,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dgef ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,october #ah1 #bjai,mr4 ,de,saulnier introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,financial ,services ,a ,,bill ,to establish an ,office of ,housing ,innovation in the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development to assist in exploring and developing new approaches for increasing and diversifying the supply of housing and for meeting the challenges of housing shortages1 housing affordability1 and traffic congestion1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,housing ,innovation ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,findings ,the ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 housing should be considered a critical component of our national infrastructure2 7#b7 existing shortages of affordable housing options in many regions are contributing to long commutes1 financial stress1 environmental pollution1 and public health risk2 7#c7 new approaches in the planning1 design1 and construction of housing need to be explored for diversifying housing options available to the workforce2 and 7#d7 greater coordination of existing ,federal resources across agencies could significantly expand and diversify the supply of housing4 #c4 ,office of ,housing ,innovation2 ,assistant ,secretary 7a7 ,assistant ,secretary for ,housing ,innovation ,section #d7;a7 of the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cecc7;a77 is amended3 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking #g ,assistant ,secretaries and inserting #i ,assistant ,secretaries2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7i7 ,office of ,housing ,innovation 7#a7 ,assistant ,secretary ,there shall be in the ,department an ,assistant ,secretary for ,housing ,innovation1 who shall be appointed by the ,president4 7#b7 ,establishment ,there is established in the ,department the ,office of ,housing ,innovation1 which shall be headed by the ,assistant ,secretary for ,housing ,innovation4 7#c7 ,functions ,the ,assistant ,secretary of ,housing ,innovation shall have primary responsibility within the ,department for-- 7,a7 accumulating and disseminating information regarding innovative practices and successful case studies of new approaches for increasing and diversifying the supply of housing1 especially in urban metropolitan regions and surrounding rural regions that are facing challenges of housing shortages1 housing affordability1 and traffic congestion2 7,b7 carrying out activities1 including administering the grant programs under the ,housing ,innovation ,act of #bjai1 to encourage partnerships in exploring and developing innovative solutions to the challenges to housing supply referred to in subparagraph 7,a72 7,c7 coordinating with other offices within the ,department1 including the ,office of ,housing1 the ,office of ,policy ,development and ,research1 and the ,office of ,community ,planning and ,development1 and other ,federal agencies1 including the ,department of ,transportation1 to recommend policies that address workforce housing needs2 and 7,d7 providing technical assistance to local governments in undertaking or preparing for planning and policy reforms to increase housing units and housing supply diversity4 7#d7 ,detailees ,the ,secretary shall ensure that the staff of the ,office of ,housing ,innovation includes1 at all times-- 7,a7 two detailees from the ,department of ,transportation1 who shall include-- 7i7 one having expertise in transit issues or active transportation issues1 or both2 and 7ii7 one from the ,build ,america ,bureau having expertise on the ,transportation ,infrastructure ,finance and ,innovation ,act 7,,tifia7 program and the ,railroad ,rehabilitation and ,improvement ,financing 7,,rrif7 program2 7,b7 one detailee from the ,environmental ,protection ,agency having expertise on the public health impacts of housing and community development2 and 7,c7 one detailee from the ,department of ,energy having expertise on renewable energy and energy efficiency upgrades for low- and moderate-income communities4 ,the ,secretary shall consult with the heads of the agencies referred to in this paragraph to provide for such details and such details shall be made on a reimbursable basis4 4 7b7 ,amendments to title #e1 ,united ,states ,code 7#a7 ,positions at level iv of ,executive ,schedule ,section #ecae of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended in the undesignated item relating to ,assistant ,secretaries of ,housing and ,urban ,development by striking 7#h7 and inserting 7#i74 7c7 ,conforming amendment ,paragraph 7#a7 of section #d7;a7 of the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cecc7;a77#a77 is amended by striking #g and inserting #h4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated for necessary salaries and expenses of the ,office of ,housing ,innovation of the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development #ej1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbj and each fiscal year thereafter4 #d4 ,grants for local planning for housing 7a7 ,authority ,the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development 7in this ,act referred to as the ,secretary71 acting through the ,assistant ,secretary of ,housing ,innovation1 shall carry out a program to make grants under this section to eligible localities for undertaking planning efforts and associated regulatory reforms that address the housing needs of such areas4 7b7 ,eligible localities ,for purposes of this section1 the term eligible locality means a unit of general local government that is located within an urbanized area1 as such term is defined by the ,united ,states ,census ,bureau of the ,department of ,commerce4 7c7 ,goals ,local plans developed using amounts from grants under this section shall address all of the following goals3 7#a7 ,increasing the supply of housing units within the jurisdiction of the grantee or within certain defined areas within such jurisdiction1 including neighborhoods around existing or planned transit facilities and job centers4 7#b7 ,improving the affordability of the housing supply within the jurisdiction of the grantee or within certain defined areas within such jurisdiction1 including neighborhoods around existing or planned transit facilities and job centers4 7#c7 ,diversifying the housing supply within the jurisdiction of the grantee or within certain defined areas within such jurisdiction to include more multifamily housing options or newer and less common forms of housing1 such as multifamily housing focused on smaller private spaces and more shared amenities1 micro-unit housing1 housing developments that incorporate co-working spaces1 and housing for students4 7#d7 ,improving commute times to job sites1 reducing congestion1 or reducing vehicle miles traveled within the region in which the locality is located4 7d7 ,use ,the ,secretary shall ensure that