1.This Act may be cited as the
Neighborhood Reclamation and
Revitalization Program Act of 2007
.
2.Congress finds that vacant residential
properties are a scourge on communities, leading to lower property tax revenues
for municipalities, higher municipal maintenance costs, and severe public
health and environmental problems.
3.Grant program to
assist municipalities with a vacant housing problem
(a)The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
(hereinafter in this Act referred to as the Secretary
) may make
grants to a local government to fund—
(1)the demolition of
vacant housing; or
(2)the demolition of
vacant housing in combination with a study of neighborhood
revitalization.
(b)To be eligible for a grant under this Act, a local
government shall submit to the Secretary, at such time and in such manner as
the Secretary may require, an application that demonstrates that the local
government has—
(1)a
history of continued population loss to be measured beginning with the 1980
decennial census;
(2)vacant housing
within its borders;
(3)substantial urban
decay and neighborhood degradation resulting from vacant housing; and
(4)a
comprehensive, coordinated plan for the demolition of vacant housing.
(c)
(1)To the extent
provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the Secretary shall award grants
under this Act to local governments that have best demonstrated the
requirements of subsection (b) in such number and amounts that the Secretary
determines is warranted by the applications submitted.
(2)The Secretary
shall evaluate grant applications using the following factors:
(A)The severity of the
vacant housing problem in the context of the applicant’s overall housing
stock.
(B)The level of
positive impact the demolition of vacant housing would provide in stabilizing
the neighborhoods facing vacant housing problems.
(C)Other relevant
factors that the Secretary deems pertinent and appropriate.
(d)
(1)One year after the
Secretary awards to a local government a grant under this Act, that local
government shall submit to the Secretary a report on the progress made on the
plan for which the grant was awarded.
(2)This report shall
include—
(A)the number of
housing units demolished and the number remaining to be demolished pursuant to
the local governments comprehensive, coordinated plan;
(B)progress in
completing the study or studies for neighborhood revitalization; and
(C)the extent to
which a demonstrated public health or safety hazard exists in relation to the
applicant’s vacant housing problem.
(e)Relation to
other programs of the Department of Housing and Urban
DevelopmentIt is the intent of Congress that the Secretary’s
award to a local government of a grant under this Act shall not affect a
decision by the Secretary to award funding to that local government for
demolition of vacant housing or a study of neighborhood revitalization under
any other program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
(f)Any demolition resulting from this Act must comply with
appropriate local, State, and Federal law.
4.In this Act—
(1)the term
vacant housing means a group of buildings intended for use as
residences that are vacant and are located in a well-defined area;
(2)the term local government
means any county, city, town, township, village, or other general purpose
political subdivision of a State; and
(3)the term a
study of neighborhood revitalization means a study conducted by the
local government, or by an organization on behalf of the local government, of
how best to use the real property underlying vacant housing after that vacant
housing has been demolished.
5.Authorization of
appropriationsThere are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act—
(1)$20,000,000 for
fiscal year 2009;
(2)$30,000,000 for
fiscal year 2010; and
(3)$50,000,000 for
fiscal year 2011.