[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5534 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5534
To authorize a grant program for educational institutions to analyze,
digitize, and map historic records relating to housing discrimination,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 16, 2024
Ms. Smith (for herself, Mr. Brown, Ms. Warren, Mr. Sanders, Ms.
Klobuchar, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Welch, Mr. Van
Hollen, and Mr. Murphy) introduced the following bill; which was read
twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize a grant program for educational institutions to analyze,
digitize, and map historic records relating to housing discrimination,
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 ``Mapping Housing Discrimination
Act''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to support--
(1) efforts by educational institutions to conduct primary
analysis and digitization of historic housing discrimination
patterns since 1850;
(2) efforts by local governments to digitize property deeds
and other historic records relating to housing discrimination;
and
(3) the creation of a national, publicly available database
of local records of housing discrimination patterns since 1850.
SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity''--
(A) means an institution of higher education (as
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)); and
(B) includes a minority-serving institution.
(2) Historic housing discrimination record.--The term
``historic housing discrimination record'' means--
(A) a deed or other historic property record
originating after 1850 in which there is evidence of
housing discrimination, which may include--
(i) a racial covenant or other provision in
a property deed that was legally enforceable on
the date on which the racial covenant or other
provision was written; or
(ii) racially or ethnically restrictive
language in any agreement entered into by the
developer of a subdivision, a neighborhood
association, a real estate operator, or a group
of property owners; or
(B) a State law, a local ordinance, or a document
that presents evidence of a State law or local
ordinance, that--
(i) originated after 1850; and
(ii) permitted housing discrimination
against a protected class under the Fair
Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.).
(3) Jurisdiction.--The term ``jurisdiction'' means--
(A) a political subdivision of a State; or
(B) the District of Columbia.
(4) Mapping project.--The term ``mapping project'' means a
project performed with a grant awarded under subsection (b)(1).
(5) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
serving institution'' means an institution of higher education
described in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)).
(6) Office.--The term ``Office'', except as otherwise
specified, means the Office of Policy Development and Research
of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
(7) Office of fair housing and equal opportunity.--The term
``Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity'' means the
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity of the Department
of Housing and Urban Development.
(8) State.--The term ``State'' means any State of the
United States.
(b) Mapping Projects.--
(1) In general.--The Office may award grants on a
competitive basis to eligible entities for the purpose of
performing projects for analyzing, digitizing, and mapping the
historic housing discrimination records of not less than 1
jurisdiction.
(2) Duration and amount.--
(A) Duration.--The duration of a mapping project
shall be not more than 5 years.
(B) Amount.--In determining the amount of a grant
under this section, the Office shall consider--
(i) the size of the jurisdiction or
jurisdictions that are the focus of the mapping
project; and
(ii) the estimated duration of the mapping
project included in the application of an
eligible entity under paragraph (3)(B)(ii).
(3) Applications.--
(A) In general.--An eligible entity desiring a
grant under this section shall submit to the Office an
application at such time, in such manner, and
accompanied by such information as the Office may
require.
(B) Contents.--An application submitted by an
eligible entity under this paragraph shall include a
description of--
(i) each jurisdiction that will be the
focus of the mapping project;
(ii) the estimated duration of the mapping
project;
(iii) any necessary partnership with a
jurisdiction to digitize and collect historic
housing discrimination records, including any--
(I) memorandum of understanding
entered into by the eligible entity and
the jurisdiction; or
(II) compensation given to the
jurisdiction to aid in document
digitization efforts;
(iv) the methodology that the eligible
entity will use to--
(I) review documents for racial
covenants or racially restrictive
language;
(II) compile historic housing
discrimination records; and
(III) create a spatial dataset of
historic housing discrimination
records;
(v) any research the eligible entity has
already conducted on historic housing
discrimination records in a jurisdiction that
will be a focus of the mapping project; and
(vi) if the eligible entity has conducted
any research described in clause (v), a plan
for coordinating that research with research
the eligible entity will perform during the
mapping project.
(C) Preference.--In awarding grants under this
section, the Secretary may give preference to eligible
entities that are minority-serving institutions.
(4) Project requirements.--An eligible entity that performs
a mapping project shall--
(A) use the data standards developed under
paragraph (6) to create and maintain a dataset relating
to historic housing discrimination records; and
(B) upon the completion of the mapping project,
submit to the Office--
(i) the dataset required under subparagraph
(A); and
(ii) with respect to the dataset required
under subparagraph (A)--
(I) raw data relating to the
dataset;
(II) metadata that describes--
(aa) the methodology of the
eligible entity in creating the
dataset; and
(bb) the dataset; and
(III) any other information
relevant to the creation of the
dataset.
