[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2834 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2834

          To combat toxic indoor mold, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 18, 2023

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
          To combat toxic indoor mold, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Healthy at Home 
Act of 2023''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
Sec. 3. Interagency research on health impacts of indoor residential 
                            mold.
Sec. 4. Health, safety, and habitability standards and model standards.
Sec. 5. Mapping.
Sec. 6. Housing stock quality requirements.
Sec. 7. Construction requirements for public housing and certain other 
                            federally-assisted construction.
Sec. 8. Preservation grants for properties receiving section 8 project-
                            based rental assistance.
Sec. 9. Public information and education campaign.
Sec. 10. Empowering tenants.
Sec. 11. Healthy Homes incentive for requiring indoor residential mold 
                            and other hazard disclosure.
Sec. 12. Uniform physical inspection sampling.
Sec. 13. Denial of depreciation deduction for properties with failed 
                            NSPIRE inspections.
Sec. 14. Supporting landlords to receive timely voucher payments.
Sec. 15. Project-based contract administrator reporting requirements.
Sec. 16. Coordination Between USDA and HUD.
Sec. 17. GAO study on health and safety concerns in federally-assisted 
                            housing.
Sec. 18. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 19. Administrative provisions.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Indoor residential mold.--The term ``indoor residential 
        mold'' means any form of multicellular fungi in indoor 
        environments, including cladosporium, penicillium, alternaria, 
        aspergillus, fusarium, trichoderma, memnoniella, mucor, 
        stachybotrys chartarum, streptomyces, and epicoccumoften found 
        in water-damaged indoor environments and building materials.
            (2) Residential mold inspection.--The term ``residential 
        mold inspection'' means an inspection, by a certified or 
        licensed mold inspector or other indoor environmental 
        professional, including through the Real Estate Assessment 
        Center, of real property that is designed to discover--
                    (A) indoor mold growth in residential properties;
                    (B) conditions that facilitate indoor residential 
                mold growth; or
                    (C) indicia of conditions that are likely to 
                facilitate indoor residential mold growth.
            (3) Toxigenic mold.--The term ``toxigenic mold'' means any 
        indoor mold growth that may be capable of producing a toxin or 
        toxic compound, including mycotoxins and mVOCs, that can cause 
        pulmonary, respiratory, neurological, gastrointestinal, or 
        dermatological illnesses, or other major adverse health 
        impacts, as jointly determined by the Director of the National 
        Institutes of Health, the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
        Development, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
        Agency, and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention.

SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY RESEARCH ON HEALTH IMPACTS OF INDOOR RESIDENTIAL 
              MOLD.

    (a) Research.--
            (1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Institute 
        of Environmental Health Sciences at the National Institutes of 
        Health, in conjunction with the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
        Development, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
        and Prevention, the Administrator of the Environmental 
        Protection Agency, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of 
        Health and Human Services, the President of the National 
        Academy of Sciences, and the Chair of the board of directors of 
        the National Institute of Building Sciences shall jointly 
        conduct a comprehensive study of the health effects of indoor 
        residential mold growth, using the most up-to-date scientific 
        peer-reviewed medical literature.
            (2) Contents.--The study conducted under paragraph (1) 
        shall ascertain, among other things--
                    (A) detailed information about harmful or toxigenic 
                mold, as well as any toxin or toxic compound such mold 
                can produce;
                    (B) the most accurate research-based methods of 
                detecting harmful or toxigenic mold;
                    (C) potential dangers of prolonged or chronic 
                exposure to indoor residential mold growth;
                    (D) the hazards involved with inadequate 
                residential mold inspections and improper indoor 
                residential mold remediation;
                    (E) the estimated current public health burden of 
                new or exacerbated physical illness resulting from 
                exposure to indoor residential mold, including its 
                disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities, 
                including children and seniors;
                    (F) improved understanding of the different health 
                symptomology that can result from exposure to mold in 
                indoor residential environments;
                    (G) ongoing surveillance of the prevalence of 
                idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage (AIPH) in infants; and
                    (H) longitudinal studies on the effects of indoor 
                old exposure in early childhood on the development of 
                asthma and other respiratory illnesses.
            (3) Availability.--Not later than the expiration of the 3-
        year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, 
        the results of the study conducted under paragraph (1) shall be 
        submitted to Congress and the President and made available to 
        the general public.

SEC. 4. HEALTH, SAFETY, AND HABITABILITY STANDARDS AND MODEL STANDARDS.

    (a) Model Standards for Preventing, Detecting, and Remediating 
Indoor Residential Mold Growth.--Based on the results of the 
interagency health study conducted under section 3, the Administrator 
of the Environmental Protection Agency, in conjunction with the 
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Director of the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention, the Assistant Secretary of Labor 
for Occupational Safety and Health at the Occupational Safety and 
Health Administration, the Secretary of Energy, the Executive Director 
of the National Institute of Building Sciences, and the President of 
the National Academy of Sciences shall, in accordance with section 
12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 
(15 U.S.C. 272 note; Public Law 104-113), jointly issue model health, 
safety, and habitability standards for preventing, detecting, and 
remediating indoor residential mold growth, including--
            (1) model indoor residential mold inspection standards;
            (2) model indoor residential mold remediation standards;
            (3) standards for testing the toxicity of indoor 
        residential mold and any toxin or toxic compound produced by 
        indoor residential mold;
            (4) health and safety standards for the protection of 
        indoor residential mold inspectors and remediators;
            (5) standards for indoor residential mold testing labs;
            (6) model ventilation standards for the design, 
        installation, and maintenance of air ventilation or air-
        conditioning systems to prevent indoor residential mold growth 
        or the creation of conditions that foster indoor mold growth in 
        residential properties; and
            (7) model building code standards to control moisture and 
        prevent mold growth in indoor residential environments.
    (b) Consultation.--To the maximum extent possible, model standards 
issued under this section shall be developed in consideration of the 
needs and vulnerabilities of low-income populations and with the 
assistance of--
            (1) organizations that develop mold and water damage 
        standards;
            (2) organizations involved in establishing national 
        building construction standards;
            (3) representatives of State or local authorities 
        responsible for building inspections and issuance of 
        certificates of occupancy;
            (4) organizations involved in improving indoor air quality;
            (5) public health advocates; and
            (6) health and medical professionals, including 
        practitioners that care for children and other vulnerable 
        populations.
    (c) Resiliency.--Model standards issued under this section shall 
take into account geographic diversity, propensity for extreme weather 
or flooding, and other resiliency metrics.
    (d) Deadlines.--
            (1) Public review and comment.--The officers identified in 
        subsection (a) shall make draft standards issued under this 
        section available for public review and comment at least 90 
        days prior to publication of the final standards or model 
        standards pursuant to paragraph (2).
            (2) Publication.--Not later than 3 years after the results 
        of the study conducted under section 3 are submitted to 
        Congress in accordance with such section, the officers 
        identified in subsection (a) shall issue, and make available to 
        the public, final standards and model standards under this 
        section.
    (e) Review and Updates.--The officers identified in subsection (a) 
shall--
            (1) review the model standards issued under this section at 
        least once every 3 years based on latest scientific advances 
        and published studies relating to indoor residential mold 
        growth; and
            (2) update such standards and model standards as necessary 
        to adequately and effectively inform the public and protect 
        human health, preserve and improve the quality of federally-
        assisted housing, and reduce the displacement of tenants.
    (f) Physical Condition Inspections.--Not later than 3 years after 
the publication of standards and model standards under subsection (a), 
the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall revise the 
requirements for conducting uniform physical condition inspections 
under part 5 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor 
regulation, to incorporate the model standards issued under this 
section, as applicable.

