New Hope in Housing Act

New Hope in Housing Act - Makes religious organizations eligible project owners under: (1) the supportive housing for the elderly program (Housing Act of 1959); and (2) the supportive housing for persons with disabilities program (Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act).

Makes religious organizations eligible subrecipients under: (1) the HOME investment partnerships program (Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act); and (2) the community development block grant program (Housing and Community Development Act of 1974).

[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3541 Introduced in House (IH)]







                                    


107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3541

   To explicitly authorize religious organizations and organizations 
having religious purposes to participate in certain housing assistance 
      programs of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 19, 2001

    Mr. Green of Wisconsin introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To explicitly authorize religious organizations and organizations 
having religious purposes to participate in certain housing assistance 
      programs of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

    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 ``New Hope in Housing Act''.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBLE PROJECT OWNERS UNDER HOUSING PROGRAMS FOR THE ELDERLY 
              AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.

    (a) Supportive Housing for the Elderly.--Section 202 of the Housing 
Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (f), by inserting after and below 
        paragraph (7) the following:
``The selection criteria used by the Secretary shall specifically 
provide that religious organizations and organizations having religious 
purposes that qualify under subsection (k)(4) as private nonprofit 
organizations, may own projects assisted under this section.'';
            (2) in subsection (j), by adding at the end the following 
        new paragraph:
            ``(9) Eligibility of religious organizations as project 
        owners.--The Secretary may not prohibit religious organizations 
        or organizations having religious purposes that, under 
        subsection (k)(4) qualify as private nonprofit organizations, 
        from owning projects assisted under this section because of 
        their status as such religious organizations.''; and
            (3) in subsection (k)(4), by inserting after the period at 
        the end the following: ``Such term also includes a religious 
        organization or an organization having religious purposes, that 
        meets the requirements of this paragraph, not including 
        subparagraph (B)(i).''.
    (b) Supportive Housing for Persons With Disabilities.--Section 811 
of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 
8013) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (f), by inserting after and below 
        paragraph (7) the following:
``The selection criteria used by the Secretary shall specifically 
provide that religious organizations and organizations having religious 
purposes, that qualify under subsection (k)(6) as private nonprofit 
organizations may own projects assisted under this section.'';
            (2) in subsection (j), by adding at the end the following 
        new paragraph:
            ``(8) Eligibility of religious organizations as project 
        owners.--The Secretary may not prohibit religious organizations 
        or organizations having religious purposes that, under 
        subsection (k)(6) qualify as private nonprofit organizations, 
        from owning projects assisted under this section because of 
        their status as such religious organizations.''; and
            (3) in subsection (k)(6), by inserting after and below 
        subparagraph (D) the following:
        ``Such term includes a religious organization or an 
        organization having religious purposes, that meets the 
        requirements of this paragraph, not including subparagraph 
        (C).''.

SEC. 3. ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES UNDER HOME PROGRAM AND CDBG PROGRAM.

    (a) HOME Investment Partnerships Program.--Title II of the 
Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act is amended--
            (1) in section 202(10) (42 U.S.C. 12721(10)), by inserting 
        ``religious organizations,'' after ``trade unions,''; and
            (2) in section 212 (42 U.S.C. 12742), by adding at the end 
        the following new subsection:
    ``(h) Eligible Subrecipients.--Funds made available under this 
subtitle may be provided to religious organizations, or organizations 
having religious purposes, for carrying out secular activities that 
qualify under this section as eligible uses for such funds.''.
    (b) Community Development Block Grant Program.--Section 105 of the 
Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5305) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(i) Eligible Subrecipients.--Grant amounts under this title may 
be provided to religious organizations, or organizations having 
religious purposes, for carrying out secular activities that are 
eligible under this section to be assisted under this title.''.
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