,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fhbc ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #ab1 #bjbj,mr4 ,huffman 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,johnson of ,texas1 and ,mr4 ,hastings7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,financial ,services ,a ,,bill ,to expand the housing choice voucher program of the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development to provide temporary housing during the ,,covid-#ai health crisis1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,covid-#ai ,serving the ,homeless by ,expanding the ,list of ,tenant ,eligible ,residences ,act of #bjbj or the ,,shelter ,act of #bjbj 4 #b4 ,covid-emergency housing voucher program 7a7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year #bjbj to fund #ejj1jjj incremental vouchers for tenant-based assistance under the housing choice voucher program under section #h7o7 of the ,united ,states ,housing ,act of #aicg 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #adcg;f7o771 to be made available in accordance with such section #h7o7 except to the extent otherwise provided in this section4 7b7 ,eligible families ,housing voucher assistance under this section may be provided on behalf only of low-income families who1 as of the creating a disaster recovery voucher recovery program for individuals who were unsheltered or living in shelters as of the declaration 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 of the emergency relating to the ,coronavirus ,disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai7 pandemic4 7c7 ,eligible dwelling units ,in addition to dwelling units eligible to be rented using assistance under section #h7o7 of the ,united ,states ,housing ,act of #aicg1 rental assistance under this section may be used to rent dwelling units that meet the following requirements3 7#a7 ,types of housing ,the dwelling unit is of one of the following types3 7,a7 ,special housing types ,all special housing types identified in section #ihb4fja of the ,secretary's regulations 7#bd ,c4,f4,r4 #ihb4fja74 7,b7 ,junior accessory dwelling units ,a dwelling unit that-- 7i7 does not exceed #ejj square feet in size2 and 7ii7 is contained entirely within an existing single-family structure4 ,such a unit may include separate sanitation facilities and or may share sanitation facilities with the existing structure4 7,c7 ,recreational vehicles ,recreational vehicles that are equipped with a bathroom and cooking facility4 7,d7 ,hotel and motel rooms ,vacant rooms in hotels and motels1 except that in the case of a hotel or motel that has an existing contract with a public housing agency providing rental assistance with respect to any rooms occupied by eligible families under subsection 7b7-- 7i7 the hotel or motel may1 at its discretion1 extend its existing contract with the applicable public housing agency to allow the families residing in the rooms to extend their occupancies under such contract using such voucher2 or 7ii7 in the case of a hotel or motel that elects not to extend such contract1 at the discretion of the hotel or motel1 the eligible family may use such a voucher to continue occupying such room4 7,e7 ,short-term rental units ,a dwelling unit made available for short-term rental by the owner of the dwelling unit1 including by an online marketplace such as ,airbnb or ,home,away4 7,f7 ,temporary emergency shelter ,a temporary emergency shelter that under the #ajth proviso under the heading ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development--,community ,planning and ,development--,homeless ,assistance ,grants in title ,,xii of subtitle ,b of the ,,cares ,act 7,public ,law #aaf-acf7 is eligible to be assisted with amounts made available under such heading4 7#b7 ,owner agreement ,the owner of the dwelling unit is an individual and voluntarily agrees to rent the dwelling unit in connection with assistance under this section4 7#c7 ,kitchen ,the dwelling unit-- 7,a7 7i7 contains a kitchen or cooking facility2 or 7ii7 has access to a communal kitchen or cooking facility2 or 7,b7 is exempted from the requirement under subparagraph 7,a7 on a case-by-case basis by the ,state or local government agency1 public housing agency1 or other entity administering such assistance4 7d7 ,waiver of eligibility requirements ,in providing assistance under this section1 the ,secretary shall waive the requirements under the following provisions of section #h of the ,united ,states ,housing ,act of #aicg 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #adcg;f7-- 7#a7 ,tenant rent contribution ,subsection 7o77#b7 of such section1 relating to tenant contributions towards rent1 except that any such waiver shall expire on an individual's return to work4 7#b7 ,eligible families ,subsection 7o77#d7 of such section1 relating to the eligibility of individuals and families to receive assistance4 7#c7 ,verification of income ,subsections 7k7 and 7o77#e71 relating to verification of income4 7#d7 ,lease term ,subsection 7o77#g77;,a71 relating to the requirement that leases shall be