[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6528 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6528
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 27, 2022
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing,
and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To require owners of covered federally assisted rental dwelling units
to install temperature sensors in such units, 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 ``Housing Temperature Safety Act of
2022''.
SEC. 2. TEMPERATURE SENSOR PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a temperature sensor
3-year pilot program to provide grants to public housing agencies and
owners of covered federally assisted rental dwelling units to install
and test the efficacy of temperature sensors in residential dwelling
units to ensure such units remain in compliance with temperature
requirements.
(b) Application.--The Secretary shall, not later than 180 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act, establish eligibility
criteria for participation in the pilot program established pursuant to
subsection (a) and such criteria shall be designed to ensure--
(1) the pilot program includes a diverse range of
participants that represent different geographic regions,
climate regions, unit sizes and types of housing; and
(2) the functionality of the temperature sensors that will
be tested, including internet connectivity requirements.
(c) Installation.--Each public housing agency or owner of a covered
federally assisted rental dwelling unit that receives one or more
temperature sensors under this Act shall, after receiving written
permission from the resident of a dwelling unit, install such
temperature sensor and monitor the data from such temperature sensor.
(d) Collection of Complaint Records.--
(1) In general.--Each public housing agency or owner of a
covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit that receives
one or more temperature sensors under this Act shall collect
and retain information about temperature-related complaints and
violations.
(2) Definitions.--The Secretary shall, not later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, define the
terms temperature-related complaints and temperature-related
violations for the purposes of this Act.
(e) Data Collection.--
(1) In general.--Data collected from temperature sensors
provided to public housing agencies and owners of covered
federally assisted rental dwelling units under this Act shall
be retained until the Secretary notifies the public housing
agency or owner that the pilot program and the evaluation of
the pilot program are complete.
(2) Personally identifiable information.--The Secretary
shall, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, establish standards for the protection of
personally identifiably information collected during the pilot
program by public housing agencies, owners of federally
assisted rental dwelling units, and the Secretary.
(f) Pilot Program Evaluation.--
(1) Interim evaluation.--Not later than 12 months after the
establishment of the pilot program under this Act, the
Secretary shall publicly publish and submit to the Congress a
report that--
(A) examines the number of temperature-related
complaints and violations in federally assisted rental
dwelling units with temperature sensors, disaggregated
by temperature sensor technology and climate region--
(i) that occurred before the installation
of such sensor, if known; and
(ii) that occurred after the installation
of such sensor; and
(B) identifies any barriers to full utility of
temperature sensor capabilities, including broadband
Internet access and tenant participation.
(2) Final evaluation.--Not later than 36 months after the
conclusion of the pilot program established by the Secretary
under this Act, the Secretary shall publicly publish and submit
to the Congress a report that--
(A) examines the number of temperature-related
complaints and violations in federally assisted rental
dwelling units with temperature sensors, disaggregated
by temperature sensor technology and climate region--
(i) that occurred before the installation
of such sensor; and
(ii) that occurred after the installation
of such sensor;
(B) identifies any barriers to full utility of
temperature sensor capabilities, including broadband
Internet access and tenant participation; and
(C) compare the utility of various temperature
sensor technologies based on--
(i) climate zones;
(ii) cost;
(iii) features; and
(iv) any other factors identified by the
Secretary.
(g) Definitions.--For the purposes of this Act:
(1) Temperature sensor.--The term ``temperature sensor''
means an internet capable temperature reporting device able to
measure ambient air temperature to the tenth degree Fahrenheit
and Celsius.
(2) Covered federally assisted housing.--The term ``covered
federally assisted rental dwelling unit'' means a residential
dwelling unit that is made available for rental and for which
assistance is provided, or that is part of a housing project
for which assistance is provided, under--
(A) the program for project-based rental assistance
under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of
1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f);
(B) the public housing program under the United
States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.);
(C) the program for supportive housing for the
elderly under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959
(12 U.S.C. 1701q); or
(D) the program for supportive housing for persons
with disabilities under section 811 of the Cranston-
Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C.
8013).
(3) Owner.--The term ``owner'' means--
(A) with respect to the program for project-based
rental assistance under section 8 of the United States
Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f), any private
person or entity, including a cooperative, an agency of
the Federal government, or a public housing agency,
having the legal right to lease or sublease dwelling
units;
(B) with respect to public housing program under
the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437
et seq.), a public housing agency or an owner entity of
public housing units as defined in section 905.108 of
title 24, Code of Federal Regulations;
(C) with respect to the program for supportive
housing for the elderly under section 202 of the
Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q), a private
nonprofit organization as defined under section
202(k)(4) of the Housing Act of 1959; and
(D) with respect to the program for supportive
housing for persons with disabilities under section 811
of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing
Act (42 U.S.C. 8013), a private nonprofit organization
as defined under section 811(k)(5) of section 811 of
the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary--
(1) such sums as may be necessary for the Secretary to
provide grants to owners of covered federally assisted rental
dwelling units participating in the pilot program established
under this Act;
(2) such sums as may be necessary for the Secretary to
administer the pilot program established under this Act; and
(3) such sums as may be necessary for the Secretary to
provide technical assistance to owners of covered federally
assisted rental dwelling units that are participating in the
pilot program established under this Act.
Passed the House of Representatives July 26, 2022.
Attest:
CHERYL L. JOHNSON,
Clerk.