HOPE VI Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to extend and authorize appropriations for the HOPE VI revitalization program.
Includes educational and relocation aims among HOPE VI purposes. Requires each HOPE VI grant recipient to establish, in partnership with local schools, a comprehensive educational reform and achievement strategy for transforming the neighborhood schools into high-performing schools.
Revises grant selection criteria.
Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to conduct funding-related site visits for HOPE VI applicants.
Requires: (1) public housing agencies to establish performance benchmarks for each of their HOPE VI projects; and (2) the Secretary to establish specified sanctions for failure to meet such benchmarks.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1513 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1513
To reauthorize the HOPE VI program for revitalization of severely
distressed public housing, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 27, 2005
Ms. Mikulski (for herself, Mr. Bond, Mr. Reed, and Mr. Sarbanes)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reauthorize the HOPE VI program for revitalization of severely
distressed public housing, 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 ``HOPE VI Improvement and
Reauthorization Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. HOPE VI PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the HOPE VI program is one of the most significant and
successful neighborhood reinvestment strategies implemented in
recent years, having transformed dozens of distressed public
housing developments into successful mixed-use and mixed-income
communities of hope and opportunity and without which the
physical and social revitalization of these neighborhoods would
not have occurred;
(2) HOPE VI has changed the face of public housing by
seamlessly incorporating affordable housing opportunities in
vital and sustainable market-based, mixed-income developments,
thereby serving as a model for creativity and innovation in the
delivery of affordable housing;
(3) there are over 1,200,000 units of public housing,
between 46,900 and 81,900 of which are considered to be
severely distressed;
(4) nationwide, the public housing inventory has an
accumulated capital needs backlog of approximately
$18,000,000,000, with an estimated additional $2,000,000,000
accruing each year;
(5) HOPE VI funds have successfully leveraged substantial
additional resources. From 1993 through 2001, the
$4,500,000,000 in HOPE VI grants awarded was anticipated by
Public Housing Authorities to leverage an additional
$10,210,000,000 in other public and private investments.
According to the Government Accountability Office, 59 percent
of the total funds budgeted by fiscal year 2001 grantees for
community and supportive services consisted of leveraged funds;
(6) HOPE VI has resulted in the demolition of tens of
thousands of severely distressed and often uninhabitable public
housing units and, in their place, created affordable housing
opportunities in healthy mixed-income communities in the form
of both project-based housing and housing voucher assistance,
giving existing public housing residents improved and
meaningful housing choices; and
(7) HOPE VI has fundamentally transformed the lives of
thousands of public housing residents who have become self-
sufficient through the required community and supportive
services programs.
(b) Declaration of Policy.--Based on the findings set forth in
subsection (a), Congress declares that it is the policy of the United
States to reauthorize the HOPE VI program to--
(1) end the practice of concentrating the poor in
distressed, isolated neighborhoods as an underlying predicate
for leaving no children behind;
(2) create healthy communities using a holistic and
comprehensive approach to assure long term marketability and
sustainability of the community;
(3) support excellent outcomes for families, especially
children, with an emphasis on excellent--
(A) high performing neighborhood schools; and
(B) quality of life amenities, such as first class
retail space and green space;
(4) create mixed-income communities, with the goal of
creating a market-rate community with a seamless affordable
component;
(5) develop such mixed-income communities through public-
private partnerships using public and private sources of
funding and market principles; and
(6) support residents with adequate resources to assist
them in achieving their life goals, focusing on self-
sufficiency and educational advancement of children and their
parents, thereby creating a culture of learning, education, and
excellence, in which expectations and standards for personal
responsibility are benchmarks for success.
(c) Purposes of HOPE VI Program.--Section 24(a) of the United
States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437v(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and
inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) promoting sustainable connections between the
revitalization of public housing communities and local schools
and institutions of higher learning, as a means of supporting
educational achievement by children and adults as part of a
comprehensive self-sufficiency strategy; and
``(6) reducing concentrations of poverty and promoting
housing choice and self-sufficiency among low-income families
by ensuring the successful temporary or permanent relocation of
residents from severely distressed public housing projects
through comprehensive counseling and supportive services that
assist in selection of and success in lower poverty
neighborhoods of such families by giving them the tools to
achieve self sufficiency.''.