for a term of #a year4 7#e7 ,portability ,subsection 7r77#a77;,b71 relating to restrictions on portability4 7e7 ,use of funds ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 funds available for assistance under this section-- 7#a7 shall be available to cover the cost of-- 7,a7 rent2 7,b7 security and utility deposits2 7,c7 relocation expenses1 including expenses incurred in relocating back to an assisted family's original area of residence2 and 7,d7 such additional expenses as the ,secretary determines necessary2 and 7#b7 shall be used by the ,secretary-- 7,a7 for payments to public housing agencies1 ,state or local government agencies1 or other voucher administrators for voucher assistance under this section2 and 7f7 ,payment standard ,for purposes of assistance under this section1 the payment standard for each size of dwelling unit in a market area may not exceed #aej percent1 or such higher percentage that the ,secretary may approve1 of the fair market rental established under section #h7;c7 of the ,united ,states ,housing ,act of #aicg for the same size dwelling unit in the same market area1 and shall be not less than #gj percent of such fair market rental4 7g7 ,authority ,to contract with ,,phas and others ,the ,secretary may contract with any ,state or local government agency or public housing agency1 or in consultation with any ,state or local government agency1 with any other entity1 to administer assistance payments under this section and ensure that such payments are provided in an efficient and expeditious manner4 7h7 ,nondiscrimination ,in selecting individuals or families for tenancy1 a landlord or owner may not exclude or penalize an individual or family solely because any portion of the rental payment of that individual or family is provided under this section4 7i7 ,duration ,a voucher under this subsection for rental assistance shall provide such assistance for a period of #bd months1 except that such period may be extended if the ,secretary considers necessary to respond to the public health emergency relating to ,coronavirus ,disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai7 or for other reasons4 7j7 ,allocation ,amounts made available for assistance under this section shall be allocated to public housing agencies based on the ,secretary's most recent point-in-time count of the extent of homelessness in the area served by such public housing agencies4 7k7 ,direct administration by ,secretary ,if the ,secretary determines that a ,state or local government agency1 public housing agency1 or other entity is unable to implement this section due to the effects of the public health emergency relating to ,,covid-#ai1 the ,secretary may-- 7#a7 directly administer a voucher program under this section for the area affected2 and 7#b7 perform the functions in connection with such administration that are assigned by this subsection to a ,state or local agency1 public housing agency1 or other entity4 7l7 ,study ,the ,secretary shall conduct a study to determine the feasibility of permanently authorizing the types described in subparagraphs 7,b7 through 7,d7 of subsection 7c77#a7 as special housing types for purposes of the housing choice voucher program under section #h7o7 of the ,united ,states ,housing ,act of #aicg 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #adcg;f7o77 and identify permanent housing opportunities for families and individuals assisted under this section4 ,not later than the expiration of the #ab-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit a report to the ,congress specifying the results of and recommendations from the study pursuant to this subsection4 7m7 ,notice of availability of assistance ,the ,secretary shall establish procedures for ,state and local agencies1 public housing agencies1 and other entities administering assistance under this section to provide notice of the availability of assistance under this section to individuals or families that may be eligible for such assistance4 7n7 ,definitions ,for purposes of this ,act1 the following definitions shall apply3 7#a7 ,,covid-#ai emergency period ,the term ,,covid-#ai emergency period means the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this ,act and ending upon the date of the expiration of the #ah-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 pandemic4 7#b7 ,public housing agency ,the term public housing agency has the meaning given such term in section #c7;b7 of the ,united ,states ,housing ,act of #aicg 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #adcg;a7b774 7#c7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development4 #c4 ,authorization of appropriations for housing choice vouchers ,in addition to amounts authorized to be appropriated under section #b7;a71 there is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year #bjbj to fund #bjj1jjj incremental vouchers for tenant-based assistance under the housing choice voucher program under section #h7o7 of the ,united ,states ,housing ,act of #aicg 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #adcg;f7o774