(5) Use of funds.--An eligible entity may use funds from a
grant under this section to--
(A) confer with other educational institutions or
other entities conducting research on historic housing
discrimination patterns to develop and adopt best
practices for--
(i) coordination with jurisdictions;
(ii) data collection;
(iii) the involvement of volunteer
researchers in mapping projects; and
(iv) the creation of spatial datasets of
historic housing discrimination records;
(B) compensate jurisdictions to aid in the
digitization of local property deeds or other records;
(C) develop or purchase digital tools to identify
racial covenants in digitized property deeds or other
records;
(D) create a spatial dataset of historic housing
discrimination records; and
(E) make the submission required under paragraph
(4)(B).
(6) Data standards.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Office, in
coordination with the Office of Fair Housing and Equal
Opportunity, shall establish a set of uniform data
standards for the analysis, digitization, and mapping
of historic housing discrimination records with which
eligible entities performing mapping projects shall
comply.
(B) Metadata.--The set of uniform data standards
established under subparagraph (A) shall include
guidance for the creation of the metadata required
under paragraph (4)(B)(ii)(II).
(C) Input.--In developing the uniform data
standards under subparagraph (A), the Office shall seek
input from educational institutions, civil rights
organizations, or other entities conducting research on
historic housing discrimination patterns.
(D) Third-party proposal.--
(i) In general.--The Office may award a
grant to, or enter into a contract with, a non-
Federal entity on a competitive basis for the
purpose of proposing the uniform data standards
required to be established under subparagraph
(A).
(ii) Input.--A non-Federal entity that
proposes uniform data standards under clause
(i) shall seek input from the entities
described in subparagraph (C).
(7) National database.--
(A) In general.--
(i) Creation.--Subject to clause (ii), the
Office shall use the data submitted by eligible
entities under paragraph (4)(B) to create a
national database of historic housing
discrimination records.
(ii) Optional 6-month delay.--At the
request of an eligible entity, the Office shall
wait to add data submitted by the eligible
entity under paragraph (4)(B) to the national
database created under clause (i) of this
subparagraph until the date that is 180 days
after the date on which the eligible entity
submitted the data.
(B) Public availability.--
(i) In general.--The Office shall make the
database created under subparagraph (A)
publicly available at no cost on the website of
the Office.
(ii) Other information.--At the request of
any individual, the Office shall provide the
individual with the information submitted by an
eligible entity under paragraph (4)(B)(ii).
(C) Optional additions.--The Office may import
Federal data relating to historic housing
discrimination records into the national database
created under subparagraph (A).
(8) Digitization.--If an eligible entity compensates a
jurisdiction for the purpose of digitizing historic housing
discrimination records with funds from a mapping project, the
jurisdiction shall make those deeds and records publicly
available at no cost.
(c) Reports.--
(1) Project report.--Not later than 180 days after the date
on which an eligible entity receives a grant under this
section, and annually thereafter for the duration of the
mapping project, an eligible entity performing a mapping
project shall submit to the Office a report on the status of
the mapping project, which shall include information on the
progress of the eligible entity--
(A) in community outreach and engagement, including
whether volunteers are involved in the mapping project;
(B) on any necessary collaboration with a
jurisdiction for the purpose of digitizing historic
housing discrimination records;
(C) on data collection and identification of
historic housing discrimination records relating to
racial discrimination;
(D) on data collection and the identification of
historic housing discrimination records that suggest a
pattern of discrimination against individuals with any
protected characteristic other than race; and
(E) on the creation of the dataset required under
subsection (b)(4)(A).
(2) Report to congress.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than
once every 3 years thereafter, the Office shall submit to the
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate
and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of
Representatives a report that includes--
(A) information relating to--
(i) the status of the grant program
established under subsection (b), including a
list of the ongoing and completed mapping
projects and the jurisdictions that are the
focus of those mapping projects;
(ii) the status of the national database
required under subsection (b)(7); and
(iii) any research the Office or the
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
performs with information from the national
database required under subsection (b)(7); and
(B) an addendum from the Office of Fair Housing and
Equal Opportunity that details--
(i) the involvement of the Office of Fair
Housing and Equal Opportunity in the grant
program established under subsection (b),
including any coordination with the Office of
Policy Development and Research of the
Department of Housing and Urban Development;
and
(ii) how the grant program established
under subsection (b) relates to--
(I) the mission of the Office of
Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity to
enforce the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C.
3601 et seq.); and
(II) any ongoing work of the Office
of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Office--
(1) $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2033
to award grants under subsection (b); and
(2) $750,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2033, to
remain available until expended, for costs associated with
carrying out the requirements of this Act.
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