programs of such Service that assist families to achieve home 
ownership, including the single family housing direct and guaranteed 
home loan programs under section 502 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 
U.S.C. 1472). Not later than the expiration of the 12-month period 
beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act the Secretary shall 
submit a report to the Congress setting forth the findings of such 
study.
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