,i #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #igcc ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #af1 #bjbf,ms4 ,clarke of ,new ,york 7for herself1 ,ms4 ,tlaib1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,mr4 ,magaziner1 ,mr4 ,takano1 ,mr4 ,mc,govern1 ,mrs4 ,ramirez1 ,mr4 ,jackson of ,illinois1 ,mr4 ,bell1 ,ms4 ,pingree1 ,mr4 ,norcross1 ,mr4 ,carter of ,louisiana1 and ,mr4 ,garca of ,illinois7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,financial ,services ,a ,,bill ,to establish a ,federal ,interagency ,council on ,housing ,affordability and ,preservation1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,interagency ,council on ,affordable ,housing ,act of #bjbf4 #b4 ,establishment ,there is established in the executive branch an independent establishment to be known as the ,united ,states ,interagency ,council on ,housing ,affordability and ,preservation1 whose mission shall be to develop ,federal policy designed to preserve and increase affordable housing supply and increase fairness in the rental market and further the principles of fair housing and create a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to carry out such purposes4 #c4 ,membership 7a7 ,members ,the ,council shall be composed of the heads of the following agencies or offices1 or the designee of such agency or office head3 7#a7 ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development4 7#b7 ,department of ,justice4 7#c7 ,department of ,labor4 7#d7 ,department of the ,treasury4 7#e7 ,bureau of ,consumer ,financial ,protection4 7#f7 ,department of ,health and ,human ,services4 7#g7 ,department of ,education4 7#h7 ,department of ,veterans ,affairs4 7#i7 ,department of ,agriculture4 7#aj7 ,department of ,commerce4 7#aa7 ,department of ,defense4 7#ab7 ,department of ,energy4 7#ac7 ,department of ,homeland ,security4 7#ad7 ,department of ,interior4 7#ae7 ,department of ,transportation4 7#af7 ,corporation for ,national and ,community ,service4 7#ag7 ,general ,services ,administration4 7#ah7 ,office of ,management and ,budget4 7#ai7 ,social ,security ,administration4 7#bj7 ,united ,states ,postal ,service4 7#ba7 ,white ,house ,office on ,faith-,based and ,neighborhood ,partnerships4 7b7 ,chairperson ,the ,council shall elect a ,chairperson and a ,vice ,chairperson from among its members4 ,the positions of ,chairperson and ,vice ,chairperson shall rotate among its members on an annual basis4 7c7 ,meetings ,the ,council shall meet at the call of its ,chairperson or a majority of its members1 but not less often than four times each year1 and the rotation of the positions of ,chairperson and ,vice ,chairperson required under subsection 7b7 shall occur at the first meeting of each year4 7d7 ,prohibition of additional pay ,members of the ,council shall receive no additional pay1 allowances1 or benefits by reason of their service on the ,council4 7e7 ,administration ,the ,executive ,director of the ,council shall report to the ,chairman of the ,council4 #d4 ,functions 7a7 ,duties ,the ,council shall-- 7#a7 not later than #ab months after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 develop1 make available for public comment1 and submit to the ,president and to the ,congress a ,national ,strategic ,plan to ,preserve ,affordable ,housing1 and shall update such plan annually2 7#b7 review all ,federal activities and programs relating to public housing1 affordable housing production1 affordable housing programs1 and housing voucher programs2 7#c7 monitor1 evaluate1 and recommend improvements in programs and activities to assist affordable housing production conducted by ,federal agencies1 ,state and local governments1 and private voluntary organizations2 7#d7 provide professional and technical assistance 7by not less than #e1 but in no case more than #aj1 regional coordinators employed by the ,council1 each having responsibility for interaction and coordination of the activities of the ,council within the #aj standard ,federal regions7 to ,states1 local governments1 and other public and private nonprofit organizations1 in order to enable such governments and organizations to-- 7,a7 interpret regulations and assist in the application process for ,federal assistance1 including grants2 7,b7 provide assistance on the ways in which ,federal programs may best be coordinated to complement the objectives of this ,act2 7,c7 develop recommendations and program ideas based on regional specific issues in serving homeless and low-income populations2 and 7,d7 establish a schedule for biennial regional workshops to be held by the ,council in each of the #aj standard ,federal regions to further carry out and provide the assistance described in subparagraphs 7,a71 7,b71 and 7,c7 and other appropriate assistance as necessary2 7#e7 encourage the creation of ,state ,interagency ,councils on ,affordable ,housing and the formulation of jurisdictional #aj-year plans to end homelessness at ,state1 city1 and county levels2 7#f7 annually obtain from ,federal agencies their identification of consumer-oriented entitlement and other resources for which individuals may be eligible and the agencies' identification of improvements to ensure access2 develop mechanisms to ensure access by persons and families to all ,federal1 ,state1 and local programs for which the persons are eligible1 and to verify collaboration among entities within a community that receive ,federal funding under programs targeted for persons experiencing homelessness1 and other affordable housing programs for which persons and families are eligible2 7#g7 conduct research and evaluation related to its functions as defined in this section2 7#h7 develop joint ,federal agency and other initiatives to fulfill the goals of the agency2 7#i7 collect and disseminate information relating to low-income individuals2 7#aj7 prepare the annual reports required in subsection 7c77#b72 7#aa7 prepare and distribute to ,states 7including ,state contact persons described in section #g7;a771 local governments1 and other public and private nonprofit organizations1 a bimonthly bulletin that describes the ,federal resources available to them to assist with affordable housing2 and 7#ab7 not later than #f months after completion of the report1 convene a meeting of representatives of all ,federal agencies and committees of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,senate having jurisdiction over any ,federal program to assist affordable housing programs or production1 local and ,state governments1 academic researchers who specialize in homelessness1 nonprofit housing and service providers that receive funding under any ,federal program to assist homeless individuals or families1 organizations advocating on behalf of such nonprofit providers and persons receiving housing or services under any such ,federal affordable housing program1 and persons receiving housing or services under any such ,federal program1 at which meeting such representatives shall discuss all issues relevant to the council's