,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fcad ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,march #bc1 #bjbj,mr4 ,heck 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,kilmer1 ,ms4 ,del,bene1 and ,mr4 ,smith of ,washington7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,financial ,services ,a ,,bill ,to provide emergency rental assistance under the ,emergency ,solutions ,grants program of the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development in response to the public health emergency resulting from the coronavirus1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,emergency ,rental ,assistance ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,emergency rental assistance 7a7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated for grants under the ,emergency ,solutions ,grants program under subtitle ,b of title ,,iv of the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,homeless ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aacga et seq47 #ajj1jjj1jjj1jjj for grants under such subtitle only for providing rental assistance in accordance with section #dae7;a77#d7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aacgd7;a77#d77 and this section to respond to needs arising from the emergency declared on ,march #ac1 #bjbj1 by the ,president under the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #daba et seq47 relating to the ,coronavirus ,disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai7 pandemic4 7b7 ,income targeting ,for purposes of assistance made available with amounts made available pursuant to subsection 7a7-- 7#a7 section #dja7a77;,a7 of the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,homeless ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aacfj7a77;,a77 shall be applied by substituting #hj percent for #cj percent2 and 7#b7 each grantee of such amounts shall use not less than #ej percent of the amounts received only for providing assistance for persons or families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness1 who have incomes not exceeding #ej percent of the median income for the relevant geographic area2 except that the ,secretary may waive the requirement under this paragraph if the grantee demonstrates to the satisfaction of the ,secretary that the population in the geographic area served by the grantee having such incomes is sufficiently being served with respect to activities eligible for funding with such amounts4 7c7 ,definition of at risk of homelessness ,for purposes of assistance made available with amounts made available pursuant to subsection 7a71 section #dja7a7 of the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,homeless ,assistance ,act shall be applied1 during the period that begins on the date of the enactment of this ,act and ends upon the expiration of the #f-month period that begins upon the termination by the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency of the emergency declared on ,march #ac1 #bjbj1 by the ,president under the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #daba et seq47 relating to the ,coronavirus ,disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai7 pandemic1 as if subparagraph 7,c7 were repealed4 7d7 #c-,year availability ,each grantee of amounts made available pursuant to subsection 7a7 shall expend-- 7#a7 at least #fj percent of such grant amounts within #b years of the date that such funds became available to the grantee for obligation2 and 7#b7 #ajj percent of such grant amounts within #c years of such date4 ,the ,secretary may recapture any amounts not expended in compliance with paragraph 7#a7 of this subsection and reallocate such amounts to grantees in compliance with the formula referred to in subsection 7h77#a77;,a7 of this section4 7e7 ,rent restrictions ,paragraph 7#a7 of section #egf4ajf7;d7 of the ,secretary's regulations 7#bd ,c4,f4,r4 #egf4ajf7;d77#a77 shall be applied1 with respect to rental assistance made available with amounts made available pursuant to subsection 7a71 by substituting #abj percent of the ,fair ,market ,rent for the ,fair ,market ,rent 4 7f7 ,subleases ,notwithstanding the second sentence of subsection 7g7 of section #egf4ajf of the ,secretary's regulations 7#bd ,c4,f4,r4 #egf4ajf7;g771 a program participant may sublet1 with rental assistance made available with amounts made available pursuant to subsection 7a7 of this section1 a dwelling unit from a renter of the dwelling unit if there is a legally binding1 written lease agreement for such sublease4 7g7 ,housing relocation or stabilization activities ,a grantee of amounts made available pursuant to subsection 7a7 may expend up to #bj percent of its allocation for activities under section #dae7;a77#e7 of the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,homeless ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aacgd7;a77#e774 7h7 ,allocation of assistance 7#a7 ,in general ,in allocating amounts made available pursuant to subsection 7a71 the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development shall-- 7,a7 not later than #cj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 allocate any such amounts that do not exceed #ej1jjj1jjj1jjj under the formula specified in subsections 7a71 7b71 and 7e7 of section #dad of the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,homeless ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aacgc7 to1 and notify1 each ,state1 metropolitan city1 and urban county that is to receive a direct grant of such amounts2 and 7,b7 not later than #abj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 allocate any remaining amounts to eligible grantees by a formula to be developed by the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development that takes into consideration the formula referred to in subparagraph 7,a7 of this paragraph1 and the need for emergency rental assistance under this section1 including severe housing cost burden among extremely low- and very low-income renters and disruptions in housing and economic conditions1 including unemployment4 7#b7 ,allocations to ,states ,a ,state recipient of an allocation under this section may elect to directly administer up to #ej percent of its allocation to carry out activities eligible under this section4 7#c7 ,election not to administer ,if a grantee elects not to receive funds under this section1 such funds shall be allocated to the ,state recipient in which the grantee is located4 7i7 ,inapplicability of matching requirement ,subsection 7a7 of section #daf of the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,homeless ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aacge7;a77 shall not apply to any amounts made available pursuant to subsection 7a7 of this section4 7j7 ,prohibition on prerequisites ,none of the funds authorized under this section may be used to require people experiencing homelessness to receive treatment or perform any other prerequisite activities as a condition for receiving shelter1 housing1 or other services4 7k7 ,public hearings 7#a7 ,inapplicability of in-person hearing requirements ,a grantee may not be required to hold in-person public hearings in connection with its citizen participation plan1 but shall provide citizens with notice and a reasonable opportunity to comment of not less than #ae days4 ,following the period that begins upon the date of the enactment of this ,act and ends upon the date of the termination by the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency of the emergency declared on ,march #ac1 #bjbj1 by the ,president under the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #daba et seq47 relating to the ,coronavirus ,disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai7 pandemic1 and after the period described in paragraph 7#b71 the ,secretary shall direct grantees to resume pre-crisis public hearing requirements4 7#b7 ,virtual public hearings ,during the period that national or local health authorities recommend social distancing and limiting public gatherings for public health reasons1 a grantee may fulfill applicable public hearing requirements for all grants from funds made available pursuant to this section by carrying out virtual public hearings4 ,any such virtual hearings shall provide reasonable notification and access for citizens in accordance with the grantee's certifications1 timely responses from local officials to all citizen questions and issues1 and public access to all questions and responses4 7l7 ,administration ,of any amounts made available pursuant to subsection 7a71 not more than the lesser of #j4e percent1 or #ae1jjj1jjj1 may be used for staffing1 training1 technical assistance1 technology1 monitoring1 research1 and evaluation activities necessary to carry out the program carried out under this section1 and such amounts shall remain available until ,september #cj1 #bjbd4