Housing Transparency Improvement Act

Bill: 118-s-2334
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2023-07-18
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Computers and information technology

Government information and archives

Housing and community development funding

Internet, web applications, social media

Low- and moderate-income housing

Public housing
Latest action: action_date: 2023-07-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2334 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 18, 2023 Mrs. Gillibrand introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs A BILL To require each public housing agency to establish and maintain an online portal for tenants and applicants, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Housing Transparency Improvement Act . 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Covered housing The term covered housing means— (A) low-income housing; and (B) any property with assistance converted under the Rental Assistance Demonstration program authorized under title II of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 ( Public Law 112–55 ; 125 Stat. 673). (2) Families; low-income housing The terms families and low-income housing have the meanings given those terms in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437a(b) ). (3) Public housing agency The term public housing agency — (A) has the meaning given the term in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437a(b) ); and (B) includes any owner of low-income housing that enters into a housing assistance payments contract under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437o ). (4) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (5) Small public housing agency The term small public housing agency means a public housing agency that— (A) owns, assists, or operates not more than 250 covered housing dwelling units; and (B) predominantly operates in a rural area, as described in section 1026.35(b)(2)(iv)(A) of title 12, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation. 3. Online portal (a) Establishment Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, each public housing agency shall establish and maintain an online portal on the website of the public housing agency through which families residing in and applicants for a covered housing dwelling owned, assisted, or operated by the public housing agency may— (1) access information, including contact information, relating to the performance evaluation, management, and control of the covered housing dwelling; (2) access a plain language list of the legal rights of each family residing in or applying for the covered housing dwelling, which shall be available for translation; and (3) track service requests and complaints submitted to the public housing agency through a tracking system described in subsection (b). (b) Tracking system (1) In general Each public housing agency shall establish, using existing software or through new software, a request tracking system, including for inquiry on the status of an application, short-term and long-term capital improvements, service requests, and complaints, submitted by a family residing in a covered housing dwelling owned or operated by the public housing agency through which the families and applicants may track requests with real-time updates provided by the public housing agency. (2) Service request and complaint database (A) Assignment of number The tracking system described in paragraph (1) shall contain a database under which the public housing agency shall assign each family residing in a covered housing dwelling owned or operated by the public housing agency and each applicant for a covered housing dwelling owned or operated by the public housing agency a ticket number or a private access number to use to make requests or complaints described in paragraph (1). (B) Required information Each inquiry described in subparagraph (A) shall— (i) be searchable through the tracking system described in paragraph (1); (ii) have associated with it a description of— (I) the nature of the inquiry, complaint, or request; (II) the most recent status of the inquiry, complaint, or request; (III) whether or not the inquiry, complaint, or request is open or closed; (IV) any action taken on the inquiry, complaint, or request, and any next steps to be taken; and (V) any additional information as the public housing agency determines appropriate; and (iii) not publicly disclose any personal information relating to the inquiry, complaint, or request, including the unit number, name of the resident or applicant, or any other identifying information that is prohibited from disclosure under applicable laws. (3) Prohibition A public housing agency may not require a family residing in a covered housing dwelling owned or operated by the public housing agency to use the tracking system described in paragraph (1) to submit requests or to receive updates relating to service requests and complaints submitted by the family. (c) Updates Each public housing agency shall ensure that the online portal established under subsection (a) is updated on a regular basis and contains the most recent information regarding inquiries, service requests, and complaints described in subsection (a)(3). (d) Reporting Each public housing agency shall, on an annual basis, develop a fact sheet for tenants residing in and applicants for a covered housing dwelling owned, assisted, or operated by the public housing agency that— (1) includes, in a clear and easily discernible manner— (A) the total amount and type of Federal, State, and local funds received for the fiscal year; (B) the funding streams for ongoing and upcoming capital improvement projects; (C) the most recent inspection date and score; (D) any major renovation, capital, or redevelopment plans; and (E) the name and contact information for the manager or management of the dwelling, if operating independently; (2) is posted on the website of the public housing agency, if applicable, is available in paper format, is available for translation, is available upon request, and is submitted as an addendum as part of the public housing agency plan provided to the Resident Advisory Board and provided at a public hearing as required under section 5A of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437c–1 ). (e) Grants (1) In general The Secretary may make grants to public housing agencies in the amount necessary for the public housing agency to purchase, establish, and maintain the online portal required under this section. (2) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection. (f) Reporting Each public housing agency shall, on an annual basis, submit to the Secretary information on grants made under subsection (e), including how the amounts were used related to the online portal required under this section. (g) Incentives The Secretary shall consider the implementation and maintenance by a public housing agency of the online portal required under this section in the annual public housing assessment system described in part 902 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation. (h) Exemptions (1) In general The requirement to create and maintain an online portal under this section shall not apply to small public housing agencies. (2) Alternate method A small public housing agency that is exempted under paragraph (1) shall develop, implement, and submit to the Secretary alternate methods for fulfilling the requirements under subsections (a) through (d), in particular paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a).