Source: https://law.justia.com/codes/us/2016/title-42/chapter-44/sec.-3544/
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 03:04:25+00:00

Document:
The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
The terms "applicant" and "participant" shall have such meanings as the Secretary by regulation shall prescribe, except that such terms shall include members of an applicant's or participant's household, and such terms shall not include persons whose involvement is only in their official capacity, such as State or local government officials and officers of lending institutions.
The term "public housing agency" means any agency described in section 3(b)(6) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 [42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(6)].
The term "program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development" includes Indian housing programs assisted under title II 1 of the United States Housing Act of 1937.
(4) only in the case of an applicant or participant that is a member of a family described in section 3(f)(2) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(f)(2)), sign an agreement under which the applicant or participant agrees to provide to the appropriate public housing agency, or the owner responsible for determining the participant's eligibility or level of benefits, the information required under section 3(f)(1) of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1437a(f)(1)] for the sole purpose of verifying income information pertinent to the applicant's or participant's eligibility or level of benefits, and comply with such agreement.
Except as provided in this subsection, this consent form shall not be used to request taxpayer return information protected by section 6103 of title 26.
(ii) in the case of an owner or public housing agency responsible for determining eligibility for or level of benefits, to inform such owner or public housing agency that an applicant's or participant's eligibility for or level of benefits is uncertain and to request such owner or public housing agency to verify such applicant's or participant's income information.
(iii) the period or periods when, or with respect to which, the applicant or participant actually received such wages, other earnings or income, or benefits.
(C) Such applicant or participant shall be informed by the agency or owner of the findings made by the agency or owner on the basis of such verified information, and shall be given an opportunity to contest such findings, in the same manner as applies to other information and findings relating to eligibility factors under the program.
(A) Any person who knowingly and willfully requests or obtains any information concerning an applicant or participant pursuant to the authority contained in section 503(i) of this title, section 3(d)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 [42 U.S.C. 1437a(d)(1)], or section 6103(l)(7)(D)(ix) of title 26 without consent or agreement, as applicable, pursuant to subsection (b) of this section or under false pretenses, or any person who knowingly and willfully discloses any such information in any manner to any individual not entitled under any law to receive it, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not more than $5,000. The term "person" as used in this paragraph shall include an officer or employee of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, an officer or employee of any public housing agency, and any owner responsible for determining eligibility for or level of benefits (or employee thereof).
(B) Any applicant or participant affected by (i) a negligent or knowing disclosure of information referred to in this section, section 503(i) of this title, section 3(d)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 [42 U.S.C. 1437a(d)(1)], or section 6103(l)(7)(D)(ix) of title 26 about such person by an officer or employee of any public housing agency or owner (or employee thereof), which disclosure is not authorized by this section, such section 503(i), such section 3(d)(1) [42 U.S.C. 1437a(d)(1)], such section 6103(l)(7)(D)(ix), or any regulation implementing this section, such section 503(i), such section 3(d)(1) [42 U.S.C. 1437a(d)(1)], or such section 6103(l)(7)(D)(ix), or for which consent, pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, has not been granted, or (ii) any other negligent or knowing action that is inconsistent with this section, such section 503(i), such section 3(d)(1) [42 U.S.C. 1437a(d)(1)], such section 6103(l)(7)(D)(ix), or any such implementing regulation may bring a civil action for damages and such other relief as may be appropriate against any officer or employee of any public housing agency or owner (or employee thereof) responsible for any such unauthorized action. The district court of the United States in the district in which the affected applicant or participant resides, in which such unauthorized action occurred, or in which the applicant or participant alleged to be responsible for any such unauthorized action resides, shall have jurisdiction in such matters. Appropriate relief that may be ordered by such district courts shall include reasonable attorney's fees and other litigation costs.
Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), the provisions of this section shall take effect on September 30, 1989.
At the initiative of a State or an agency of the State, and with the approval of the Secretary of Labor, the amendments made by subsection (c)(1) may be made effective in such State on any date before September 30, 1989, which is more than 90 days after November 7, 1988.
In the case of any State the legislature of which has not been in session for at least 30 calendar days (whether or not consecutive) between November 7, 1988, and September 30, 1989, the amendments made by subsection (c)(1) shall take effect 30 calendar days after the first day on which such legislature is in session on or after September 30, 1989.
(2) the consent that is requested is appropriately limited, with respect to time and information relevant and necessary to meet the requirements of this section.
The United States Housing Act of 1937, referred to in subsec. (a)(4), is act Sept. 1, 1937, ch. 896, as revised generally by Pub. L. 93–383, title II, §201(a), Aug. 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 653, and amended. Title II of the Act, which was classified generally to subchapter II (§1437aa et seq.) of chapter 8 of this title, was repealed by Pub. L. 104–330, title V, §501(a), Oct. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 4041. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1437 of this title and Tables.