SEC. 5. MAPPING.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
shall, using the previous two years of inspection data, establish a 
geographic information system mapping tool that identifies areas which 
are impacted by a known presence of indoor residential mold.
    (b) Required Inclusions.--The Secretary shall include, as part of 
the mapping tool--
            (1) inspection documentation;
            (2) management and occupancy reviews;
            (3) transfers of budget authority for contracts under 
        section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
        1437f); and
            (4) any additional information, as required by the 
        Secretary.
    (c) Updates.--The Secretary shall update the mapping tool with the 
latest inspection data not less often than once per year.

SEC. 6. HOUSING STOCK QUALITY REQUIREMENTS.

    Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
1437f) is amended by inserting after subsection (v) the following new 
subsection:
    ``(w) Standards for Physical Condition and Management of Housing 
Receiving Assistance Payments.--
            ``(1) Standards.--Any entity receiving housing assistance 
        payments under this section shall maintain decent, safe, and 
        sanitary conditions, as determined by the Secretary, and comply 
        with any standards under applicable State or local laws, rules, 
        ordinances, or regulations relating to the physical condition 
        of any insured or non-insured property covered under a housing 
        assistance payment contract for project-based assistance.
            ``(2) Remediation.--The Secretary shall take action under 
        paragraph (3) when a multifamily housing project with a housing 
        assistance payment contract under this section or a contract 
        with the Department of Housing and Urban Development for 
        similar project-based assistance--
                    ``(A) receives a failing score on a physical 
                inspection by the Department; or
                    ``(B) fails to certify in writing to the Secretary 
                within 3 days that all severe health or safety 
                deficiencies identified at the project by the inspector 
                have been corrected.
         The requirements under this paragraph shall apply to insured 
        and non-insured projects with assistance attached to the 
        dwelling units under this section.
            ``(3) Notice of default.--
                    ``(A) Issuance.--Within 15 days of the issuance of 
                the Real Estate Assessment Center inspection, the 
                Secretary shall provide the owner with a notice of 
                default that shall include a specified timetable, 
                determined by the Secretary, for correcting all 
                deficiencies.
                    ``(B) Copies.--The Secretary shall provide a copy 
                of the notice of default to the tenants of the 
                property, the local government for the jurisdiction 
                within which the property is located, any mortgagees, 
                and any contract administrator.
                    ``(C) Appeal; withdrawal.--If the owner appeals the 
                notice of default and the appeal results in a passing 
                Uniform Physical Condition Standards score for the 
                property, the Secretary may withdraw the notice of 
                default.
            ``(4) Enforcement.--If the owner fails to fully correct all 
        deficiencies identified in the notice of default by the end of 
        the time period for correcting such deficiencies specified in 
        the notice, the Secretary shall, in consultation with the 
        tenant organization, one or more of the following actions, and 
        provide additional notice of those actions to the owner and the 
        parties specified in paragraph (3)(B) to improve property 
        conditions and preserve housing assistance:
                    ``(A) Take any regulatory or contractual remedies 
                available as deemed necessary and appropriate by the 
                Secretary to improve property conditions, protect 
                tenants from displacement and harm, and preserve the 
                housing assistance.
                    ``(B) Require immediate replacement of the project 
                management with a management agent approved by the 
                Secretary.
                    ``(C) Abate the section 8 contract, including 
                partial abatement, as determined by the Secretary, 
                until all deficiencies have been corrected.
                    ``(D) Pursue transfer of the project to an owner 
                approved by the Secretary, in consultation with the 
                tenant organization, under established procedures, who 
                shall be obligated to promptly make all required 
                repairs and to accept renewal of the assistance 
                contract if such renewal is offered, in conjunction 
                with the appropriate public housing agency or other 
                local entity.
                    ``(E) Transfer the existing section 8 contract to 
                another project or projects and owner or owners who 
                have demonstrated financial and organizational capacity 
                to rehabilitate the project, in consultation with 
                tenants and the appropriate public housing agency.
                    ``(F) Pursue exclusionary sanctions, including 
                suspensions or debarments from Federal programs.
                    ``(G) Relocate tenants while providing the same 
                level of housing assistance.
                    ``(H) Seek judicial appointment of a receiver to 
                manage the property and cure all project deficiencies 
                or seek a judicial order of specific performance 
                requiring the owner to cure all project deficiencies.
                    ``(I) Cooperate with receivership efforts by State 
                or local governments or lenders which aim to improve 
                the property conditions and preserve the project-based 
                housing assistance.
                    ``(J) Work with the owner, lender, tenants, or 
                other related party to stabilize the property in an 
                attempt to preserve the property through compliance, 
                transfer of ownership, or an infusion of capital or 
                other resources.
            ``(5) Prohibition on rent increases.--Effective upon the 
        expiration of the 12-month period beginning on the date of the 
        enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall prohibit any 
        increases in rents for dwelling units in the property until the 
        owner fully corrects all deficiencies identified in the notice 
        of default or demonstrates an ability to financially address 
        conditions by--
                    ``(A) providing a rehabilitation plan, developed in 
                consultation with the tenants and approved by the 
                Secretary; and
                    ``(B) separately demonstrating a written and 
                enforceable commitment by the tenants and the Secretary 
                that any increases will address the conditions of the 
                property.
            ``(6) Infeasible properties.--The Secretary shall take 
        appropriate steps to ensure that project-based contracts for 
        rental assistance remain in effect, subject to the exercise of 
        contractual abatement remedies to assist relocation of tenants 
        for major threats to health and safety, taken after written 
        notice to the affected tenants. To the extent the Secretary 
        determines, in consultation with the tenants and the local 
        government, that a property is not feasible for continued 
        rental assistance payments under such section 8 or other 
        programs, based on consideration of--
                    ``(A) the costs of rehabilitating and operating the 
                property and all available Federal, State, and local 
                resources, including rent adjustments under section 524 
                of the Multifamily Assisted Housing Reform and 
                Affordability Act of 1997 (42 U.S.C. 1437f note), and
                    ``(B) environmental conditions that cannot be 
                remedied in a cost-effective fashion,
        the Secretary may contract for project-based rental assistance 
        payments with an owner or owners of other housing properties, 
        and to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that the project-
        based rental assistance is available to tenants from the 
        originating site.
            ``(7) Reporting.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall submit a 
                report to the Committees on Financial Services of the 
                House of Representatives and Banking, Housing, and 
                Urban Affairs of the Senate semi-annually identifying 
                all properties covered by this subsection that received 
                a failing physical inspection score or have received an 
                unsatisfactory management and occupancy review during 
                the 36-month period ending upon submission of such 
                report. Each such report shall include--
                            ``(i) identification of the enforcement 
                        actions being taken to address such conditions 
                        leading to such score at each such property, 
                        including imposition of civil money penalties 
                        and termination of subsidies, and 
                        identification of properties that have such 
                        conditions multiple times;
                            ``(ii) identification of actions that the 
                        Department of Housing and Urban Development is 
                        taking to protect tenants of such identified 
                        properties; and
                            ``(iii) any recommendations for 
                        administrative or legislative actions to 
                        further improve the living conditions at such 
                        properties.
                    ``(B) Timing.--The first report required under 
                subparagraph (A) shall be submitted not later than 30 
                days after the date of the enactment of this 
                subsection, and the second report shall be submitted 
                within 180 days of the submission of the first 
                report.''.