(d) Education and Relocation Activities.--Section 24(d) of the
United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437v(d)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in subparagraph (K), by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(B) by striking subparagraph (L) and inserting the
following:
``(L) necessary comprehensive supportive services,
including employment and vocational counseling, life
skills training, and other human services; and
``(M) necessary costs of ensuring the effective
temporary and permanent relocation of existing
residents.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Linkages to education.--
``(A) In general.--Each HOPE VI grant recipient
shall establish, in partnership with the local schools
and school superintendent, a comprehensive educational
reform and achievement strategy for transforming the
neighborhood schools that serve the revitalized HOPE VI
sites into high-performing schools.
``(B) Content of strategy.--The strategy required
by subparagraph (A) shall--
``(i) include the clear commitment of the
neighborhood schools and institutions of higher
learning, including the commitment of financial
and other resources by local foundations and
other public and private partners;
``(ii) include a detailed plan for
reforming educational programming for pre-
school and elementary school children;
``(iii) address educational reform for
middle school and high school students; and
``(iv) provide means of encouraging adult
continuing education.
``(C) Timeline.--The timeline for development and
implementation of the strategy required by subparagraph
(A) shall support and be consistent with the HOPE VI
redevelopment schedule.''.
(e) Grant Award Criteria.--Section 24(e)(2) of the United States
Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437v(e)(2)) is amended to read as
follows:
``(2) Grant award criteria.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall establish
criteria for the award of grants under this section to
ensure that performance standards are met by awarding
funds to public housing agencies that--
``(i) demonstrate--
``(I) partnerships and
collaboration between public and
private sector partners;
``(II) a need for funding; and
``(III) a readiness and capacity to
execute the proposed program; and
``(ii) propose measurable interim and long-
term outcomes for achieving the purposes and
goals of the program.
``(B) Criteria requirements.--In developing
criteria under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall
consider--
``(i) the extent to which the proposal
realistically addresses achievement of the
purposes of the HOPE VI program described in
subsection (a);
``(ii) the extent to which a proposal
demonstrates a comprehensive strategy for
educational achievement and for transforming
the neighborhood schools that serve the
revitalized HOPE IV site into high-performing
schools and encourages the educational
advancement of adults;
``(iii) the quality and sustainability of
the physical redevelopment program and the
offering of housing choice to residents,
including multifamily rental housing and
homeownership opportunities for households with
a wide range of incomes and housing for
seniors;
``(iv) the likely effectiveness of the plan
for temporary and permanent relocation of
existing residents, which shall ensure that
residents are--
``(I) fully aware of their
relocation choices; and
``(II) supported during the
relocation process to assure a
successful transition, including case
management and the counseling and
supportive services that the plan
offers to such residents;
``(v) evidence that the subject project is
severely distressed, which shall include a
certification signed by an engineer or
architect licensed by a State licensing board
that the project meets the criteria for
physical distress described in subsection
(j)(2);
``(vi) the strength of local government
support for the proposal, financial and
otherwise, which shall require, at a minimum, a
commitment evidenced by the signature of the
chief executive of such local government of
financial assistance equal to not less than 5
percent of the HOPE VI grant amount;
``(vii) the strength of evidence that the
implementation team has the ability to perform
under the HOPE VI program, including evidence
as to the capabilities of both the public
partners, including the public housing agency,
and the proposed private development partners;
``(viii) the achievability of the timelines
proposed for implementation of the
revitalization plan, which must reflect the
scope and scale of the project, while
addressing the implementation timeline for each
of the components individually;
``(ix) the extent to which the proposal
will leverage other public or private funds or
assets for the project in an amount that equal
to not less than 2 times the amount of the HOPE
VI grant;
``(x) the extent to which the applicant
could undertake such activities without a grant
under this section;
``(xi) the extent of involvement of
residents, State and local governments, private
service providers, financing entities, and
developers, in the development and ongoing
implementation of a revitalization program for
the project, except that the Secretary may not
award a grant under this section unless the
applicant has involved affected public housing
residents at the beginning and during the
planning process for the revitalization
program, prior to submission of an application;
``(xii) the need for affordable housing in
the community;
``(xiii) the supply of other housing
available and affordable to families receiving
tenant-based assistance under section 8 of this
title;
``(xiv) the strength and soundness of the
proposal to assist residents in achieving self-
