H.R. 4718 — Introduced in House

I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4718 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 18, 2023Ms. Malliotakis (for herself, Ms. Meng, Mr. Bacon, Ms. Clarke of New York, and Ms. Salazar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services A BILL To require each public housing agency to establish and maintain an online portal for tenants and applicants, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Housing Transparency Improvement Act. 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Covered housing The term covered housing means— (A) low-income housing; and (B) any property with assistance converted under the Rental Assistance Demonstration program authorized under title II of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112–55; 125 Stat. 673). (2) Families; low-income housing The terms families and low-income housing have the meanings given those terms in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)). (3) Public housing agency The term public housing agency— (A) has the meaning given the term in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)); and (B) includes any owner of low-income housing that enters into a housing assistance payments contract under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437o). (4) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (5) Small public housing agency The term small public housing agency means a public housing agency that— (A) owns, assists, or operates not more than 50 covered housing dwelling units; and (B) predominantly operates in a rural area, as described in section 1026.35(b)(2)(iv)(A) of title 12, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation. 3. Online portal (a) Establishment Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, each public housing agency shall establish and maintain an online portal on the website of the public housing agency through which families residing in and applicants for a covered housing dwelling owned, assisted, or operated by the public housing agency may— (1) access information, including contact information, relating to the performance evaluation, management, and control of the covered housing dwelling; (2) access a plain language list of the legal rights of each family residing in or applying for the covered housing dwelling, which shall be available for translation; and (3) track inquiries related to service requests and complaints submitted to the public housing agency through a tracking system described in subsection (b). (b) Tracking system (1) In general Each public housing agency shall establish, using existing software or through new software, a request tracking system, including for inquiry on the status of an application, short-term and long-term capital improvements, service requests, and complaints, submitted by a family residing in a covered housing dwelling owned, assisted, or operated by the public housing agency through which the families and applicants may track requests with real-time updates provided by the public housing agency. (2) Ticket database (A) Assignment of number The tracking system described in paragraph (1) shall contain a ticket database under which the public housing agency shall assign each inquiry, service request, or complaint submitted to a public housing agency by a family residing in or applicant for a covered housing dwelling owned, assisted, or operated by the public housing agency a ticket number. (B) Required information Each ticket number described in subparagraph (A) shall— (i) be searchable through the tracking system described in paragraph (1); (I) include a description of— (II) the nature of the inquiry, complaint, or request; (III) the most recent status of the inquiry, complaint, or request; (IV) whether or not the inquiry, complaint, or request is open or closed; (V) any action taken on the inquiry, complaint, or request, and any next steps to be taken; and (VI) any additional information as the public housing agency determines appropriate; and (ii) not publicly disclose any personal information relating to the inquiry, complaint, or request, including the unit number, name of the resident or applicant, or any other identifying information that is prohibited from disclosure under applicable laws. (c) Updates Each public housing agency shall ensure that the online portal established under subsection (a) is updated on a regular basis and contains the most recent information regarding inquiries, service requests, and complaints described in subsection (a)(3). (d) Reporting Each public housing agency shall, on an annual basis, develop a fact sheet for tenants residing in and applicants for a covered housing dwelling owned, assisted, or operated by the public housing agency that— (1) includes, in a clear and easily discernible manner— (A) the total amount and type of Federal. State, and local funds received for the fiscal year; (B) the funding streams for ongoing and upcoming capital improvement projects; (C) the most recent inspection date and score; (D) any major renovation, capital, or redevelopment plans; and (E) the name and contact information for the manager or management of the dwelling, if operating independently; and (2) is posted on the website of the public housing agency, is available in paper format, is available for translation, is available upon request, and is submitted as an addendum as part of the public housing agency plan required under section 5A of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437c–1) and as part of any other reporting requirement related to the civil rights obligations of the public housing agency. (e) Grants (1) In general The Secretary may make grants to public housing agencies in the amount necessary for the public housing agency to purchase, establish, and maintain the online portal required under this section. (2) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection. (f) Reporting Each public housing agency shall, on a quarterly basis, submit to the Secretary information on grants made under subsection (e), including how the amounts were used related to the online portal required under this section. (g) Incentives The Secretary shall consider the implementation and maintenance by a public housing agency of the online portal required under this section in the annual public housing assessment system described in part 902 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation. (h) Exemptions (1) In general The requirement to create and maintain an online portal under this section shall not apply to small public housing agencies. (2) Alternate method A small public housing agency that is exempted under paragraph (1) shall develop and implement and submit to the Secretary alternate methods for fulfilling the requirements under subsections (a) through (d).