Section 8 Voucher Reform Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2684
Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2008-03-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Administrative fees
Apartment houses
Commerce
Congress
Congressional investigations
Consumer credit
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Employment of the disabled
English language
Federal aid to housing
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Home ownership
Housing for the disabled
Housing subsidies
Income
Income tax
Labor and Employment
Law
Low-income housing
Public housing
Rent
Social Welfare
Tax credits
Taxation
Welfare eligibility

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-03
text: 
Section 8 Voucher Reform Act of 2008 - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to revise requirements for public housing agency (PHA) inspections of each dwelling unit for which a housing assistance payment contract is established. Requires an initial inspection before any assistance payment is made. Allows such payments if failure to meet standards is a result only of non-life threatening conditions.

Permits a PHA, in the case of projects receiving certain federal housing subsidies, to authorize occupancy before completion of an initial inspection.

Requires biennial inspections (currently annual inspections) to determine compliance. Provides, upon a family's request, for interim inspections.

Prescribes requirements for reviews and calculation of family income.

Prescribes eligibility criteria for assistance based upon assets and income.

Revises requirements governing: (1) assistance to low-income working families; (2) tenant-based contract renewals; (3) administrative fees; and (4) the home ownership downpayment grant program.

Authorizes a PHA to report to certain consumer reporting agencies information regarding the past rent payment history of a family receiving housing choice vouchers.

Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish standards and procedures for assessing PHA performance in carrying out the programs for tenant-based rental assistance and for homeownership assistance, including biennial assessments.

Revises the rent calculation for housing assistance payment contracts.

Directs the Secretary to endeavor to define market areas.

Limits a PHA's elective applicant screening.

Revises requirements for enhanced voucher assistance.

Authorizes the Secretary to provide preservation project-based voucher assistance in lieu of enhanced voucher assistance upon request of the owner of the multifamily housing project.

 Authorizes the Secretary to enter into agreements with the Social Security Administration and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to permit HUD participation in certain state demonstration programs providing for persons with significant disabilities to be employed and to continue to receive certain federal and state benefits.

Requires the Comptroller General to identify and report to Congress on obstacles to using vouchers in federally subsidized housing projects.

Requires state agencies to furnish to the Secretary certain data on tenants in low-income housing projects receiving tax credits under the Internal Revenue Code.

Authorizes a PHA to use subsidy payments otherwise due the owner to pay for continued utility service to avoid hardship to program participants.

Requires the Secretary to provide access to HUD programs for persons with limited English proficiency.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-16
text: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Senate Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation and Community Development. Hearings held.
action_date: 2008-03-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1470-1480)
action_date: 2008-03-03
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1469-1470, S1480-1482)
action_date: 2008-03-03
text: Introduced in Senate