Energy Efficiency in Housing Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1379
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2009-06-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Alternative and renewable resources
Consumer credit
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Energy efficiency and conservation
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Housing and community development funding
Housing finance and home ownership
Housing industry and standards
Indian social and development programs
Low- and moderate-income housing
Public housing
Residential rehabilitation and home repair

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-25
text: 
Energy Efficiency in Housing Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish: (1) annual energy efficiency participation incentives for HUD programs to achieve substantial improvements in energy efficiency; (2) budget-neutral incentives to encourage lenders to make energy-efficient and location-efficient mortgages; (3) incentives for increasing the energy efficiency of multifamily housing subject to mortgages insured under the National Housing Act; and (4) an energy efficiency demonstration program for multifamily housing projects assisted with project-based rental asistance.
 
Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 to: (1) require the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to assign an additional housing credit for compliance with Federal Mortgage Insurance Association (Fannie Mae) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) housing goals for energy efficient mortgages; and (2) require the HUD Secretary to establish a commission to develop and recommend model mortgage products and underwriting guidelines that provide market-based incentives to incorporate energy efficiency upgrades and location efficiencies in new mortgage loan transactions. 
 
Amends the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992 to require Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to develop loan products and flexible underwriting guidelines to facilitate a secondary market for energy-efficient and location-efficient mortgages for low and moderate income families and for second and junior mortgages made for purposes of energy efficiency or renewable energy. 
 
Amends the National Housing Act to require the Secretary, in applying underwriting standards for mortgages on single-family housing, to consider the impact on the income of borrowers under Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance programs and Native American and Native Hawaiian loan guarantee programs from savings on utility costs resulting from energy efficiency standards established by this Act.
 
Amends the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act of 1975 to require the collection of information on energy-efficient and location-efficient mortgages. 
 
Requires the Secretary to develop and implement a pilot program for the financing of capital improvements to improve the energy efficiency and conservation of assisted housing projects.
 
Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to prohibit the Secretary from making a site revitalization grant unless the applicant's proposed revitalization plan meets specified Green Developments requirements.
 
Amends the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 to require real estate appraisals, in determining the value of a property, to consider any renewable energy sources or energy-conserving improvements or features of the property.
 
Establishes in the Treasury the Alternative Energy Sources State Revolving Fund to provide loans to states and Indian tribes to carry out renewable energy and energy conservation activities. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to nonprofit organizations to increase low-income community development capacity.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to make loan guarantees for the financing of renewable energy systems leased for residential use.
 
Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to establish green banking centers to provide energy efficiency information to consumers seeking a mortgage, home improvement loan, or home equity loan.
 
Requires the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the impact of this Act on the availability of affordable mortgages.
 
Requires the Secretary to obtain information from public housing agencies on the energy costs of their housing units and report such information to Congress.
 
 

 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-06-30
text: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation and Community Development. Hearings held.
action_date: 2009-06-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2009-06-25
text: Introduced in Senate