,,ii #aaf? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ccje ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,febru>y #ac1 #bjbj,mr4 ,b5net introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,bank+1 ,h\s+1 & ,urban ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to e/abli% a grant program to provide legal assi/ance to eligible t5ants at risk ( or subject to eviction1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,legal ,assi/ance to ,prev5t ,evictions ,act ( #bjbj4 #b4 ,evictions assi/ance grant program 7a7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,eligible recipi5t ,! t]m eligible recipi5t means any nonpr(it or gov]nm5tal entity t has exp]i5ce provid+ no-co/ legal assi/ance to l[-income individuals4 7#b7 ,eligible t5ant ,! t]m eligible t5ant means an individual :o has an annual h\sehold income (-- 7,a7 n m ?an #ace p]c5t ( ! ,f$]al pov]ty guidel9es issu$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices2 or 7,b7 less ?an #ccc p]c5t ( ! av]age fair m>ket r5t 9 ! c\nty 9 :i* ! individual resides-- 7i7 9 ! case ( a h\sehold compris$ ( #a individual1 = an effici5cy2 & 7ii7 9 ! case ( a h\sehold compris$ ( m ?an #a individual1 = a resid5ce 9 :i* ! numb] ( b$rooms w\ld n require-- 7,i7 m ?an #b memb]s ( ! h\sehold to %>e a b$room2 7,,ii7 *ildr5 ( diff]5t g5d]s to %>e a b$room ) "o ano!r2 or 7,,iii7 a h\sehold memb] ) a disability requir+ m$ical equipm5t to %>e a b$room4 7#c7 ,rural area ,! t]m rural area means a c5sus tract t is-- 7,a7 outside ( a metropolitan /ati/ical area1 z designat$ by ! ,(fice ( ,managem5t & ,budget2 or 7,b7 7i7 )9 a metropolitan /ati/ical area1 z designat$ by ! ,(fice ( ,managem5t & ,budget1 t is outside ( ! urbaniz$ areas ( ! metropolitan /ati/ical area z designat$ by ! rural-urban commut+ area code #a1 z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture2 & 7ii7 outside ( tracts ) a h\s+ d5sity ( m ?an #fd h\s+ units p] squ>e mile locat$ 9 ! rural-urban commut+ area code #b1 z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture4 7#d7 ,secret>y ,! t]m ,secret>y means ! ,secret>y ( ,h\s+ & ,urban ,developm5t4 7#e7 ,suburban area ,! t]m suburban area means a c5sus tract ) a population d5sity ( less ?an #b1ejj inhabitants p] squ>e mile t is n a rural area4 7#f7 ,urban area ,! t]m urban area means a c5sus tract ) a population d5sity ( n less ?an #b1ejj inhabitants p] squ>e mile4 7b7 ,e/abli%m5t ,! ,secret>y %all e/abli% a competitive grant program to provide grants to eligible recipi5ts to provide legal assi/ance1 includ+ assi/ance relat$ to pretrial activities1 trial activities1 po/-trial activities1 & alt]native dispute resolution1 at no co/ to eligible t5ants at risk ( or subject to eviction4 7c7 ,application ,to be eligible to receive a grant "u ?is section1 an applicant %all submit an application to ! ,secret>y at su* "t1 9 su* mann]1 & conta9+ su* in=mation z ! ,secret>y may reasonably require1 includ+ evid5ce ( ! exp]i5ce ( ! applicant provid+ legal assi/ance 9 resid5tial eviction matt]s4 7d7 ,po9t sy/em = pref]5ce factors ,9 aw>d+ grants "u ?is section1 ! ,secret>y %all-- 7#a7 e/abli% a sy/em t aw>ds po9ts to applicants 9 accordance ) ! pref]5ce factors describ$ 9 subsection 7e72 & 7#b7 give priority to applicants ) ! greate/ numb] ( po9ts "u ! sy/em e/abli%$ "u p>agraph 7#a74 7e7 ,pref]5ce factors ,! pref]5ce factors = :i* an applicant %all be aw>d$ po9ts "u ! sy/em e/abli%$ pursuant to subsection 7d77#a7 are z foll[s3 7#a7 ,eviction rate pref]5ce 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y %all aw>d po9ts if ! applicant w use grant funds aw>d$ "u ?is section to provide s]vices 9 c5sus tracts ) high rates ( eviction4 7,b7 ,det]m9ation ,9 mak+ a det]m9ation "u subp>agraph 7,a71 ! ,secret>y %all use data det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y to be ! be/ available1 or1 if no appropriate data is available1 %all make reasonable inf]5ces to det]m9e ! rate ( eviction 9 a c5sus tract4 7,c7 ,limitations ,! ,secret>y may n-- 7i7 require applicants to provide data