[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 427 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 427

To provide for additional section 8 vouchers, to reauthorize the Public 
 and Assisted Housing Drug Elimination Program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 30, 2007

 Mr. Feingold introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
    referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for additional section 8 vouchers, to reauthorize the Public 
 and Assisted Housing Drug Elimination Program, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Affordable Housing Expansion and 
Public Safety Act''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN INCREMENTAL SECTION 8 VOUCHERS.

    (a) In General.--In fiscal year 2008 and subject to renewal, the 
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall provide an additional 
100,000 incremental vouchers for tenant-based rental housing assistance 
under section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
1437f(o)).
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
        $8,650,000,000 for the provision and renewal of the vouchers 
        described in subsection (a).
            (2) Availability.--Any amount appropriated under paragraph 
        (1) shall remain available until expended.
            (3) Carryover.--To the extent that any amounts appropriated 
        for any fiscal are not expended by the Secretary of Housing and 
        Urban Development in such fiscal year for purposes of 
        subsection (a), any remaining amounts shall be carried forward 
        for use by the Secretary to renew the vouchers described in 
        subsection (a) in subsequent years.
    (c) Distribution of Amounts.--
            (1) Administrative costs.--The Secretary may not use more 
        than $800,000,000 of the amounts authorized under paragraph (1) 
        to cover the administrative costs associated with the provision 
        and renewal of the vouchers described in subsection (a).
            (2) Voucher costs.--The Secretary shall use all remaining 
        amounts authorized under paragraph (1) to cover the costs of 
        providing and renewing the vouchers described in subsection 
        (a).

SEC. 3. TARGETED EXPANSION OF HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP (HOME) 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Purpose.--The purposes of this section are as follows:
            (1) To authorize additional funding under subtitle A of 
        title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 12741 et seq.), commonly referred to as the Home 
        Investments Partnership (``HOME'') program, to provide 
        dedicated funding for the expansion and preservation of housing 
        for extremely low-income individuals and families through 
        eligible uses of investment as defined in paragraphs (1) and 
        (3) of section 212(a) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National 
        Affordable Housing Act.
            (2) Such additional funding is intended to supplement the 
        HOME funds already allocated to a participating jurisdiction to 
        provide additional assistance in targeting resources to 
        extremely low-income individuals and families.
            (3) Such additional funding is not intended to be the only 
        source of assistance for extremely low-income individuals and 
        families under the HOME program, and participating 
        jurisdictions shall continue to use non-set aside HOME funds to 
        provide assistance to such extremely low-income individuals and 
        families.
    (b) Set Aside for Extremely Low-Income Individuals and Families.--
            (1) Eligible use.--Section 212(a) of the Cranston-Gonzalez 
        National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12742(a)) is amended 
        by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) Extremely low-income individuals and families.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Each participating jurisdiction 
                shall--
                            ``(i) use funds provided under this 
                        subtitle to provide affordable housing to 
                        individuals and families whose incomes do not 
                        exceed 30 percent of median family income for 
                        that jurisdiction; and
                            ``(ii) ensure the use of such funds does 
                        not result in the concentration of individuals 
                        and families assisted under this section into 
                        high-poverty areas.
                    ``(B) Exception.--If a participating jurisdiction 
                can certify to the Secretary that such participating 
                jurisdiction has met in its jurisdiction the housing 
                needs of extremely low-income individuals and families 
                described in subparagraph (A), such participating 
                jurisdiction may use any remaining funds provided under 
                this subtitle for purposes of subparagraph (A) to 
                provide affordable housing to individuals and families 
                whose incomes do not exceed 50 percent of median family 
                income for that jurisdiction.
                    ``(C) Rule of construction.--The Secretary shall 
                notify each participating jurisdiction receiving funds 
                for purposes of this paragraph that use of such funds, 
                as required under subparagraph (A), does not exempt or 
                prevent that participating jurisdiction from using any 
                other funds awarded under this subtitle to provide 
                affordable housing to extremely low-income individuals 
                and families.
                    ``(D) Rental housing.--Notwithstanding section 
                215(a), housing that is for rental shall qualify as 
                affordable housing under this paragraph only if such 
                housing is occupied by extremely low-income individuals 
                or families who pay as a contribution toward rent 
                (excluding any Federal or State rental subsidy provided 
                on behalf of the individual or family) not more than 30 
                percent of the monthly adjusted income of such 
                individual or family, as determined by the 
                Secretary.''.
            (2) Pro rata distribution.--Section 217 of the Cranston-
        Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12747) is 
        amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Pro Rata Distribution for Extremely Low-Income Individuals 
and Families.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, in any 
fiscal year the Secretary shall allocate any funds specifically 
approved in an appropriations Act to provide affordable housing to 
extremely low-income individuals or families under section 212(a)(6), 
such funds shall be allocated to each participating jurisdiction in an 
amount which bears the same ratio to such amount as the amount such 
participating jurisdiction receives for such fiscal year under this 
subtitle, not including any amounts allocated for any additional set-
asides specified in such appropriations Act for that fiscal year.''.
            (3) Certification.--Section 226 of the Cranston-Gonzalez 
        National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12756) is amended by 
        adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Certification.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each participating jurisdiction shall 
        certify on annual basis to the Secretary that any funds used to 
        provide affordable housing to extremely low-income individuals 
        or families under section 212(a)(6) were actually used to 
        assist such families.
            ``(2) Content of certification.--Each certification 
        required under paragraph (1) shall--
                    ``(A) state the number of extremely low-income 
                individuals and families assisted in the previous 12 
                months;
                    ``(B) separate such extremely low-income 
                individuals and families into those individuals and 
                families who were assisted by--
                            ``(i) funds set aside specifically for such 
                        individuals and families under section 
                        212(a)(6); and
                            ``(ii) any other funds awarded under this 
                        subtitle; and
                    ``(C) describe the type of activities, including 
                new construction, preservation, and rehabilitation of 
                housing, provided to such extremely low-income 
                individuals and families that were supported by--
                            ``(i) funds set aside specifically for such 
                        individuals and families under section 
                        212(a)(6); and
                            ``(ii) any other funds awarded under this 
                        subtitle.
            ``(3) Inclusion with performance report.--The certification 
        required under paragraph (1) shall be included in the 
        jurisdiction's annual performance report submitted to the 
        Secretary under section 108(a) and made available to the 
        public.''.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to any other 
amounts authorized to be appropriated under any other law or 
appropriations Act to carry out the provisions of title II of the 
Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12701 et 
seq.), there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the 
provisions of this section $400,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 
through 2012.