jurisdiction4 7b7 ,authority ,in carrying out subsection 7a71 the ,council may-- 7#a7 arrange national1 regional1 ,state1 and local conferences for the purpose of developing and coordinating effective programs and activities to assist in carrying out the mission described in section #b and pay for expenses of attendance at meetings which are concerned with the functions or activities for which the appropriation is made2 and 7#b7 publish a newsletter concerning ,federal1 ,state1 and local programs that are effective in carrying out such mission4 7c7 ,reports 7#a7 ,by agencies ,within #ij days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the head of each ,federal agency that is a member of the ,council shall prepare and transmit to the ,congress and the ,council a report that describes-- 7,a7 each affordable housing program administered by such agency and the number of individuals served by such program2 7,b7 impediments1 including any statutory and regulatory restrictions1 to the use by individuals of each such program and to obtaining services or benefits under each such program2 and 7,c7 efforts made by such agency to increase the opportunities for individuals to obtain permanent housing1 supportive services1 and access to legal services in regards to housing matters4 7#b7 ,by ,council ,the ,council shall prepare and transmit to the ,president and the ,congress an annual report that-- 7,a7 assesses the nature and extent of the problems relating to affordable housing and the needs of low-income individuals2 7,b7 provides a comprehensive and detailed description of the activities and accomplishments of the ,federal ,government in resolving the problems and meeting the needs assessed pursuant to subparagraph 7,a72 7,c7 describes the accomplishments and activities of the ,council1 in working with ,federal1 ,state1 and local agencies and public and private organizations in order to preserve and expand affordable housing2 7,d7 assesses the level of ,federal assistance necessary to adequately resolve the problems and meet the needs assessed pursuant to subparagraph 7,a72 and 7,e7 specifies any recommendations of the ,council for appropriate and necessary legislative and administrative actions to resolve such problems and meet such needs4 7d7 ,notification of ,other ,federal ,agencies ,if1 in monitoring and evaluating programs and activities to assist in carrying out the mission described in section #b conducted by other ,federal agencies1 the ,council determines that any significant problem1 abuse1 or deficiency exists in the administration of the program or activity of any ,federal agency1 the ,council shall submit a notice of the determination of the ,council to the ,inspector ,general of the ,federal agency 7or the head of the ,federal agency1 in the case of a ,federal agency that has no ,inspector ,general74 7e7 ,program ,timetables ,not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the head of each ,federal agency or office that is a member of the ,council and responsible for administering a program to assist in carrying out the mission described in section #b shall provide to the ,council a timetable regarding program funding availability and application deadlines4 ,the ,council shall furnish such information to each ,state 7including the ,state contact person described in section #g7;a774 #e4 ,director and staff 7a7 ,director ,the ,council shall appoint an ,executive ,director1 who shall be compensated at a rate not to exceed the rate of basic pay payable for level ,v of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecaf of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 ,the ,council shall appoint an ,executive ,director at the first meeting of the ,council held under section #c7;c74 7b7 ,additional personnel ,with the approval of the ,council1 the ,executive ,director of the ,council may appoint and fix the compensation of such additional personnel as the ,executive ,director considers necessary to carry out the duties of the ,council4 7c7 ,details ,from ,other ,agencies ,upon request of the ,council1 the head of any ,federal agency may detail1 on a reimbursable basis1 any of the personnel of such agency to the ,council to assist the ,council in carrying out its duties under this ,act4 7d7 ,administrative ,support ,the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development shall provide the ,council with such administrative and support services as are necessary to ensure that the ,council carries out its functions under this ,act in an efficient and expeditious manner4 7e7 ,experts and ,consultants ,with the approval of the ,council1 the ,executive ,director of the ,council may procure temporary and intermittent services under section #caji7;b7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 #f4 ,powers 7a7 ,meetings ,for the purpose of carrying out this ,act1 the ,council may hold such meetings1 and sit and act at such times and places1 as the ,council considers appropriate4 7b7 ,delegation ,any member or employee of the ,council may1 if authorized by the ,council1 take any action that the ,council is authorized to take in this ,act4 7c7 ,information ,the ,council may secure directly from any ,federal agency such information as may be necessary to enable the ,council to carry out this ,act4 ,upon request of the ,chairperson of the ,council1 the head of such agency shall furnish such information to the ,council4 7d7 ,donations ,the ,council may accept1 use1 and dispose of gifts or donations of services or property1 both real and personal1 public and private1 without fiscal year limitation1 for the purpose of aiding or facilitating the work of the ,council4 7e7 ,mails ,the ,council may use the ,united ,states mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other ,federal agencies4 #g4 ,encouragement of ,state involvement 7a7 ,state ,contact ,persons ,each ,state shall designate an individual to serve as a ,state contact person for the purpose of receiving and disseminating information and communications received from the ,council4 7b7 ,state ,interagency ,councils and ,lead ,agencies ,each ,state is encouraged to establish a ,state interagency council on housing affordability and preservation or designate a lead agency for the ,state for the purpose of assuming primary responsibility for coordinating and interacting with the ,council and ,state and local agencies as necessary4 #h4 ,definitions ,for purposes of this ,act1 the following definitions shall apply3 7#a7 ,council ,the term ,council means the ,united ,states ,interagency ,council on ,housing ,affordability and ,preservation established in section #b4 7#b7 ,federal agency ,the term ,federal agency has the meaning given the term agency in section #eea7a7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 #i4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this ,act #d1hjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbg through #bjca4 ,any amounts appropriated to carry out this ,act shall remain available until expended4