Housing Is a Human Right Act of 2021

Bill: 117-hr-3772
Sponsor: Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
Introduced: 2021-06-08 in the House
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Building construction
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Crime prevention
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Energy efficiency and conservation
Food assistance and relief
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health care coverage and access
Home and outpatient care
Homelessness and emergency shelter
Housing and community development funding
Housing discrimination
Housing finance and home ownership
Housing for the elderly and disabled
Housing supply and affordability
Landlord and tenant
Law enforcement administration and funding
Libraries and archives
Licensing and registrations
Low- and moderate-income housing
Property tax
Public housing
Residential rehabilitation and home repair
Sales and excise taxes
State and local government operations
Voting rights
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2021-06-08
text: 

Housing is a Human Right Act of 2021

 
This bill establishes and expands programs to assist homeless and housing-unstable individuals and establishes new real property-related taxes to fund specified Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs.
 
HUD must establish the Community Development Block Grant Plus Program for state and local governments to assist homeless and housing-unstable individuals as well as cost-burdened households. These funds may be used only for certain activities that assist these populations, including the construction of new affordable housing.
 
The bill also establishes other grant programs to assist these individuals, such as by facilitating access to voting and libraries.
 
Governmental entities may not receive assistance under the bill unless they have, or are working to implement, policies that (1) do not criminally punish homeless individuals for sleeping outside or on public property, and (2) comply with constitutional protections for these individuals' property.
 
In addition, the bill establishes taxes on (1) the sale or exchange of real property of at least $10 million, (2) the sale or exchange of real property involving an anonymous entity, and (3) rent received by landlords that own large amounts of dwelling units. The revenue from these taxes must be credited to various HUD programs in specified percentages.
 
The Government Accountability Office must study (1) the allocation formula for Emergency Food and Shelter grants, (2) recipient compliance with various grant program guidelines, and (3) barriers related to access to essential documents that homeless and housing-unstable individuals face.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2022-11-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
action_date: 2021-06-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committees on House Administration, the Judiciary, Education and Labor, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-06-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committees on House Administration, the Judiciary, Education and Labor, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-06-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committees on House Administration, the Judiciary, Education and Labor, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-06-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committees on House Administration, the Judiciary, Education and Labor, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-06-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committees on House Administration, the Judiciary, Education and Labor, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-06-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2021-06-08
text: Introduced in House