SEC. 7. CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC HOUSING AND CERTAIN OTHER 
              FEDERALLY-ASSISTED CONSTRUCTION.

    (a) Effective Date; Applicability.--The Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development shall take such actions and impose such standards and 
conditions as may be necessary or appropriate to ensure that any public 
housing constructed after the date of the issuance of the model 
construction standards and techniques established under subsection (b), 
is constructed in accordance with such model standards and techniques.
    (b) Model Construction Standards.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Housing and Urban 
        Development, jointly with the Executive Director of the 
        National Institute of Building Sciences, and the President of 
        the National Academy of Sciences, to the extent such Director 
        and President agree to participate, shall develop model 
        construction standards and techniques for preventing and 
        controlling indoor residential mold in new residential 
        buildings.
            (2) Contents.--The model standards and techniques shall 
        provide for geographic differences in construction types and 
        materials, geology, weather, and other variables that may 
        affect indoor residential mold levels in new buildings.
            (3) Consultation.--To the maximum extent possible, such 
        standards and techniques shall be developed with--
                    (A) the assistance of organizations involved in 
                establishing national building construction standards 
                and techniques;
                    (B) the assistance of organizations that develop 
                mold and water damage standards;
                    (C) representatives of State or local authorities 
                responsible for building inspections and the issuance 
                of certificates of occupancy;
                    (D) public health advocates; and
                    (E) housing advocates and organizations 
                representing the interests of tenants.
            (4) Publication.--The Secretary shall make a draft of the 
        document containing the model standards and techniques 
        available for public review and comment. The Secretary shall 
        make final model standards and techniques available to the 
        public not later than one year after the date of the enactment 
        of this Act.
            (5) Applicability to new construction and rehabilitation.--
        Within 1 year of the publication of the final model standards 
        and techniques required by paragraph (4), the Secretary of 
        Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Health and 
        Human Services, the Secretary of Energy, the Administrator of 
        the Environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of the 
        Treasury, and the Secretary of Defense shall each include such 
        model standards and techniques as a requirement for residential 
        rehabilitation or new construction projects funded with Federal 
        appropriations made available by such agencies.
            (6) Applicability to rental assistance demonstration and 
        rad section 18 blend programs.--Within 1 year of the 
        publication of the final model standards and techniques 
        required by paragraph (4), the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
        Development shall ensure that any rehabilitation or new 
        construction through the Rental Assistance Demonstration 
        program under the heading ``Rental Assistance Demonstration'' 
        in title II of the Transportation, Housing and Urban 
        Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012 
        (division C of Public Law 112-55; 125 Stat. 673), or through 
        any program blending such Rental Assistance Demonstration and 
        section 18 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 complies 
        with such model standards and techniques.

