,,ii #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ciaj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #ab1 #bjbd,mr4 ,brown introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,banking1 ,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to provide technical assistance and grants for faith-based organizations1 institutions of higher education1 and local governments to increase the supply of affordable rental housing1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,yes in ,god's ,backyard ,act4 #b4 ,technical assistance and grants for faith-based organizations1 institutions of higher education1 and local governments to remove barriers to and increase the supply of affordable rental housing ,title ,,ii of the ,cranston-,gonzalez ,national ,affordable ,housing ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abgba et seq471 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,g ,technical assistance and grants for faith-based organizations1 institutions of higher education1 and local governments to remove barriers and to increase the supply of affordable rental housing #bij4 ,definitions ,in this subtitle3 7#a7 ,affordable rental housing ,the term affordable rental housing means housing available to the public charging a monthly rent that is not more than #cj percent of household income of a covered household4 7#b7 ,at risk of homelessness ,the term at risk of homelessness has the meaning given the term in section #dja of the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,homeless ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aacfj74 7#c7 ,covered household ,the term covered household means a household with income that is at or below #ajj percent of area median income as defined by the ,secretary4 7#d7 ,extremely low-income families ,the term extremely low-income families has the meaning given the term in section #c7;b7 of the ,united ,states ,housing ,act of #aicg 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #adcg;a74 7#e7 ,faith-based organization ,the term faith-based organization-- 7,a7 has the meaning given the term by the ,secretary2 and 7,b7 includes any organization assisted by the ,partnership ,center4 7#f7 ,homeless ,the term homeless has the meaning given the term in section #ajc of the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,homeless ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aacjb74 7#g7 ,institution of higher education ,the term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja74 7#h7 ,partnership center ,the term ,partnership ,center means the ,center for ,faith-,based and ,neighborhood ,partnerships in the ,office of the ,secretary or any successor office4 #bia4 ,technical assistance program 7a7 ,program ,the ,secretary shall establish a program to provide technical assistance to assist faith-based organizations1 institutions of higher education1 and local governments in order to remove barriers to the production and preservation of affordable rental housing on property owned by faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education4 7b7 ,contents ,the program established under subsection 7a7 shall consist of resources related to-- 7#a7 understanding how excess property owned by faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education can be developed into affordable rental housing and how existing affordable rental housing can be preserved2 7#b7 the development and preservation of affordable rental housing on property owned by faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education1 including-- 7,a7 housing for households at or below #fj percent of area median income2 7,b7 housing for individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness1 including veterans2 7,c7 accessible rental housing for individuals with disabilities2 7,d7 housing for intergenerational families under section #bjc of the ,,legacy ,act of #bjjc 7#ab ,u4,s4,c4 #agjaq note72 7,e7 housing for other special needs populations as determined by the ,secretary2 and 7,f7 housing that would increase equitable access to well-resourced areas of opportunity2 7#c7 ,federal assistance for affordable rental housing production and preservation1 including information on federally assisted rental housing programs1 and services for residents2 7#d7 best practices in the housing development and preservation processes1 including selection of development1 preservation1 and management partners1 considerations regarding land lease1 ownership1 or sale ensuring equitable access to housing1 and other considerations2 7#e7 best practices for ,state and local governments to remove barriers to and encourage the production of affordable rental housing1 especially in well-resourced areas of opportunity1 on property owned by faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education2 and 7#f7 any other areas as determined by the ,secretary4 7c7 ,consultation ,in developing technical assistance and other resources under this section1 the ,secretary shall consult with the ,partnership ,center and other ,federal agencies administering affordable housing and related programs1 including the ,departments of ,agriculture1 the ,treasury1 and ,health and ,human ,services4 7d7 ,dissemination ,the resources described in subsection 7b7 shall be made publicly available4 7e7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section-- 7#a7 #be1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbd2 and 7#b7 #aj1jjj1jjj each of fiscal years #bjbe through #bjbi4 #bib4 ,challenge grants to remove barriers to and increase affordable rental housing supply on property owned by faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,eligible grantee ,the term eligible grantee means-- 7,a7 a unit of general local government2 7,b7 a ,state2 7,c7 a metropolitan planning organization2 and 7,d7 a multi-jurisdiction entity1 as defined by the ,secretary4 7#b7 ,state2 unit of general local government ,the terms ,state and unit of general local government have the meanings given those terms in section #ajb of the ,housing and ,community ,development ,act of #aigd 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjb74 7b7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary shall establish a ,challenge ,grant program to make grants on a competitive basis to eligible grantees that have policies in effect that are designed to remove barriers to the production and preservation of affordable rental housing on property owned by faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education4 7c7 ,application 7#a7 ,in general ,an eligible entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit to the ,secretary an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 7#b7 ,other requirements ,in order to receive a grant under this section1 an applicant shall-- 7,a7 demonstrate that the applicant has policies in effect designed to remove barriers to the production or preservation of affordable housing on property owned by faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education1 as determined by the ,secretary2 7,b7 make publicly available a proposed plan for use of a grant under this section and solicit comments on the plan2 and 7,c7 address the disposition of public comments described in paragraph 7#b7 in a final plan submitted to the ,secretary as part of the grant application4 7d7 ,preference ,in making awards under this section1 the ,secretary shall give preference to applicants that propose to use the grant to produce or preserve-- 7#a7 affordable rental housing for families with incomes below #fj percent of area median income1 as determined by the ,secretary in well-resourced areas of opportunity2 7#b7 affordable rental housing for extremely low-income families2 7#c7 affordable rental housing or non-congregate emergency housing for individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness1 including veterans2 7#d7 affordable and accessible rental housing for individuals with disabilities2 7#e7 affordable rental housing for intergenerational families under section #bjc of the ,,legacy ,act of #bjjc 7#ab ,u4,s4,c4 #agjaq note72 or 7#f7 affordable rental housing for other special needs populations as designated by the ,secretary4 7e7 ,allowable uses ,an eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall use grant funds to carry out #a or more of the following activities pertaining to the removal of barriers to and encouraging the production and preservation of affordable rental housing on property owned by faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education3 7#a7 ,assessing and removing local policy and procedural barriers to and adopting best practices to encourage the development of affordable rental housing under this section4 7#b7 ,outreach to and technical assistance for faith-based organizations1 institutions of higher education1 and other community partners to facilitate production and preservation of affordable rental housing4 7#c7 ,making grants and loans to projects that produce or preserve affordable rental housing under this section4 7#d7 ,such other activities that will further the purposes of this subtitle1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7f7 ,reporting and data collection ,a grantee under this section shall submit such information as the ,secretary may require in order to monitor1 assist1 and evaluate the performance of the grantee and program under this section4 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #ej1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbd through #bjbi4 7#b7 ,administrative costs ,of the funds authorized to be appropriated under paragraph 7#a71 not more than #aj percent may be used by the ,secretary for administering the grant program established under this section4 4