amounts from a grant under this section shall be used only for costs associated with a housing planning process that addresses the goals in subsection 7c71 including public outreach1 community meetings1 preparation of planning documents1 and research and studies in support of such planning efforts4 7e7 ,selection ,the ,secretary shall award grants to eligible localities submitting applications under subsection 7g7 that are selected to receive grants under a competition based on criteria established by the ,secretary1 which shall include the following criteria3 7#a7 ,the extent to which the eligible locality outlines a planning process that will facilitate progress toward the goals under subsection 7c71 including the potential changes or updates to local policies and regulations 7such as zoning ordinances1 parking requirements1 general plans1 and specific plans7 that such a planning process will aim to affect4 7#b7 ,the extent to which the eligible locality demonstrates how the planning process will address the needs of the metropolitan region within which the eligible locality is located by providing housing for the existing and projected workforce demand4 7#c7 ,the extent to which the eligible locality provides details of the planning actions it intends to take1 including public outreach activities and actions for consideration for formal policy adoption of planning elements and recommendations4 7#d7 ,the extent to which the eligible locality specifies a timeline for completion of its planning process1 including potential dates for consideration for formal policy adoption by the local governing body4 7#e7 ,the extent to which the eligible locality demonstrates collaboration with regional planning efforts and coordination with the relevant metropolitan planning organization that manages regional planning for the area within which the locality is located4 7f7 ,limitation on amount ,a grant under this section for an eligible locality may not exceed #b1jjj1jjj4 7g7 ,applications ,the ,secretary shall provide for eligible localities to submit applications to the ,secretary for grants under this section1 which shall contain such information as the ,secretary may require4 #e4 ,grants for research and pilot projects 7a7 ,authority ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,assistant ,secretary of ,housing ,innovation1 shall carry out a program to make grants under this section to eligible partnerships for the purposes of carrying out research and pilot studies to support1 inform1 and advise local governments on their plans for new housing and community development4 7b7 ,eligible partnerships ,for purposes of this section1 the term eligible partnership means a partnership of entities and institutions that includes at least one of the following entities3 7#a7 ,a unit of local government4 7#b7 ,a college1 university1 or other research institution4 7#c7 ,a nonprofit organization4 7c7 ,use ,amounts from a grant under this section may only be used for research and pilot studies that are designed to study and investigate activities and measures for improving housing and commuting for the workforce in a community1 including-- 7#a7 measures to improve the commuting experience between transit stations and homes 7commonly referred to as the last mile72 7#b7 programs for accommodating higher education students within the community2 7#c7 programs for facilitating home-sharing for elderly residents2 7#d7 plans and measures for integrating business and commercial activity with residential neighborhoods2 7#e7 plans and measures for increasing transportation options improving mobility within residential neighborhoods2 7#f7 programs for learning and disseminating information about modular building techniques and other approaches to reducing housing construction costs2 7#g7 plans or programs for improving public health through changes in the built environment1 such as safer streets that are more conducive and welcoming to pedestrian activity2 7#h7 measures to evaluate the impact of housing development in the community on the long-term social mobility and economic prospects of residents2 and 7#i7 such other measures1 plans1 and activities as applicants may propose1 but only if the ,secretary approves such proposals as consistent with the goals under section #d7;c74 7d7 ,limitations on amount ,a grant under this section for an eligible partnership may not exceed the lesser of-- 7#a7 #ejj1jjj2 or 7#b7 in the case only of an eligible partnership that has previously received a grant under this section1 the amount that the eligible partnership certifies1 as the ,secretary shall require1 that the partnership will contribute from non-,federal sources for activities described in subsection 7c7 that are assisted with such grant amounts4 #f4 ,grants for education activities 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,assistant ,secretary of ,housing ,innovation1 shall carry out a program under this section to make grants to partnerships that include at least one academic institution for providing support for educational and community outreach programs that are focused on issues related to housing1 community development1 and regional planning4 7b7 ,limitations on amount ,a grant under this section for a partnership may not exceed the lesser of-- 7#a7 #bjj1jjj2 or 7#b7 in the case only of a partnership that has previously received a grant under this section1 the amount that the partnership certifies1 as the ,secretary shall require1 that the partnership will contribute from non-,federal sources for educational and community outreach programs described in subsection 7a7 that are assisted with such grant amounts4 #g4 ,,gao review ,not later than the expiration of the #c-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall conduct a review of grant programs under sections #d1 #e1 and #f of this ,act to analyze the effectiveness of such programs and shall submit a report containing the results of such review and any conclusions resulting from such review to the ,committee on ,financial ,services of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,banking1 ,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs of the ,senate4 #h4 ,regulations ,the ,secretary may issue any regulations necessary to carry out this ,act4 #i4 ,authorization of appropriations 7a7 ,funding ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development to carry out this ,act #ajj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbf of which1 in each fiscal year-- 7#a7 #ij percent shall be available only for grants under section #d2 7#b7 #e percent shall be available only for grants under section #e2 and 7#c7 #e percent shall be available only for grants under section #f4 7b7 ,source of funding ,it is the sense of the ,congress that the funding to carry out this ,act provided pursuant to subsection 7a7 should not result in a reduction of ,federal funding for any existing affordable housing program or programs4