SEC. 8. PRESERVATION GRANTS FOR PROPERTIES RECEIVING SECTION 8 PROJECT-
              BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated for the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to 
provide assistance to owners of properties receiving project-based 
subsidy contracts under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 
1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f) or to municipalities or other units of local 
government that may administer repairs to a property receiving such 
project-based subsidy contracts, $250,000,000, which shall remain 
available until expended.
    (b) Set Aside for New Construction.--
            (1) Set aside.--Of the total amount of funds provided 
        pursuant to this section, not less than 10 percent shall be 
        available to eligible recipients described in subsection (a) 
        for the purpose of adding new dwelling units to properties 
        already receiving project-based subsidy contracts under section 
        8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937.
            (2) Eligibility.--Funds made available under this 
        subsection for new construction may only be used by an eligible 
        recipients who are already receiving an award for 
        rehabilitation under this section.
            (3) Priority of work.--Eligible recipients who receive 
        funds for both new construction and for rehabilitation shall 
        complete rehabilitation work before beginning new construction 
        and shall provide certification to the Secretary, in a manner 
        to be determined by the Secretary, that the rehabilitation has 
        been completed in a satisfactory manner to eliminate health and 
        safety risks before receiving any funds for new construction.
            (4) Model building standards.--Within one year after the 
        publication of the model building standards under section 
        7(b)(4), the Secretary shall require eligible recipients who 
        receive funds for new construction and rehabilitation to ensure 
        that new construction and rehabilitation projects are in 
        compliance with the model building standards and techniques 
        developed under section 7(b)(1).
    (c) Set-Aside for Technical Assistance.--Of the total amount of 
funds provided pursuant to this section, not less than 3 percent shall 
be used to provide technical assistance to applicants and to advertise 
the availability of funds under this section to areas 
disproportionately impacted by health and safety concerns in federally-
assisted housing.
    (d) Use of Amounts.--
            (1) In general.--Amounts provided pursuant to this section 
        shall be used for competitive grants and low-interest loans for 
        capital improvements to such properties, including grants for 
        activities that mitigate threats to the health and safety of 
        residents, reduce lead-based paint hazards, reduce other 
        housing-related hazards, including carbon monoxide, radon, or 
        indoor residential mold, improve water and energy efficiency, 
        or reduce the risk of harm to occupants or property from 
        natural hazards, or for low-interest loans for the same use.
            (2) Loan and grant eligibility.--An owner of such a 
        property shall be eligible for--
                    (A) a grant under this section only if such owner 
                is a nonprofit entity; and
                    (B) a low-interest loan under this section only if 
                such owner is a for-profit individual or entity.
            (3) Eligibility of units of local government.--A municipal 
        government, county, or other unit of local government may 
        receive a grant under this section if sufficient capacity is 
        demonstrated in their application to the Secretary of Housing 
        and Urban Development.
    (e) Grants for Areas of High and Persistent Poverty.--Of any 
amounts made available pursuant to this section, not less than 30 
percent shall be available without regard to any requirement regarding 
minimum grant amount and only for eligible uses within or directly 
benefitting--
            (1) any county that has consistently had 20 percent or more 
        of the population living in poverty during the 30-year period 
        preceding the date of enactment of this Act, as measured by the 
        decennial census data obtained during those years and the most 
        recent annual Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates as 
        estimated by the Bureau of the Census;
            (2) any census tract having a poverty rate of at least 20 
        percent as measured by the most recent 5-year data series 
        available from the American Community Survey of the Census 
        Bureau; or
            (3) any census tract having a predominantly disenfranchised 
        population or a population disproportionately impacted by 
        health and safety hazards in federally-assisted housing (as 
        defined by the Secretary).
    (f) Prioritization.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall prioritize awards that 
ameliorate or prevent indoor residential mold or other severe health or 
safety threats.
    (g) Wage Rate Requirements.--Projects funded with funds provided 
under this section shall comply with the same requirements of 
subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code that are 
applicable to contracts described in section 3142(a) of such title.
    (h) Policies; Procedures; Contracts.--Grants and low-interest loans 
under this section shall--
            (1) be provided through the policies, procedures, 
        contracts, and transactional infrastructure of the authorized 
        programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban 
        Development, on such terms and conditions as the Secretary of 
        Housing and Urban Development deems appropriate to ensure the 
        maintenance and preservation of the property, the continued 
        operation and maintenance of energy efficiency technologies, 
        and the timely expenditure of funds; and
            (2) include a financial assessment and physical inspection 
        of such property.
    (i) Eligible Owners.--To be eligible for a grant or low-interest 
loan under this section, the owner of the property shall have at least 
a satisfactory management and occupancy review rating, be in 
substantial compliance with applicable performance standards and legal 
requirements, and commit to an additional period of affordability 
determined by the Secretary, but of not fewer than 50 years. Owners 
shall include nonprofit owners and preservation purchasers, including 
public housing agencies and nonprofit developers.
    (j) Loan Terms.--
            (1) In general.--A loan under this section shall--
                    (A) bear interest at a rate, determined by the 
                Secretary, that--
                            (i) does not exceed by 3 percentage points 
                        the discount window primary credit interest 
                        rate most recently published on the Federal 
                        Reserve Statistical Release on selected 
                        interest rates (daily or weekly), commonly 
                        referred to as the ``H.15 release'' or the 
                        ``Federal funds rate''; and
                            (ii) is below the average interest rate at 
                        the given time for a home improvement loan; and
                    (B) have a term to maturity of 10 years or 20 
                years, as determined by the Secretary based on the 
                credit of the borrower.
            (2) Violations.--If the owner of a property receiving a 
        loan under this section does not use the loan amounts as 
        required under subsection (b)(1), does not maintain the 
        affordability of the property as required under subsection (i), 
        or does not comply with any other requirements established by 
        the Secretary, the Secretary shall--
                    (A) work with the owner for not less than 30 days 
                to ameliorate any violations; and
                    (B) if after 90 days such violations are not 
                ameliorated--
                            (i) increase the interest rate of the loan 
                        by not less than 15 percentage points above the 
                        Federal funds rate; and
                            (ii) reduce the term to maturity of the 
                        loan to not more than 5 years.
    (k) Conditions of Receipt of Grant or Loan.--The Secretary shall 
establish conditions on the receipt of a loan or grant under this 
section, as follows:
            (1) Record; capacity.--The Secretary shall take reasonable 
        steps to ensure that the owner or purchaser has no significant 
        record of material noncompliance with applicable program 
        standards and has demonstrated capacity to perform the 
        obligations specified under this section.
            (2) Repairs.--The Secretary shall require owners to agree 
        to promptly make all required repairs, and when required by the 
        Secretary, to develop a rehabilitation plan in consultation 
        with the tenants and that will be approved by the Secretary, in 
        conjunction with appropriate capital needs planning and 
        required reserves, to ensure the provision of decent, safe, and 
        sanitary housing throughout the full term of any extended 
        restrictions and contracts.
            (3) Use restrictions.--The Secretary shall require owners 
        to agree to a longer use restriction of 50 years and to agree 
        to a perpetually required renewal of the housing assistance 
        payments contract if offered by the Secretary.
    (l) Transfer Authority.--Of the amounts made available pursuant to 
this section, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may 
transfer up to 0.5 percent to the account for ``Department of Housing 
and Urban Development, Program Offices--Office of Housing'' for 
necessary costs of administering and overseeing the obligation and 
expenditure of amounts made available pursuant to this section and such 
transferred amounts shall remain available until September 30, 2028.

