Keeping Seniors Safe from COVID-19 Through Home Design Act of 2020

Bill: 116-hr-8540
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Katko, John [R-NY-24]
Introduced: 2020-10-06
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Building construction

Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Congressional oversight

Disability and paralysis

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Government studies and investigations

Health facilities and institutions

Health promotion and preventive care

Homelessness and emergency shelter

Housing and community development funding

Housing finance and home ownership

Housing for the elderly and disabled

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Lighting, heating, cooling

Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Latest action: action_date: 2020-10-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-10-06
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Keeping Seniors Safe from COVID-19 Through Home Design Act of 2020</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Health and Human Services to study improved home and housing design features in nursing homes and assisted living facilities that can help prevent the spread of infectious diseases, including COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).<br /></p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8540 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 6, 2020 Mr. Katko (for himself, Mr. Rose of New York , Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire , and Mr. Delgado ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services A BILL To require the Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services to conduct a study of how housing design can help prevent the spread of communicable diseases, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Keeping Seniors Safe from COVID-19 Through Home Design Act of 2020 . 2. Study and report on housing design (a) Study The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall jointly conduct a study to identify improved home and housing design features and improved design features in nursing homes and assisted living facilities that can help prevent and protect against the spread of infection by communicable diseases, including the novel coronavirus disease (COVID–19), and how such design features could be incorporated under housing assistance and mortgage insurance programs of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture. The study shall consider any advantages that might result from updated or improved heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, installation of hands-free sinks, incorporation of outdoor space, redesign and re-use of existing space, and other design features and shall consider design features specific to housing for particular populations, including elderly persons, persons with disabilities, and homeless persons, (b) Report Not later than the expiration of the 6-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall jointly submit to the Congress a report describing the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a) and setting forth the findings and conclusions of the study, including any recommendations regarding improved home and housing design, improved design features in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and implementation of such recommendations.