Source: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/3544
Timestamp: 2019-01-23 07:43:55
Document Index: 109482546

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 3544', '§ 3544', '§\u202f904', '§\u202f903', '§\u202f3003', '§\u202f508', '§\u202f214', '§\u202f201', '§\u202f1437', '§\u202f501', '§\u202f508', '§\u202f508', '§\u202f508', '§\u202f508', '§\u202f3003', '§\u202f3003', '§\u202f3003', '§\u202f3003', '§\u202f3003', '§\u202f3003', '§\u202f3003', '§\u202f3003', '§\u202f3003', '§\u202f3003', '§\u202f501', '§\u202f903', 'ART 908']

42 U.S. Code § 3544 - Preventing fraud and abuse in housing and urban development programs | U.S. Code | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute
Section 3544. Preventing fraud and abuse in housing and urban development programs
42 U.S. Code § 3544 - Preventing fraud and abuse in housing and urban development programs
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.
(b) Applicant and participant consentAs a condition of initial or continuing eligibility for participation in any program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development involving initial and periodic review of an applicant’s or participant’s income, and to assure that the level of benefits provided under the program is correct, the Secretary may require that an applicant or participant—
sign a consent form approved by the Secretary authorizing the Secretary to request the Commissioner of Social Security and the Secretary of the Treasury to release information pursuant to section 6103(l)(7)(D)(ix) of title 26 with respect to such applicant or participant for the sole purpose of the Secretary verifying income information pertinent to the applicant’s or participant’s eligibility or level of benefits; and
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.
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).
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.
(e) Conditions of release of information by third partiesAn applicant or participant under any program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development may not be required or requested to consent to the release of information by third parties as a condition of initial or continuing eligibility for participation in the program unless—
the request for consent is made, and the information secured is maintained, in accordance with this section,[2]section 552a of title 5; and
(Pub. L. 100–628, title IX, § 904, Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3259; Pub. L. 102–550, title IX, § 903(a), Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 3867; Pub. L. 103–66, title III, § 3003, Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 338; Pub. L. 105–276, title V, § 508(d)(2), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2529; Pub. L. 106–74, title II, § 214(b), Oct. 20, 1999, 113 Stat. 1074.)
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.
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)”.
Pub. L. 114–201, title V, § 501, July 29, 2016, 130 Stat. 811, provided that:
“The DisasterHousing 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.
24 CFR Subpart B - Disclosure and Verification of Social Security Numbers and Employer Identification Numbers; Procedures for Obtaining Income Information
24 CFR PART 908 - ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF REQUIRED FAMILY DATA FOR PUBLIC HOUSING, INDIAN HOUSING, AND THE SECTION 8 RENTAL CERTIFICATE, RENTAL VOUCHER, AND MODERATE REHABILITATION PROGRAMS