SEC. 9. PUBLIC INFORMATION AND EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.

    (a) Requirement.--The Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and the heads 
of any other relevant Federal agencies, as determined by such 
Administrator and Secretary, shall jointly develop and carry out a 
public information and education campaign regarding indoor air quality 
and related issues that provides information required under this 
section on a recurring and annual basis through public outreach. The 
campaign shall commence within 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
    (b) Topics.--The information and education campaign shall include 
information on the dangers and prevention of indoor residential 
moisture and mold, volatile organic compounds, dust, smoking, 
pollution, indoor origins of smoke, including cooking, and any other 
health risks, as determined by such Administrator and Secretary.
    (c) Indoor Residential Mold Information.--The information and 
education campaign shall include, at minimum, the following information 
regarding indoor residential mold:
            (1) The conditions that facilitate indoor residential 
        moisture and mold growth.
            (2) Guidelines for inspecting indoor residential mold 
        growth.
            (3) Guidelines for remediating indoor residential mold 
        growth.
            (4) The dangers and health risks of exposure to indoor 
        residential mold growth.
            (5) The importance of ventilation and methods to prevent 
        moisture accumulation in indoor residential environments.
            (6) Any other information as determined appropriate by the 
        heads of the agencies referred to in subsection (a).
    (d) Tenant Rights Information.--The information and education 
campaign shall include providing covered tenants with information on 
tenant rights to a safe and habitable living environment and other 
related information as determined by the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development, which shall include information on who to contact if a 
tenant experiences problems or issues with building management or 
ownership, including, in the case of housing assisted under a contract 
for project-based assistance how to contact the performance-based 
contract administrator and, in the case of the Housing Choice Voucher 
program how to contact the housing authority.
    (e) Modes of Communication.--
            (1) In general.--The public information and education 
        campaign shall provide education and information through modes 
        of communication that are commonly utilized and able to be 
        easily consumed by relevant individuals or organizations, which 
        shall include communication through advertisements on public 
        transit in all 50 States and in territories and possessions of 
        the United States, and distribution of the pamphlet developed 
        pursuant to subsection (j) as required under such subsection.
            (2) Availability.--All education and information that is 
        part of the information and education campaign shall be made 
        publicly available on the websites of the Environmental 
        Protection Agency, the Department of Housing and Urban 
        Development, and any other applicable Federal agencies.
    (f) Targeted Groups.--The public information and education campaign 
shall be designed to reach tenants, tenant organizations working 
directly with tenants in project-based rental assistance and other 
types of federally-assisted housing, resident groups, landlords, health 
professionals, the general public, homeowners, prospective homeowners, 
the real estate industry, the home construction and renovation 
industries, the health, property and casualty, and life insurance 
industries, technical and vocational schools and colleges, and other 
academic institutions.
    (g) Information Specific to Health Professions.--The public 
information and education campaign shall include information about 
warning signs of mold and other indoor air exposure pollutants and 
shall include education for health professions on mold-related illness, 
including for health professions who work with vulnerable populations 
and children in school or daycare settings.
    (h) Coordination.--In developing and carrying out the public 
information and education campaign, the heads of the agencies referred 
to in subsection (a) may coordinate with the Ad Council.
    (i) Language.--All information provided under the public 
information and education campaign--
            (1) shall be provided in at least two languages, as 
        determined by the Secretary, based on the most common languages 
        spoken in the neighborhood, tribe, municipality, State, or 
        region, and may be provided in additional languages based on 
        the most common languages spoken in the neighborhood, tribe, 
        municipality, State, or region, as determined by the Secretary; 
        and
            (2) shall be provided in language that is at a sixth grade 
        reading level and is easy to understand.
    (j) Provision to Covered Tenants.--
            (1) Timing.--The Secretary of Housing and Urban 
        Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of the 
        Treasury, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Attorney 
        General shall ensure that all appropriate information under the 
        information and education campaign is provided to covered 
        tenants upon signing and any renewal of a lease for the 
        dwelling unit of assisted housing that the covered tenant 
        resides in.
            (2) Covered tenants.--For purposes of this section, the 
        term ``covered tenant'' means a tenant who resides in a rental 
        dwelling unit that is assisted, through tenant-based or 
        project-based assistance, under a housing assistance program 
        administered by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
        or the Secretary of Agriculture or who receives rental housing 
        assistance under a program administered by either such 
        Secretary, including the following programs:
                    (A) The program under section 202 of the Housing 
                Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q), including the direct 
                loan program under such section.
                    (B) The program under section 811 of the Cranston-
                Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 
                8013).
                    (C) The program under subtitle D of title VIII of 
                the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 12901 et seq.).
                    (D) The programs under title IV of the McKinney-
                Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11360 et 
                seq.).
                    (E) The program under subtitle A of title II of the 
                Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 
                U.S.C. 12741 et seq.).
                    (F) The program under paragraph (3) of section 
                221(d) of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1715l(d)) 
                that bears interest at a rate determined under the 
                proviso under paragraph (5) of such section 221(d).
                    (G) The program under section 236 of the National 
                Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1715z-1).
                    (H) The programs under sections 6 and 8 of the 
                United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437d, 
                1437f).
                    (I) The programs for rural housing assistance 
                provided under sections 514, 515, 516, 533, 538, and 
                542 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1484, 1485, 
                1486, 1490m, 1490p-2, 1490r).
                    (J) The low-income housing tax credit program under 
                section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
                    (K) The provision of assistance from the Housing 
                Trust Fund established under section 1338 of the 
                Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and 
                Soundness Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 4568).
                    (L) The provision of assistance for housing under 
                the Comprehensive Service Programs for Homeless 
                Veterans program under subchapter II of chapter 20 of 
                title 38.
                    (M) The provision of assistance for housing and 
                facilities under the grant program for homeless 
                veterans with special needs under section 2061 of title 
                38, United States Code.
                    (N) The provision of assistance for permanent 
                housing under the program for financial assistance for 
                supportive services for very low-income veteran 
                families in permanent housing under section 2044 of 
                title 38, United States Code.
                    (O) The provision of transitional housing 
                assistance for victims of domestic violence, dating 
                violence, sexual assault, or stalking under the grant 
                program under chapter 11 of subtitle B of the Violence 
                Against Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12351 et seq.).
                    (P) The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program 
                and any other program administered by the Department of 
                Energy that provides residential home rehabilitation or 
                energy efficiency assistance.
                    (Q) Any other Federal housing programs providing 
                affordable housing to low- and moderate-income persons 
                by means of restricted rents or rental assistance, or 
                more generally providing affordable housing 
                opportunities, as identified by the appropriate agency 
                through regulations, notices, or any other means.
    (k) Pamphlet.--
            (1) Requirement.--The Secretary of Housing and Urban 
        Development, in consultation with the Director of the National 
        Institutes of Health, the Administrator of the Environmental 
        Protection Agency, and the heads of any other agencies the 
        Secretary considers appropriate, shall develop, publish, and 
        revise, not less frequently than every 5 years, a pamphlet 
        regarding indoor residential mold hazards.
            (2) Content.--The pamphlet required under this subsection 
        shall--
                    (A) contain information regarding the health risks 
                associated with exposure to indoor residential mold 
                growth;
                    (B) provide information on the hazards of indoor 
                residential mold growth in federally-assisted and 
                federally-owned housing;
                    (C) describe the risks of indoor residential mold 
                exposure for persons residing in a dwelling with 
                toxigenic mold;
                    (D) provide information on approved methods for 
                evaluating and reducing indoor residential mold growth 
                and their effectiveness in identifying, reducing, 
                eliminating, or preventing indoor residential mold 
                growth;
                    (E) provide advice on how to obtain a list of 
                persons certified to inspect or remediate indoor 
                residential mold growth in the area in which the 
                pamphlet is to be used;
                    (F) include a statement that a risk assessment or 
                inspection for indoor residential mold growth is 
                recommended prior to the purchase, lease, or renovation 
                of target housing;
                    (G) include a statement that certain State and 
                local laws impose additional requirements related to 
                indoor residential mold growth in housing and provide a 
                listing of Federal, State, and local agencies in each 
                State, including address, telephone number, and 
                electronic mail address, if available, that can provide 
                information about applicable laws and available 
                governmental and private assistance and financing;
                    (H) provide information considered by the 
                Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 
                be appropriate or necessary to promote awareness of the 
                hazards posed by indoor residential mold;
                    (I) include information on indoor air quality 
                safety generally, including best practices when 
                cooking, taking a shower or bath, and smoking 
                cessation;
                    (J) be publicly available on the websites of the 
                Department of Housing and Urban Development, the 
                Environmental Protection Agency, and other applicable 
                Federal agencies; and
                    (K) include any other information considered by the 
                Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 
                be appropriate or necessary.
            (3) Tenants in federally-assisted housing.--The Secretary 
        of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of 
        Agriculture shall ensure that a copy of the pamphlet required 
        under this section is provided annually to all covered tenants 
        mail by a hard copy left at the tenant address, by United 
        States mail sent to the tenant, or by electronic mail sent to 
        the tenant.
    (l) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 10. EMPOWERING TENANTS.