SEC. 4. PUBLIC AND ASSISTED HOUSING CRIME AND DRUG ELIMINATION PROGRAM.

    (a) Title Change.--The chapter heading of chapter 2 of subtitle C 
of title V of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 11901 et seq.) 
is amended to read as follows:

  ``CHAPTER 2--PUBLIC AND ASSISTED HOUSING CRIME AND DRUG ELIMINATION 
                               PROGRAM''.

    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) Amounts authorized.--Section 5129(a) of the Anti-Drug 
        Abuse Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 11908(a)) is amended to read as 
        follows:
    ``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this chapter $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008, 2009, 
2010, 2011, and 2012.''.
            (2) Set aside for the office of policy development and 
        research.--Section 5129 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (42 
        U.S.C. 11908) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Set Aside for the Office of Policy Development and 
Research.--Of any amounts made available in any fiscal year to carry 
out this chapter not less than 2 percent shall be available to the 
Office of Policy Development and Research to carry out the functions 
required under section 5130.''.
    (c) Eligible Activities.--Section 5124(a)(6) of the Anti-Drug Abuse 
Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 11903(a)(6)) is amended by striking the 
semicolon and inserting the following: ``, except that the activities 
conducted under any such program and paid for, in whole or in part, 
with grant funds awarded under this chapter may only include--
                    ``(A) providing access to treatment for drug abuse 
                through rehabilitation or relapse prevention;
                    ``(B) providing education about the dangers and 
                adverse consequences of drug use or violent crime;
                    ``(C) assisting drug users in discontinuing their 
                drug use through an education program, and, if 
                appropriate, referring such users to a drug treatment 
                program;
                    ``(D) providing after school activities for youths 
                for the purpose of discouraging, reducing, or 
                eliminating drug use or violent crime by youths;
                    ``(E) providing capital improvements for the 
                purpose of discouraging, reducing, or eliminating drug 
                use or violent crime; and
                    ``(F) providing security services for the purpose 
                of discouraging, reducing, or eliminating drug use or 
                violent crime.''.
    (d) Effectiveness.--
            (1) Application plan.--Section 5125(a) of the Anti-Drug 
        Abuse Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 11904(a)) is amended by adding at 
        the end the following: ``To the maximum extent feasible, each 
        plan submitted under this section shall be developed in 
        coordination with relevant local law enforcement agencies and 
        other local entities involved in crime prevention and 
        reduction. Such plan also shall include an agreement to work 
        cooperatively with the Office of Policy Development and 
        Research in its efforts to carry out the functions required 
        under section 5130.''
            (2)  HUD report.--Section 5127 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act 
        of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 11906) is amended by adding at the end the 
        following:
    ``(d) Effectiveness Report.--The Secretary shall submit a report to 
the Congress not later than 4 years after the date of the enactment of 
the Affordable Housing Expansion and Public Safety Act that includes--
            ``(1) aggregate data regarding the categories of program 
        activities that have been funded by grants under this chapter;
            ``(2) promising strategies related to preventing and 
        reducing violent and drug-related crime in public and federally 
        assisted low-income housing derived from--
                    ``(A) a review of existing research; and
                    ``(B) evaluations of programs funded by grants 
                under this chapter that were conducted by the Office of 
                Policy Development and Review or by the grantees 
                themselves;
            ``(3) how the information gathered in paragraph (2) has 
        been incorporated into--
                    ``(A) the guidance provided to applicants under 
                this chapter; and
                    ``(B) the implementing regulations under this 
                chapter; and
            ``(4) any statutory changes that the Secretary would 
        recommend to help make grants awarded under this chapter more 
        effective.''.
            (3) Office of policy development and research review and 
        plan.--Chapter 2 of subtitle C of title V of the Anti-Drug 
        Abuse Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 11901 et seq.) is amended by 
        adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 5130. OFFICE OF POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH REVIEW AND PLAN.

