Housing for Afghan Allies Act of 2021

Bill: 117-hr-5072
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-7]
Introduced: 2021-08-23
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Afghanistan

Asia

Conflicts and wars

Energy assistance for the poor and aged

Foreign labor

Foreign language and bilingual programs

Housing and community development funding

Immigration status and procedures

Landlord and tenant

Military operations and strategy

Public utilities and utility rates

Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
Latest action: action_date: 2021-08-23
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-08-23
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Housing for Afghan Allies Act of 2021</b></p> <p>This bill allows state and local governments receiving emergency rental assistance funds for unemployed persons, persons with hardship related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and persons at risk of homelessness to use some of those funds to provide rent and utility assistance to certain individuals and families from Afghanistan.</p> <p>The funds may be used to provide such assistance to individuals and families who are citizens or nationals of Afghanistan, who are present within the United States, and who have been granted special immigrant status or have received priority 2 refugee designation.</p> <p>A special immigrant is an immigrant who qualifies for a permanent residence after meeting certain criteria. A priority 2 refugee designation grants U.S. Refugee Admissions Program access to certain immigrants, including Afghan immigrants who do not qualify as special immigrants but who may be at risk because of their U.S. affiliation.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5072 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 23, 2021 Mr. Bera introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services A BILL To authorize use of rental assistance amounts for individuals and families from Afghanistan, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Housing for Afghan Allies Act of 2021 . 2. Use of emergency rental assistance (a) Fiscal Year 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act funds Subsection (c) of section 501 of subtitle A of title V of division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 ( 15 U.S.C. 9058a(c) ) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (5) Use for individuals and families from Afghanistan Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an eligible grantee may use not more than 25 percent of funds provided from a payment made under this section to provide financial assistance to pay rent, utilities, and home energy costs for any individual who is, or any household comprised of members who— (A) are citizens or nationals of Afghanistan; (B) are present within the United States; and (C) have— (i) been granted special immigrant status as described in section 602(b) of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 ( 8 U.S.C. 1101 note); or (ii) received Priority 2 (P–2) refugee designation. . (b) ARPA funds Subsection (d) of section 3201 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ( 15 U.S.C. 9058c(d) ) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (3) Use for individuals and families from Afghanistan Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an eligible grantee may use not more than 25 percent of funds provided from a payment made under this section to provide financial assistance to pay rent, utilities, and home energy costs for any individual who is, or any household comprised of members who— (A) are citizens or nationals of Afghanistan; (B) are present within the United States; and (C) have— (i) been granted special immigrant status as described in section 602(b) of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 ( 8 U.S.C. 1101 note); or (ii) received Priority 2 (P–2) refugee designation. .