    (a) Notification to Tenants of Inspection Results.--
            (1) Requirement.--The Secretary of Housing and Urban 
        Development shall provide direct notification of the results of 
        any inspection of covered property to the tenants and resident 
        organizations, as provided in this subsection.
            (2) Method.--Notification shall be provided to tenants in 
        easy-to-understand language in the form of a written hard-copy 
        document provided through United States mail or through 
        electronic mail, or both, with one copy provided for the 
        tenants of each building in the covered property, and shall 
        include the inspection score and a detailed description of the 
        inspection results, including any health and safety violations 
        found and the timeline for their remediation, while ensuring 
        tenant privacy.
            (3) Posting.--The owner or manager of the covered property 
        shall post a hard copy of the notification of the inspection 
        results in at least one centrally located and easily-
        identifiable location each building of the covered property 
        that is accessible to all tenants, which may include next to 
        the front door, in communal space, or next to the mailboxes for 
        tenants.
            (4) Timing.--Notification shall be provided--
                    (A) in the case of any inspection that found no 
                severe health or safety issues, no later than 30 days 
                after completion of the inspection; or
                    (B) in the case of any inspection that found severe 
                health and safety issues, as soon as the score is 
                final.
            (5) Opportunity for tenant questions.--The notification 
        shall include contact information, including electronic mail 
        address, phone number, and mailing address, of the appropriate 
        person or entity to contact should tenants have questions about 
        the results of the inspection. Owners who fail to post the 
        notice shall be subject to a Management and Occupancy Review.
    (b) Request for Second Inspection.--
            (1) Requirements.--Pursuant to a request made to the 
        Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary shall 
        carry out a subsequent inspection for a covered property that 
        has passed a previous inspection, if the following requirements 
        are met:
                    (A) Score.--The passing test score for the previous 
                inspection for the covered property did not exceed the 
                minimum score required to pass inspection by more than 
                15 percent or the most recent score for an inspection 
                for the covered property is 15 percent or more less 
                than any other score for the property for an inspection 
                of the property conducted during the preceding 10-year 
                period.
                    (B) Tenant vote.--A vote of tenants of the covered 
                property was conducted on the proposition of whether 
                the property should have passed the most recent 
                inspection, which vote--
                            (i) was administered by the tenant 
                        association for the property or an independent 
                        third party;
                            (ii) utilizes the democratic process and 
                        may have utilized an anonymous voting platform, 
                        either electronically or through paper ballots, 
                        for casting votes; and
                            (iii) resulted in 51 percent or more of the 
                        tenants residing in the property voting against 
                        the proposition that the property should have 
                        passed the most recent inspection.
                    (C) Notification.--
                            (i) To hud.--The chief executive officer of 
                        the tenants association notifies the Secretary, 
                        the project-based contract administrator for 
                        the covered property, and the owner or 
                        management of the property of the results of 
                        the vote and requests a second inspection for 
                        the covered property, which notification and 
                        request--
                                    (I) includes a copy of the tally of 
                                the vote;
                                    (II) does not, in verifying the 51 
                                percent majority vote, disclose 
                                personally identifiable information of 
                                the tenants, including by their 
                                signatures; and
                                    (III) is transmitted, both by 
                                electronic mail and by mailing a hard 
                                copy, not later than 60 days after 
                                receipt of the notification under 
                                subsection (a) regarding the passing 
                                result of the previous inspection for 
                                the covered property.
                            (ii) Notification of second inspection 
                        score.--Tenants shall be notified of the score 
                        of the second inspection using the same 
                        notification criteria as apply to the first 
                        inspection and shall be provided with the 
                        contact information of the person or entity 
                        that they can contact with any questions about 
                        the second inspection.
            (2) Mediation.--If a second inspection is conducted 
        pursuant to a vote under paragraph (1) and the covered property 
        is assessed a passing score for such second inspection, and if 
        another vote is taken that complies with the same requirements 
        applicable under such paragraph to the first inspection, and 
        such vote results in 51 percent or more of the tenants residing 
        in the property voting against the proposition that the 
        property should have passed the second inspection, the 
        Secretary shall provide a tenant association representative an 
        opportunity for mediation with the building owner and the 
        project-based contractor administrator regarding continuing 
        issues and inspection findings and the process for a Management 
        and Occupancy Review shall begin concurrently. The mediation 
        shall be conducted within 180 days of the second inspection.
    (c) Tenant Hotline.--Commencing not later 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development shall--
            (1) undertake ongoing activities to advertise the 
        availability and telephone number of the Multifamily Housing 
        Complaint Line of the Multifamily Housing Clearinghouse;
            (2) periodically provide tenants of covered property, 
        through the website of the Department and otherwise, as the 
        Secretary considers appropriate, with information about what 
        happens when they call the complaint line;
            (3) provide sufficient staff for the complaint line to 
        ensure that the complaint line is sufficiently staffed for a 
        minimum of 12 hours each day and so that the waiting time to 
        speak live to an employee of the Department does not exceed 15 
        minutes on average as measured over a given one-week period;
            (4) ensure that the complaint line offers tenants of 
        covered properties intake for health and safety issues at such 
        properties;
            (5) ensure that upon calling the complaint line, a tenant 
        of a covered property is first informed of how to contact the 
        project-based contract administrator for the property to 
        discuss the issue the tenant called about, and if the tenant 
        has previously contacted such administrator or does not wish to 
        involve such administrator, the person answering the call on 
        the complaint line is capable of providing assistance for the 
        tenant directly or can intake tenant information to assist with 
        the request;
            (6) ensure that if the complaint line has received calls 
        within any 60-day period from tenants of a covered property 
        representing 15 percent or more of the dwelling units in the 
        property, the appropriate regional office of the Department 
        shall be notified;
            (7) ensure that if within three months after the 
        notification of the appropriate regional office of the 
        Department, the tenant hotline has received any additional 
        calls from tenants of the same covered property, the 
        headquarters office of the Department shall be notified; and
            (8) provide availability of translation services for the 
        complaint line.
    (d) Covered Property.--For purposes of this section, the term 
``covered property'' means a multifamily housing property that is 
subject to inspection by the Real Estate Assessment Center of the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
    (e) Advance Notice to Tenants.--Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development shall update inspection procedures and requirements to 
ensure that tenants of covered properties have at least 7 days of 
advance notice of when their building will be inspected. In the advance 
notice of inspection, tenants shall be provided the opportunity to 
inform the Department of Housing and Urban Development or inspectors, 
or both, of specific issues regarding the unit or building.