    ``(a) Review.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Office of Policy Development and 
        Research established pursuant to section 501 of the Housing and 
        Urban Development Act of 1970 (12 U.S.C. 1701z-1) shall conduct 
        a review of existing research relating to preventing and 
        reducing violent and drug-related crime to assess, using 
        scientifically rigorous and acceptable methods, which 
        strategies--
                    ``(A) have been found to be effective in preventing 
                and reducing violent and drug-related crimes; and
                    ``(B) would be likely to be effective in preventing 
                and reducing violent and drug-related crimes in public 
                and federally assisted low-income housing environments.
            ``(2) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of the Affordable Housing Expansion and Public Safety 
        Act, the Secretary shall issue a written report with the 
        results of the review required under paragraph (1).
    ``(b) Evaluation Plan.--
            ``(1) In general.--Upon completion of the review required 
        under subsection (a)(1), the Office of Policy Development and 
        Research, in consultation with housing authorities, social 
        scientists, and other interested parties, shall develop and 
        implement a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of strategies 
        funded under this chapter, including new and innovative 
        strategies and existing strategies, that have not previously 
        been subject to rigorous evaluation methodologies.
            ``(2) Methodology.--The plan described in paragraph (1) 
        shall require such evaluations to use rigorous methodologies, 
        particularly random assignment (where practicable), that are 
        capable of producing scientifically valid knowledge regarding 
        which program activities are effective in preventing and 
        reducing violent and drug-related crime in public and other 
        federally assisted low-income housing.''.

SEC. 5. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE CREATION OF A NATIONAL 
              AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Only 1 in 4 eligible households receives Federal rental 
        assistance.
            (2) The number of families facing severe housing cost 
        burdens grew by almost 2,000,0000 households between 2001 and 
        2004.
            (3) 1 in 3 families spend more than 30 percent of their 
        earnings on housing costs.
            (4) More than 75 percent of renter households with severe 
        housing affordability burdens are extremely low-income 
        families.
            (5) More than half of extremely low-income households pay 
        at least half of their income on housing.
            (6) At least 500,000 Americans are homeless every day.
            (7) 2,000,000 to 3,000,0000 Americans are homeless for 
        various lengths of time each year.
            (8) It is estimated that the development of an average 
        housing unit creates on average more than 3 jobs and the 
        development of an average multifamily unit creates on average 
        more than 1 job.
            (9) It is estimated that over $80,000 is produced in 
        government revenue for an average single family unit built and 
        over $30,000 is produced in government revenue for an average 
        multifamily unit built.
            (10) The Bipartisan Millennial Housing Commission stated 
        that ``the most serious housing problem in America is the 
        mismatch between the number of extremely low income renter 
        households and the number of units available to them with 
        acceptable quality and affordable rents.''.
    (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) Congress shall create a national affordable housing 
        trust fund with the purpose of supplying 1,500,000 additional 
        affordable housing units over the next 10 years;
            (2) such a trust fund shall contain sufficient income 
        targeting to reflect the housing affordability burdens faced by 
        extremely low-income and very low-income families; and
            (3) such a trust fund shall contain enough flexibility to 
        allow local communities to produce, preserve, and rehabilitate 
        affordable housing units while ensuring that such affordable 
        housing development fosters the creation of healthy and 
        sustainable communities.

SEC. 6. OFFSETS.

    (a) Repeal of Multiyear Procurement Authority for F-22A Raptor 
Fighter Aircraft.--Effective as of October 17, 2006, section 134 of the 
John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 
(Public Law 109-364), relating to multiyear procurement authority for 
F-22A Raptor fighter aircraft, is repealed.
    (b) Advanced Research for Fossil Fuels.--Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Secretary of Energy shall not carry out any 
program that conducts, or provides assistance for, applied research for 
fossil fuels.
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