Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Emergency Neighborhood Reclamation Act of 2008

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)The subprime mortgage foreclosure crisis has led to the widespread and unprecedented abandonment of housing in many urban neighborhoods. (2)Communities that have experienced a significant decrease in population since 1980 due to the loss of well-paying manufacturing jobs and subsequent economic decline were already subject to a severe problem of vacant and abandoned housing when the subprime mortgage foreclosure crisis struck, further exacerbating the problem. (3)Although the prompt demolition and removal of vacant and abandoned housing is necessary in order to protect public health and safety, communities experiencing both economic decline and large numbers of subprime mortgage foreclosures have insufficient resources to demolish and remove such housing in a timely manner. (4)Emergency grant assistance to such communities would enable them to quickly demolish and remove vacant and abandoned housing in order to promote public health and safety, and to create open space that could be used for park land, recreation, future economic and residential development, or other purposes that would benefit such communities.

Grant program to assist municipalities with a vacant housing problem

(a)

Authority To make Grants

From the amounts appropriated under section 4, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall make grants to eligible units of general local government for the purpose of neighborhood reclamation in accordance with subsection (c). (b)

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), a unit of general local government shall submit to the Secretary, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require pursuant to regulations, an application that demonstrates that such local government has— (1)experienced significant population loss within its jurisdiction since 1980, as measured by decennial census data; (2)neighborhoods or other areas within its jurisdiction with— (A)a high incidence of vacant and abandoned housing, or other vacant and abandoned structures, located in areas that are primarily residential in character; and (B)substantial urban decay and neighborhood degradation resulting from such housing or such other structures; and (3)a comprehensive plan for the demolition of all such housing, and such other structures, within the jurisdiction of such local government, that will increase the stability of neighborhoods, or promote the rational utilization of land, within the jurisdiction of such local government. (c)

Purposes

A unit of local government awarded a grant under subsection (a), shall use such grant to fund— (1)the demolition of vacant and abandoned housing, and other vacant and abandoned structures, located in areas that are primarily residential in character, and which are within the jurisdiction of such local government, pursuant to such local government’s comprehensive plan for demolition under subsection (b)(3); (2)prior to demolition, the abatement of any health and safety hazards in accordance with applicable State and Federal laws, within such housing or such other structures, or on the site upon which such housing or other structures are located; and (3)after demolition— (A)the capping or removal of utility connections and public infrastructure, including street pavements and sewer lines; and (B)the rehabilitation of a site for use as public open space, inclusion in a land bank, or for sale. (d)

Reports

One year after the Secretary awards a grant under this Act to a unit of general local government, such local government shall submit to the Secretary a report on— (1)the number of houses and other structures demolished, and the number of houses and other structures remaining to be demolished, pursuant to such local government’s comprehensive plan under subsection (b)(3); and (2)the amount of site rehabilitation completed pursuant to subsection (c)(3)(B). (e)

Relation to Other Programs of the Department of Housing and Urban Development

The Secretary’s award of a grant under this Act to a unit of general local government shall not affect a decision by the Secretary to award funding to such local government for the demolition of vacant and abandoned housing under any other program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. (f)

Relation to Other Law

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to waive any obligations under local, State, and Federal law. (g)

Public Housing

Funds made available under this Act shall not be used to demolish public housing, as such term is defined in section 3 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a).

Authorization of Appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act, $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, and such sums as are necessary for each fiscal year thereafter.

Implementation

(a)

Effective Date

This Act shall take effect not later than 60 days after the date that funds are appropriated or otherwise made available to carry out this Act. (b)

Interim Regulations

The Secretary shall issue such interim regulations as may be necessary to implement this Act not later than 60 days after the effective date in subsection (a). (c)

Final Regulations

The Secretary shall issue final regulations necessary to implement this Act not later than 180 days after such effective date.

Definitions

In this Act— (1)the term Secretary means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; (2)the term unit of general local government means a unit of general local government as defined in section 102 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5302); and (3)the term other vacant and abandoned structures means vacant and abandoned structures not used for residential purposes, or used for a combination of residential and other purposes.