SEC. 11. HEALTHY HOMES INCENTIVE FOR REQUIRING INDOOR RESIDENTIAL MOLD 
              AND OTHER HAZARD DISCLOSURE.

    (a) Supplemental Healthy Homes Funding.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for use 
under the Healthy Homes Initiative, pursuant to sections 501 and 502 of 
the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970 (12 U.S.C. 1701z-1 and 
1701z-2), and for related activities and assistance, $80,000,000, to 
remain available until September 30, 2028, for financial awards under 
this section. Amounts appropriated pursuant to this section shall 
supplement, but not supplant, amounts otherwise appropriated.
    (b) Financial Awards.--The Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development shall provide financial awards under this section for a 
fiscal year to each State, Indian tribe, county, unit of local 
government, and other unit of government that requires, to the 
satisfaction of the Secretary, that during such fiscal year sellers of 
residential properties containing not more than 4 dwelling units shall 
complete and provide to the purchaser a disclosure form indicating the 
presence of all environmental hazards, including radon, carbon 
monoxide, formaldeyde, lead, asbestos, and indoor residential mold, 
that are known to the seller. Such a disclosure form shall be its own 
conspicuous form that includes information regarding health and dangers 
about such environmental hazards.
    (c) Use.--Amounts provided as financial awards pursuant to this 
section shall be used only for activities that make health-related 
improvements to housing units that serve primarily low-income persons 
and are located within the jurisdiction of the State, Indian tribe, 
county, local government, or other unit of government that is awarded 
such assistance.

SEC. 12. UNIFORM PHYSICAL INSPECTION SAMPLING.

    The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall revise the 
regulations of the Secretary under subpart G of part 5 of title 24, 
Code of Federal Regulations (relating to physical condition standards 
and inspection requirements), as follows:
            (1) Annual inspections.--In section 5.705, as amended by 
        the final rule for National Standards for the Physical 
        Inspection of Real Estate (88 Fed. Reg. 30442), to provide that 
        physical inspections are conducted annually without exception.
            (2) Sampling of units.--To provide that, in carrying out 
        uniform physical inspection requirements under an annual 
        inspection, the Department of Housing and Urban Development 
        shall ensure that any units in HUD housing that were not 
        inspected during the previous two annual inspections shall be 
        inspected during the next occurring annual inspection.
            (3) Inclusion of priority units in score.--In carrying out 
        uniform physical inspection requirements under an annual 
        inspection, the Department of Housing and Urban Development 
        shall ensure that any and all individual units requested to be 
        inspected by tenants are included as part of the composite 
        score of the property.

