SUPER Demonstration Act

Bill: 118-hr-9195
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Ciscomani, Juan [R-AZ-6]
Introduced: 2024-07-30
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Latest action: action_date: 2024-07-30
text: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on Appropriations, 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.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9195 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 30, 2024 Mr. Ciscomani (for himself and Mr. Nickel ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services , and in addition to the Committee on Appropriations , 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 A BILL To direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a demonstration program to develop affordable housing in areas with a significant expansion of the workforce, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the SUPER Demonstration Act . 2. Demonstration program for the development of affordable housing (a) Establishment Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall establish a demonstration program to award not more than 10 grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to develop affordable housing in areas with a significant expansion of the workforce. (b) Eligible entity To be eligible for a grant under this section, an entity shall— (1) be— (A) a unit of local government; or (B) a public housing agency; and (2) demonstrate a significant need for more affordable housing due to an expansion of the workforce from Federal investments through the— (A) American Rescue Plan Act of 2021; (B) Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; and (C) Chips and Science Act. (c) Application (1) In general To apply for a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may reasonably require. (2) Zoning and regulatory reform (A) Units of local government In an application for a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity that is a unit of local government shall include a plan for the implementation of zoning and regulatory reform to facilitate the development of affordable housing. (B) Public housing agencies In an application for a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity that is a public housing agency shall include a plan for the provision of additional flexibilities for affordable housing construction and repair. (d) Selection criteria (1) Units of local government For eligible entities that are units of local government, the Secretary may only award grants under this subsection to such entities that remove or streamline local regulatory barriers to affordable housing construction, including through the modification of local— (A) zoning laws; (B) environmental impact reviews; and (C) parking minimums. (2) Public housing agencies For eligible entities that are public housing agencies, the Secretary may only award grants under this subsection to such entities that provide additional flexibilities for affordable housing construction, including through the repair and construction of affordable housing. (e) Eligible uses An eligible entity may use grant amounts awarded under this section to— (1) convert vacant office space to residential housing; (2) fund capital costs of the development, rehabilitation, and physical improvements of affordable housing through public-private partnerships; (3) provide technical assistance to housing developers; and (4) identify sites for rehabilitation or new construction in high-opportunity, mixed-income neighborhoods. (f) Technical assistance The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to eligible entities that are awarded a grant under this subsection with respect to using such grant amounts in conjunction with other Federally funded housing assistance programs. (g) Study (1) In general The Secretary shall, not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section and each year thereafter that the demonstration program is active, conduct a study to test the effectiveness of the demonstration program. (2) Elements The study conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include— (A) an evaluation of the impact of the demonstration program on the timeline of approval, construction, and number of new affordable housing developments; and (B) a comparison of communities that participated in the demonstration and communities that did not participate in the demonstration program based on such evaluation. (h) Transfer of unobligated COVID funds (1) Identification of funds to transfer Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of the Treasury shall identify $3,000,000,000 of unobligated covered funds which shall be transferred to the Secretary under paragraph (2). (2) Transfer Effective on the date that is 60 days after the date of the enactment of this section, $3,000,000,000 of the unobligated covered funds identified by the Secretary of the Treasury under paragraph (1) shall be transferred to and merged with other amounts made available to the Secretary to carry out this section. (3) Availability and use Amounts transferred under paragraph (2) shall remain available until expended. (i) Definitions In this section: (1) Affordable housing The term affordable housing means housing that qualifies as affordable under section 215 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act ( 42 U.S.C. 12745 ). (2) Covered funds The term covered funds means amounts made available under— (A) the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act; (B) the Families First Coronavirus Response Act; (C) the CARES Act; (D) the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act; (E) the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021; and (F) the American Rescue Plan Act. (3) Public housing agency The term public housing agency has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437a ). (4) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.