A bill to establish a pilot program for the expedited disposal of Federal real property.

Bill: 110-s-1667
Sponsor: Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2007-06-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Government Operations and Politics
Land transfers
Real estate appraisal
Surplus government property

Summary:
action_date: 2007-06-20
text: 
Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to conduct the Federal Real Property Disposal Pilot Program under which agencies will recommend and the Director will select real property that is not meeting federal government needs for expedited disposal.

Requires: (1) real property to be sold under the program only for monetary proceeds of not less than fair market value; and (2) agencies to receive associated administrative expenses and 20% of the remainder of the proceeds, with the rest going to the Treasury.

action_date: 2008-04-07
text: 
Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to: (1) conduct a five-year Federal Real Property Disposal Pilot Program, under which executive agencies will recommend and the Director will select for expedited disposal real property that is not meeting federal government needs; and (2) post information about the selected properties on a public website that is updated routinely and that allows the public to receive updates through electronic mail.

Requires the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to: (1) ensure that efforts are taken to inform representatives of the homeless about such program and website; (2) make available to the public, upon request, all information (other than valuation information) relating to the properties listed on such website, including environmental assessment data; (3) maintain a current list of agency contacts for inquiries for information relating to specific properties; and (4) determine whether selected real property is suitable for use to assist the homeless. Requires the Secretary to base such suitability determination on: (1) the criteria found within McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act; (2) whether property located in the middle of a federal installation can be transported easily to an off-site location; and (3) whether the size of property the predominant use of which is other than housing is at least 100,000 square feet. Requires the Director to publish on the website information about the suitability determination.

Prohibits real property that is determined to be unsuitable for use by the homeless from being disposed of or used for at least 20 days, during which representatives of the homeless may appeal to the Secretary for a secondary review of such determination. Requires the Secretary, within that 20 days, to deem a property suitable if a representative of the homeless has produced clear and convincing evidence that such property can be utilized for the benefit of the homeless. Requires the Secretary to dispose of such property if no appeal is received by the end of the holding period.

Limits to 90 days the period in which representatives of the homeless may submit an application to the Secretary for the transfer of property. Authorizes the Secretary to grant reasonable extensions. 

Requires: (1) real property to be sold under the program only for not less than fair market value; and (2) agencies to receive associated administrative expenses and 20% of the remainder of the proceeds, with the rest going the Treasury.

Prohibits the disposal of property under the program from including any exchange, trade, transfer, acquisition of like-kind property, or other non-cash transaction.

Limits the total number of cash sales of real properties to be disposed of under this Act over the five-year term of the pilot program to 750.

Requires the Comptroller General to submit to Congress and make publicly available a study of such program's effectiveness that includes recommendations for: (1) permanent reforms to statutes governing real property disposals and no cost conveyances; and (2) improving the permanent process by which federal properties are made available for use by the homeless.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-07
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 631.
action_date: 2008-04-07
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-279.
action_date: 2008-04-07
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-279.
action_date: 2007-11-14
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2007-06-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2007-06-20
text: Introduced in Senate