Grants for Planning and Implementation Associated with Affordable Housing
Section 207 · Sec. 207 ·
What this chapter is about
This part sets up grants for planning work on affordable housing. States, cities, counties, and planning agencies can compete for them. The money may not pay for building or repair work. No more than a tenth may go to running costs. The program ends five years after this law passes.
“(A) increase the amount of available housing to meet the demand for such housing and any projected increase in the demand for such housing; (B) increase the affordability of housing;”
The section defines an eligible entity as a State, insular area, metropolitan city, or urban county as those terms are used in section 102 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, or a regional planning agency or consortium of such agencies. It defines a housing plan as a plan to increase the amount and affordability of housing, increase accessibility for people with disabilities, preserve or improve housing quality, reduce barriers to development, and coordinate with transportation agencies.
What the document actually says
“(A) increase the amount of available housing to meet the demand for such housing and any projected increase in the demand for such housing; (B) increase the affordability of housing;”
That sentence, in plain words
One aim of a housing plan is more homes. It must meet what people need now and what they will need later. Another aim is homes people can pay for.
What this is about
A housing plan is a written plan for an area. It also covers homes people with disabilities can use. It has to line up with plans for buses and trains.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
The document says “shall”Who acts: Secretary of Housing and Urban DevelopmentHow: statuteSec. 207 in the PDF
What the document says
“Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program to award grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to assist planning and implementation activities associated with affordable housing, except that such grant awards may not be used for construction, alteration, or repair work.”
The section requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to set up, within a year of enactment, a competitive grant program helping eligible entities with planning and implementation work tied to affordable housing, and bars the grants from paying for construction, alteration, or repair.
What the document actually says
“Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program to award grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to assist planning and implementation activities associated with affordable housing, except that such grant awards may not be used for construction, alteration, or repair work.”
That sentence, in plain words
The housing agency must set up a grant program within a year. Groups compete for the money. It pays for planning work on affordable housing. It may not pay for building or repair.
What this is about
Planning is the work done before anything is built. It covers maps, codes, and studies. This money stops where the building starts.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
The document says “shall”Who acts: regional planning agenciesHow: statuteSec. 207 in the PDF
What the document says
“(A) the development of housing plans; (B) the substantial improvement of State or local housing strategies; (C) the development of new regulatory requirements and processes; (D) updating zoning codes;”
A regional planning agency or consortium that receives money under the section must use it for planning work on affordable housing, including developing housing plans, substantially improving State or local housing strategies, developing new regulatory requirements and processes, updating zoning codes, building capacity for housing inspections and for reducing barriers to housing supply and affordability, developing local or regional community development plans, and improving community development strategies.
What the document actually says
“(A) the development of housing plans; (B) the substantial improvement of State or local housing strategies; (C) the development of new regulatory requirements and processes; (D) updating zoning codes;”
That sentence, in plain words
The money can pay for writing housing plans. It can pay for making a state or local plan much better. It can pay for new rules and steps. It can pay for updating zoning codes.
What this is about
A zoning code says what can be built where. Updating one takes time and staff. This money pays for that work.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
The document says “shall”Who acts: States, insular areas, metropolitan cities, urban countiesHow: statuteSec. 207 in the PDF
What the document says
“(A) implement and administer housing strategies and housing plans; (B) implement and administer any plans to increase housing choice, address disparities in housing needs, and provide greater access to opportunity;”
A State, insular area, metropolitan city, or urban county that receives money under the section must use it to carry out and administer housing strategies and plans, plans to increase housing choice and address disparities, community investments supporting those plans, regulatory work on reformed zoning codes, capacity for housing inspections and for reducing barriers to housing supply and affordability, local or regional community development plans, and planning to increase affordable housing, transit access, and location-efficient development goals.
What the document actually says
“(A) implement and administer housing strategies and housing plans; (B) implement and administer any plans to increase housing choice, address disparities in housing needs, and provide greater access to opportunity;”
That sentence, in plain words
The money can pay to carry out housing plans and run them. It can pay to carry out plans that widen housing choice and close gaps in what people need.
What this is about
The planning agencies write the plans. The states and cities put them to work. That is why the two lists differ.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
The document says “may not”Who acts: eligible entitiesHow: statuteSec. 207 in the PDF
What the document says
“A eligible entity that receives amounts under this section may not use more than 10 percent of those amounts for administrative costs.”
The section bars an eligible entity from using more than 10 percent of the money it receives for administrative costs.
What the document actually says
“A eligible entity that receives amounts under this section may not use more than 10 percent of those amounts for administrative costs.”
That sentence, in plain words
Some of the money can pay for running the program. That share stops at 10 percent.
What this is about
Administrative costs are the cost of paperwork and staff time. Every program has some. The cap keeps most of the money on the work itself.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
The document says “shall”Who acts: Secretary of Housing and Urban DevelopmentHow: statuteSec. 207 in the PDF
What the document says
“To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall coordinate with the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration in carrying out this section.”
The section requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, so far as practicable, to coordinate with the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration in carrying out the section.
What the document actually says
“To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall coordinate with the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration in carrying out this section.”
That sentence, in plain words
The housing agency must work with the transit agency. That holds as far as it can be done.
What this is about
Where homes go and where buses run are linked. Two agencies handle those matters. The law tells them to talk.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
The document says “may not”Who acts: Secretary of Housing and Urban DevelopmentHow: statuteSec. 207 in the PDF
What the document says
“After the expiration of the 5-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary may not newly establish a program as described in this section.”
The section bars the Secretary from newly establishing a program of this kind once five years have run from enactment, and separately provides that the program established under the section terminates five years after enactment.
What the document actually says
“After the expiration of the 5-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary may not newly establish a program as described in this section.”
That sentence, in plain words
Five years after this law starts, the door closes. After that the housing agency may not start a new program of this kind.
What this is about
A second rule ends the program already running. Both clocks run five years. Congress must act again to keep it going.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
Each distinct thing the section does: the definitions of eligible entity and housing plan, the grant program and the bar on construction spending, what regional planning agencies may spend the money on, what States, insular areas, cities, and counties may spend it on, the cap on administrative costs, the coordination with the Federal Transit Administration, the cutoff on starting a new program, and the end date.
The full lists of eligible uses under each of the two groups are summarized rather than quoted item by item.
The definitions of State, insular area, metropolitan city, and urban county come from section 102 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, and housing strategy comes from section 105 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act. Neither Act is indexed here.