The amendments made by subsection (c)(1), referred to in subsec. (d)(2), (3), mean the amendments made by section 904(c)(1) of Pub. L. 100–628, which enacted section 503(i) and amended section 504(a)(2) of this title. See Codification note below.
Section is comprised of section 904 of Pub. L. 100–628. Subsec. (c)(1) of section 904 of Pub. L. 100–628 amended sections 503 and 504 of this title.
Section was enacted as part of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Amendments Act of 1988, and not as part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act which comprises this chapter.
1999—Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 106–74 inserted ", or the owner responsible for determining the participant's eligibility or level of benefits," after "appropriate public housing agency" and substituted "verifying income" for "the public housing agency verifying income".
1998—Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 105–276, §508(d)(2)(A), which directed the amendment of subsec. (b) by adding par. (4) at end, was executed by adding par. (4) after par. (3), to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
Subsec. (c)(2)(A). Pub. L. 105–276, §508(d)(2)(B)(i), in introductory provisions, inserted ", pursuant to section 3(d)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 from the applicant or participant," after "unemployment compensation law" and "or 3(d)(1)" after "such section 503(i)".
Subsec. (c)(3)(A). Pub. L. 105–276, §508(d)(2)(B)(ii)(I), (II), in first sentence, inserted ", section 3(d)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937," after "503(i) of this title" and "or agreement, as applicable," after "consent".
Subsec. (c)(3)(B). Pub. L. 105–276, §508(d)(2)(B)(ii)(III), (IV), in first sentence, inserted "section 3(d)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937," after "503(i) of this title," and "such section 3(d)(1)," after "such section 503(i)," wherever appearing.
1993—Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 103–66, §3003(1), added par. (4).
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–66, §3003(2)(D), in concluding provisions, substituted "Except as provided in this subsection, this" for "This".
Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 103–66, §3003(2)(A)–(C), added par. (3).
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–66, §3003(5), struck out "State employment" after "Access to" in heading.
Subsec. (c)(2)(A). Pub. L. 103–66, §3003(3)(A)(i), in introductory provisions, inserted "or pursuant to section 6103(l)(7)(D)(ix) of title 26 from the Commissioner of Social Security or the Secretary of the Treasury" after "compensation law" and "(in the case of information obtained pursuant to such section 503(i))" before "representatives".
Subsec. (c)(2)(A)(ii). Pub. L. 103–66, §3003(3)(A)(ii), substituted "owner or public housing agency" for "owner" wherever appearing.
Subsec. (c)(2)(B)(i) to (iii). Pub. L. 103–66, §3003(3)(B), substituted "wages, other earnings or income," for "wages" wherever appearing.
Subsec. (c)(3)(A). Pub. L. 103–66, §3003(4)(A), inserted "or section 6103(l)(7)(D)(ix) of title 26 without consent pursuant to subsection (b) of this section or" after "section 503(i) of this title".
Subsec. (c)(3)(B)(i). Pub. L. 103–66, §3003(4)(B)(i), added cl. (i) and struck out former cl. (i) which read as follows: "a negligent or knowing disclosure of information referred to in this section or in section 503(i) of this title about such person by an officer or employee of any public housing agency or owner (or employee thereof), which disclosure is not authorized by this section, such section 503(i), or any regulation implementing this section or such section 503(i), or".
Subsec. (c)(3)(B)(ii). Pub. L. 103–66, §3003(4)(B)(ii), inserted "such section 6103(l)(7)(D)(ix)," after "503(i)".
1992—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 102–550 added subsec. (e).
Pub. L. 114–201, title V, §501, July 29, 2016, 130 Stat. 811, provided that: "The Disaster Housing Assistance Program administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development shall be considered a 'program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development' under section 904 of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Amendments Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 3544) for the purpose of income verifications."
Pub. L. 102–550, title IX, §903(b), Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 3868, directed Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, not later than the expiration of the 180-day period beginning Oct. 28, 1992, to develop a release form that fulfilled the requirements of this section and provided that during the period beginning Oct. 28, 1992, and ending upon implementation of the use of the new form, the benefits provided to an applicant or participant under any program of Department of Housing and Urban Development, or eligibility for such benefits, could not be terminated, denied, suspended, or reduced because of any failure to sign any form authorizing the release of information from any third party, if the applicant or participant otherwise disclosed all financial information relating to the application or recertification.
2 So in original. The comma probably should be "and".

References: §201
 §501
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 §3003
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 §501
 §903