H.R. 1670 — Introduced in House

I 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1670 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 23, 2013 Ms. Velázquez (for herself, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Serrano, and Mr. Jeffries) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services A BILL To improve the implementation and oversight for the program under section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 for training and hiring requirements for public housing, Indian housing assistance, and housing and community development programs. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Raising Employment in Affordable Communities and Homes Act of 2013 or the REACH Act of 2013 . 2. Section 3 action plans Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701u) is amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (e), (f), and (g) as subsections (f), (g), and (h), respectively; and (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsection: (e) Action plans (1) Public housing and Indian housing assistance (A) Public housing agencies (i) In general Except as provided in clause (ii), a public housing agency may not be provided any development assistance pursuant to section 5 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437c), or assistance from the Operating Fund or Capital Fund under section 9 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437g), for any fiscal year unless the agency prepares an action plan under this subsection that describes activities to be carried out in accordance subsections (c) and (d) of this section during such fiscal year. (ii) Inapplicability to qualified public housing agencies Clause (i) shall not apply to any qualified public housing agency, as such term is defined in section 5A(b)(3)(C) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437c–1(b)(3)(C)). (B) Indian tribes (i) In general Except as provided in clause (ii), an Indian tribe or tribally designated housing entity (as such terms are defined in section 4 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103)) may not be provided any grant amounts under such Act for any program year unless the tribe or entity prepares an action plan under this subsection that describes activities to be carried out in accordance subsections (c) and (d) of this section during such fiscal year. (ii) Inapplicability Clause (i) shall not apply to any recipient of grant amounts under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 for which the sum of— (I) the number of affordable housing dwelling units administered by such recipient and assisted with such grant amounts, and (II) the number of households provided tenant-based rental assistance with such grant amounts by such recipient, is 550 or fewer. (C) Incorporation in annual plan Such an action plan for a year shall be incorporated— (i) in the case of a public housing agency, in the annual plan under section 5A of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1437c–1) for the agency for such fiscal year; and (ii) in the case of an Indian tribe or tribally designated housing entity, the Indian housing plan under section 102 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4112) for the tribe for the program year. (D) Retroactive funding Funds may be provided to any public housing agency, and to any Indian tribe or tribally designated housing entity, retroactively upon the development and inclusion of an action plan under this subsection in an agency’s annual plan, or the tribe’s or tribally designated housing entity’s Indian housing plan, respectively. (2) Other programs The Secretary shall require that each application for housing and community development assistance in an amount exceeding $200,000 shall include an action plan under this subsection that describes activities to be carried out in accordance subsections (c) and (d) of this section. (3) Content An action plan under this subsection for a public housing agency, for an Indian tribe or tribally designated housing entity, or for a recipient of housing and community development assistance, shall specify the agency’s, tribe’s or entity’s, or recipient’s— (A) intended outreach efforts under this section within the community; (B) planned training programs; (C) relevant employment opportunities under this section; and (D) timeline for planned implementation under this section. (4) Oversight The Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary to review the implementation of annual action plans under this subsection. (5) Penalties The Secretary may establish and impose penalties for public housing agencies, Indian tribes and tribally designated housing entities, recipients of housing and community development assistance that do not comply with their action plans to the satisfaction of the Secretary. Such penalties may include— (A) in the case of a public housing agency, or tribe or tribally designated housing entity, withholding of assistance from the Department until compliance is achieved; and (B) in the case of recipients of housing and community development assistance— (i) enforcement actions through the Departmental Enforcement Center of the Department of Housing and Urban Development; (ii) withholding future assistance payments; (iii) a flag in the Active Partners Performance System; and (iv) rejection of any further applications for assistance from the Department until compliance is achieved. (6) Authorization of appropriation There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection. . 3. Effective date The amendment under section 2 shall take effect upon the expiration of the 90-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.