Bill 111-S-1481 — Housing / General
Subject: Housing and community development

Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2010 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act to revise requirements for supportive housing for persons with disabilities. Authorizes appropriations for tenant-based rental assistance under section 8 (rental voucher program) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 for persons with disabilities in an amount at least necessary to convert the number of authorized vouchers and funding under an annual contributions contract in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act. Requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to issue guidance to public housing agencies (PHAs) receiving voucher assistance under this Act, as well as those that received such assistance under the United States Housing Act of 1937 for incremental vouchers for nonelderly disabled families during FY1997-FY2002, in order to ensure that such vouchers continue to be provided upon turnover to qualified persons with disabilities or to qualified nonelderly disabled families. Authorizes the Secretary to provide technical assistance to PHAs and other administering entities to: (1) facilitate using vouchers to provide permanent supportive housing for persons with disabilities, (2) help states reduce reliance on segregated restrictive settings for people with disabilities to meet community care requirements, and (3) end chronic homelessness. (Sec. 3) Modifies project rental assistance contract requirements, including renewal of, and increases in, annual contract amounts. Requires initial contracts with the sponsor of a project assisted with any low-income housing tax credit or with any tax-exempt housing bonds to have an initial term of up to 360 months and to provide funding for 60 months. Revises the requirement that all units in housing assisted by capital advances and project rental assistance contracts be made available for occupancy by very low-income persons with disabilities for at least 40 years. Authorizes the Secretary to approve a project owner's request to convert a project from supportive housing for persons with disabilities to the direct benefit of low-income persons with disabilities, if the project is no longer needed for use as supportive housing. Limits to 25% the aggregate number of units in a multifamily housing project (except a group home or independent living facility) that may be used for persons with disabilities, including supportive housing. Requires the Secretary, within 30 days of issuing certain capital advances for multifamily projects (except group homes or independent living facilities), to delegate review and processing of such projects to an experienced state or local housing agency meeting specified criteria. Requires the Secretary to: (1) develop criteria and a timeline to assess periodically the performance of such agencies; and (2) retain authority to review and process such projects in the event that, after its review and assessment, the agency fails to satisfy such criteria. Revises tenant selection procedures. Requires occupancy in dwelling units assisted under the Act to be available only to persons with disabilities, without regard to the particular disability involved, and households that include at least one person with a disability. Requires a lease between a tenant and a housing owner to be for at least one year. Prohibits the termination of a tenancy or refusal to renew a lease except for serious or repeated violation of the lease terms. Applies certain cost limits established by the Act and developed by the Secretary to supportive housing assisted by a capital advance as well as to the amount of funds that may be invested on a per unit basis. Authorizes the Secretary to waive such limitations to achieve specified goals. Requires the Secretary to establish a minimum percentage of capital advances per fiscal year for multifamily projects. (Sec. 4) Directs the Secretary to make funds available for project rental assistance to offer additional methods of financing supportive housing for nonelderly adults with disabilities and with extremely low-incomes or for extremely low-income households that include at least one disabled person. (Sec. 5) Repeals the Secretary's authority to require an owner to deposit an amount up to $10,000 in a special escrow account to assure the owner's commitment to the housing. (Sec. 6) Authorizes appropriations for FY2011-FY2015. (Sec. 8) Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the adequacy and effectiveness of the program in assisting households of persons with disabilities.