SEC. 13. DENIAL OF DEPRECIATION DEDUCTION FOR PROPERTIES WITH FAILED 
              NSPIRE INSPECTIONS.

    (a) In General.--Section 167 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
is amended by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection (j) and by 
inserting after subsection (h) the following:
    ``(i) Disallowance of Depreciation Deduction for Property Which 
Fails National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), no 
        depreciation deduction shall be allowed under this section (and 
        no depreciation or amortization deduction shall be allowed 
        under any other provision of this subtitle) to the taxpayer for 
        the taxable year with respect to any property described in 
        section 168(e)(2)(A)(i) which fails an NSPIRE inspection during 
        the taxable year.
            ``(2) Exceptions.--
                    ``(A) In general.--No deduction shall be denied 
                under paragraph (1) in the case of a health or safety 
                violation which causes a property to fail an NSPIRE 
                inspection if either--
                            ``(i) such violation is cured within 90 
                        days of the date of a failed inspection, or
                            ``(ii) the inspector finds sufficient 
                        evidence that such violation was caused by the 
                        tenant and not by the owner or management of 
                        the property.
                    ``(B) Extension of time to cure.--The Secretary of 
                Health and Human Services may provide 30-day extensions 
                of the 90-day period described in subparagraph (A)(i) 
                on a case-by-case basis and communicate such extensions 
                to the Secretary of the Treasury.
            ``(3) NSPIRE inspection.--The term `NSPIRE inspection' 
        means any housing inspection required under the National 
        Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate of the 
        Real Estate Assessment Center of the Department of Housing and 
        Urban Development.
            ``(4) Increased duration for disallowance in the case of 
        multiple failed inspections.--In the case of a property which 
        fails two consecutive NSPIRE inspections, paragraph (1) shall 
        be applied by substituting `for the taxable year, and for the 
        immediately succeeding taxable year,' for `for the taxable 
        year'.
            ``(5) Disallowed depreciation amounts may not be taken in 
        future year.--The depreciation deduction allowed with respect 
        to the property described in paragraph (1) with respect to any 
        future taxable year shall be determined without regard to the 
        amount denied for any year for which such deduction was denied.
            ``(6) Basis adjustments.--If, but for this subsection, a 
        depreciation or amortization deduction would be allowable to 
        the taxpayer with respect to any property--
                    ``(A) the taxpayer's basis in such property shall 
                be reduced by any depreciation or amortization 
                deductions disallowed under this subsection, and
                    ``(B) the basis of the remainder interest in such 
                property shall be increased by the amount of such 
                disallowed deductions.
            ``(7) Regulations and guidance.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary, after 
                consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
                Development, shall prescribe such regulations as may be 
                necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of 
                this subsection.
                    ``(B) HUD secretary.--Not later than one year after 
                the date of the enactment of this subsection, the 
                Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall 
                prescribe regulations to establish a mechanism for 
                providing information to the Secretary detailing which 
                properties have failed an NSPIRE inspection during the 
                taxable year and which properties have received 
                extensions of time to cure. In creating this mechanism, 
                the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall 
                ensure that the Secretary of the Treasury receives 
                information about failing properties at least once per 
                calendar quarter.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section shall apply 
to taxable years beginning after the date that is one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 14. SUPPORTING LANDLORDS TO RECEIVE TIMELY VOUCHER PAYMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding and other provision of law, the 
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall allow public housing 
agencies to approve a tenancy using a voucher provided under section 
8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)) and 
make a payment under such voucher before inspection of the dwelling 
unit if the inspection will be conducted more than 14 days after 
receiving a tenancy package.
    (b) Failed Inspections.--If the unit fails inspection and is not 
brought into compliance within 14 days, the owner of the unit shall 
repay the payment received from the public housing agency within the 
following 14 days and shall not hold the tenant responsible for payment 
and shall not evict or terminate the tenant on such basis. If the 
tenant is in the unit at the time the payment is issued but the unit 
does not pass inspection, the public housing agency shall be 
responsible for relocating the tenant and providing additional 
assistance.
    (c) Additional Incentives.--Within 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
shall establish additional incentives for public housing agencies to 
perform expedited inspection of dwelling units.

SEC. 15. PROJECT-BASED CONTRACT ADMINISTRATOR REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

     The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall require, not 
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, that 
project-based contract administrators shall submit to the Secretary 
data on projects and project owners covering the previous 180 days, 
including an analysis of any trends identified over the previous 180 
days on housing conditions, tenant complaints, tenant hospitalizations 
brought to the attention of the contract administrator, and any other 
information as required by the Secretary.

SEC. 16. COORDINATION BETWEEN USDA AND HUD.

    Within 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Agriculture shall ensure, to the greatest extent 
practicable, that the minimum requirements and physical quality 
standards for housing properties assisted by the Department of 
Agriculture meet or exceed the standards established by the Secretary 
of Housing and Urban Development pursuant to section 4 of this Act.

SEC. 17. GAO STUDY ON HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS IN FEDERALLY-ASSISTED 
              HOUSING.

    Not later than the expiration of the 3-year period beginning on the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
United States shall submit a report to the Congress analyzing and 
assessing the communication, as applicable, between public housing 
agencies, landlords, and tenants over resolving problems with the 
health, safety, or other issues of dwelling units that are federally 
subsidized and inspected through subpart G of part 5 of title 24, Code 
of Federal Regulations, landlord responsiveness regarding such issues, 
opportunities for improvement in such communications, and how tenants 
understand their rights and how they are responded to when issues 
arise, including protocols for responding to tenant complaints and 
tenant understanding of such processes. The report shall include 
recommendations for how to improve such communications and the physical 
quality of the housing stock for which such assistance is provided.

SEC. 18. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of the Congress that the Departments of the 
Treasury and Housing and Urban Development should work together 
cooperatively, including through development of a Memorandum of 
Understanding if appropriate, to ensure that implementation of this Act 
is consistent with the provisions of the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 
3601 et seq.).

SEC. 19. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Housing 
and Urban Development--
            (1) $50,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 
        2024, for costs to the Department of implementing this Act and 
        the amendments made by this Act, including costs of providing 
        staff to carry out this Act and such amendments; and
            (2) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 and 2026 for 
        continuing costs of carrying out this Act and the amendments 
        made by this Act.
                                 <all>