on ! rates ( eviction 9 ! c5sus tract 9 :i* ! applicant int5ds to provide s]vices2 or 7ii7 aw>d m po9ts to applicants :o provide ! data describ$ 9 clause 7i7 ?an to applicants :o d n provide t data4 7#b7 ,capacity pref]5ce 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y %all aw>d po9ts if ! ,secret>y det]m9es t ! applicant has a great] capacity to produce m favorable outcomes reg>d+ eviction = eligible t5ants4 7,b7 ,consid]ations ,9 mak+ a det]m9ation "u subp>agraph 7,a71 ! ,secret>y may consid] ! applicant's-- 7i7 pa/ exp]i5ce 9 produc+ favorable outcomes = h\seholds fac+ eviction2 7ii7 propos$ use ( grant funds to increase /aff res\rces to provide legal assi/ance2 7iii7 demon/rat$ pa/ effective use ( res\rces to provide legal assi/ance2 7iv7 ability to provide s]vices to eligible t5ants ) limit$ ,engli% pr(ici5cy2 & 7v7 ability to effectively communicate ) eligible t5ants ) disabilities4 7#c7 ,pref]5ce = gov]nm5t entities t promote t5ant rights 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y %all aw>d po9ts to an applicant t is a gov]nm5tal entity if ! applicant has 9 effect laws or regulations t promote t5ant rights4 7,b7 ,consid]ations ,9 mak+ a det]m9ation "u subp>agraph 7,a71 ! ,secret>y-- 7i7 %all consid] laws or regulations e/abli%+ a t5ant's "r to-- 7,i7 c\nsel 9 evictions cases2 7,,ii7 )hold r5t if a l&lord fails to provide ess5tial s]vices to ensure habitability ( ! premises2 7,,iii7 d$uct appliance repair co/s f r5t ow$2 7,,iv7 notice ( failure to pay r5t or o!r lease violation ) ! "r to cure2 7,v7 a maximum security deposit equal to #a mon?'s r5t2 & 7,,vi7 ! exp$iti\s return ( any security deposit aft] t]m9at+ a lease2 & 7ii7 may consid]1 ) less] weight giv5 ?an ! weight giv5 to ^? rights describ$ 9 clause 7i71 laws or regulations e/abli%+ a t5ant's "r to-- 7,i7 advance notice ( r5t increases2 7,,ii7 advance notice ( l&lord entry to ! prop]ty2 or 7,,iii7 adequate "t to recov] ab&on$ prop]ty aft] eviction4 7,c7 ,limitation ,po9ts aw>d$ "u ?is p>agraph %all n result 9 an applicant gov]nm5tal entity be+ aw>d$ a grant t1 9 ! abs5ce ( ?is p>agraph1 w\ld h be5 aw>d$ to ei!r an applicant nonpr(it entity or an applicant gov]nm5tal entity lack+ ! legal au?ority to enact laws or regulations describ$ 9 ?is p>agraph because ! entity is subject to legal re/rictions enact$ by ano!r gov]nm5tal entity4 7f7 ,rural equity ,9 aw>d+ grants "u ?is section1 ! ,secret>y-- 7#a7 %all1 to ! ext5t practicable1 ensure t ! proportion ( eligible t5ants liv+ 9 rural areas :o w receive legal assi/ance ) grant funds aw>d$ "u ?is section is n less ?an ! ov]all proportion ( eligible t5ants :o live 9 rural areas2 & 7#b7 may consid] geographic div]sity & ! capacity ( an applicant to s]ve eligible t5ants liv+ 9 rural areas4 7g7 ,supplem5t1 n supplant ,grant funds receiv$ "u ?is section %all be us$ to supplem5t & n supplant o!r funds us$ by ! grantee to provide ! legal assi/ance describ$ 9 subsection 7b74 7h7 ,report ,= ea* ye> t an eligible recipi5t receives grant funds "u ?is section1 ! eligible recipi5t %all submit to ! ,secret>y a report t-- 7#a7 ma9ta9s attorney-cli5t confid5tiality & excludes p]sonally id5tifiable in=mation ab\t eligible t5ants2 & 7#b7 conta9s-- 7,a7 ! total numb] ( eligible t5ants t 7 provid$ legal assi/ance us+ ! grant funds2 7,b7 ! e/imat$ numb] ( evictions avoid$1 delay$1 or resolv$ ) o!r outcomes1 su* z negotiat$ settlem5ts1 t are m favorable to ! eligible t5ant ?an ! outcomes t w\ld h be5 expect$ 9 ! abs5ce ( c\nsel1 & a brief description ( ! circum/ances ( ea* case2 7,c7 ! numb] ( eligible t5ants t receiv$ legal assi/ance t reside 9 a dwell+ unit = :i* any subsidy or assi/ance = occupancy 9 ! dwell+ unit is provid$ "u a program adm9i/]$ by a ,f$]al1 ,/ate1 or local au?ority2 & 7,d7 demographic in=mation ab\t eligible t5ants t receiv$ legal assi/ance1 includ+ race1 national orig91 sex1 disability /atus1 h\sehold income1 h\sehold size1 h\sehold familial /atus1 age ( ! head ( h\sehold1 & :e!r t5ants live 9 an urban area1 suburban area1 or rural area4