sufficiency and personal responsibility;
``(xv) the extent to which --
``(I) the plan minimizes permanent
displacement of current residents of
the public housing site who--
``(aa) wish to return to
the revitalized community; and
``(bb) meet the reoccupancy
criteria (including all
residents that were not evicted
prior to the revitalization
effort);
``(II) the plan provides for
community and supportive services to
residents prior to and during any
relocation; and
``(III) reasonable and appropriate
supportive services are offered to
residents wishing to return to the
revitalized site that will help them
meet reoccupancy criteria;
``(xvi) the extent to which the plan
sustains or creates more project-based housing
units available to persons eligible for public
housing in markets where the plan shows there
is demand for the maintenance or creation of
such units;
``(xvii) the extent to which the proposal
sets forth strategies and plans that assist
residents displaced by the revitalization in
utilizing tenant based vouchers to select
housing opportunities, including in communities
with a lower concentration of poverty that--
``(I) will not result in a
financial burden to the family; and
``(II) will promote long-term
housing stability;
``(xviii) the extent to which the proposal
provides and ensures, as part of its
revitalization program for the effective
temporary and permanent relocation of existing
residents, that--
``(I) residents are fully informed
of relocation options, which include
relocation to housing in a neighborhood
with a lower concentration of poverty
than their current residence, through
workshops, site tours, case management,
or other means, and are given the
opportunity to make informed choices;
``(II) relocation milestones are
established that ensure successful
relocation in terms of timeliness and
steps toward self-sufficiency;
``(III) the relocation plan does
not result in increased concentrations
of poverty in the communities to which
residents are relocated;
``(IV) particular attention is paid
to minimizing the impact of relocations
on children, such as coordinating
relocation moves with school calendars;
``(V) existing residents who are
being temporarily or permanently
relocated are offered and encouraged to
participate in comprehensive community
and supportive services over the period
of the HOPE VI grant to facilitate
their progress toward self-sufficiency
whenever possible; and
``(VI) the proposed budget for
relocation costs reflects the costs of
effective relocation efforts, including
moving expenses, counseling, case
management, and other related costs,
including payments required under the
Uniform Relocation Act ; and
``(xix) such other factors as the Secretary
considers appropriate.''.
(f) Site Visits.--Section 24(e) of the United States Housing Act of
1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437v(e)), as amended by subsection (e) of this
section, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Secretary may conduct site visits for HOPE VI applicants to
assist in making funding decisions under this section.''.
(g) HOPE VI Performance Benchmarks.--Section 24 of the United
States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437v) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (f) through (o) as
subsections (g) through (p), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following:
``(f) Performance Benchmarks.--
``(1) In general.--Public housing agencies, in consultation
with the Secretary, shall set performance benchmarks for each
component of their HOPE VI projects, including benchmarks for--
``(A) linkages with schools and other community
partners;
``(B) effective temporary and permanent relocation
of existing residents;
``(C) achievement of self-sufficiency by residents;
``(D) accomplishing key revitalization goals,
taking into consideration the scope and scale of the
revitalization plan; and
``(E) such other benchmarks as the Secretary
determines appropriate.
``(2) Failure to meet benchmarks.--If a public housing
agency fails to meet the performance benchmarks described under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall impose appropriate
sanctions, including--
``(A) appointment of an alternative administrator
for the HOPE VI project;
``(B) financial penalties;
``(C) withdrawal of funding under subsection (j);
or
``(D) such other sanctions as the Secretary may
deem necessary.
``(3) Authority of secretary.--The Secretary shall
determine the amount of each grant under this section and the
closeout date for the grant, taking into consideration the
scope, scale, and size of the revitalization plan.''.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 24(n)(1) of the
United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437v(n)(1)), as
redesignated by subsection (g) of this section, is amended by striking
``$574,000,000 for fiscal year 2003'' and inserting ``$600,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011''.
(i) Extension of Program.--Section 24(p) of the United States
Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437v(p)), as redesignated by subsection
(g) of this section, is amended by striking ``September 30, 2006'' and
inserting ``September 30, 2011''.
(j) Review.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall--
(1) conduct a review of tools utilized in HOPE VI
revitalization efforts under section 24 of the United States
Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437v) which may be transferable
to other federally-assisted housing programs; and
(2) make recommendations to the Congress on the tools
reviewed under paragraph (1) not later than September 30, 2008.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
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