US Codex
Pub. L.
Notes

Title VIII — Accountability, Coordination, Studies, and Reporting

119th Congress · Approved Jul 11, 2026 · 140 Stat. 846

TITLE VIII Accountability, Coordination, Studies, and Reporting

SEC. 801. Hud–usda–va Interagency Coordination Act.

(a)
Memorandum of Understanding.— The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a memorandum of understanding, or other appropriate interagency agreement, to share relevant housing-related research and market data that facilitate evidence-based policymaking.
(b)
Interagency Report.—
(1)
Report.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report containing—
(A)
a description of opportunities for increased collaboration between the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reduce inefficiencies in housing programs;
(B)
a list of Federal laws (including regulations) that adversely affect the availability and affordability of new construction of assisted housing and single-family and multifamily residential housing subject to mortgages insured under title II of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1707 et seq.), insured, guaranteed, or made by the Secretary of Agriculture under title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.), or insured, guaranteed, or made by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under chapter 37 of title 38, United States Code; and
(C)
recommendations for Congress regarding the Federal laws (including regulations) described in subparagraph (B).
(2)
Publication.— The report required under paragraph (1) shall, prior to submission under this subsection, be published in the Federal Register and open for comment for a period of 30 days.

SEC. 802. Streamlining Rural Housing Act.

(a)
In General.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of Agriculture shall enter into a memorandum of understanding to—
(1)
evaluate categorical exclusions under the environmental review process for housing projects funded by amounts from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture;
(2)
develop a process to designate a lead agency and streamline adoption of Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments approved by the other Department to construct housing projects funded by both agencies;
(3)
maintain compliance with environmental regulations under part 58 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on January 1, 2025, except as required to amend, add, or remove categorical exclusions identified under section 58.35 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, through standard rulemaking procedures; and
(4)
evaluate the feasibility of a joint physical inspection process for housing projects funded by amounts from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture.
(b)
Report.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report that includes recommendations for legislative, regulatory, or administrative actions—
(1)
to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of housing projects funded by amounts from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture; and
(2)
that do not materially, with respect to residents of housing projects described in paragraph (1)—
(A)
reduce the safety of those residents;
(B)
shift long-term costs onto those residents; or
(C)
undermine the environmental standards of those residents.

SEC. 803. Improving Self-Sufficiency of Families in Hud-Subsidized Housing.

(a)
In General.—
(1)
Study.— Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall conduct a study on the implementation of work requirements implemented prior to the date of enactment of this Act by public housing agencies described in paragraph (4) participating in the Moving to Work demonstration authorized under section 204 of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 (42 U.S.C. 1437f note).
(2)
Scope.— The study required under paragraph (1) shall—
(A)
consider the short-, medium-, and long-term benefits and challenges of work requirements on public housing agencies described in paragraph (4) and on program participants who are subject to such requirements, including the effects work requirements have on homelessness rates, poverty rates, asset building, earnings growth, job attainment and retention, and public housing agencies’ administrative capacity; and
(B)
include quantitative and qualitative evidence, including interviews with program participants described in subparagraph (A) and their respective resident councils.
(3)
Report.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report on the initial findings of the study required under paragraph (1).
(4)
Public housing agencies described.— The public housing agencies described in this paragraph are public housing agencies that, as part of an application to participate in the demonstration authorized under section 204 of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 (42 U.S.C. 1437f note), submit a proposal identifying work requirements as an innovative proposal.
(b)
Determination.— The requirement under subsection (a) shall apply if the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development determines that—
(1)
there are a sufficient number of public housing agencies described in subsection (a)(4) such that the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development can rigorously evaluate the impact of the implementation of work requirements described in that subsection; and
(2)
the study would not negatively impact low-income families receiving assistance through a public housing agency described in subsection (a)(4).

SEC. 804. Gao Studies.

(a)
Workforce Housing Study.—
(1)
Middle-income household defined.— In this subsection, the term “middle-income household” means a household with an income above 80 percent but that does not exceed 120 percent of the median family income of the area, as determined by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development with adjustments for smaller and larger families.
(2)
Study.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study and submit to Congress a report that—
(A)
identifies obstacles middle-income households face when looking to secure affordable housing;
(B)
identifies geographic areas where housing is the most unaffordable and unavailable for middle-income households;
(C)
includes a list of Federal housing programs, including Federal tax credits, grants, and loan programs, that are not available to middle-income households due to their income status, including Federal housing programs designed to promote affordability;
(D)
recommends income and other parameters to establish a clear and consistent Federal definition for the term “workforce housing” for use when describing the segment of housing that could be made available to those middle-income households in Federal housing programs if funding commensurate with the additional eligibility were to be made available; and
(E)
analyzes how to modify or newly develop new Federal housing programs and incentives to include “workforce housing” if funding commensurate with the additional eligibility were to be made available.
(b)
Housing for Elderly or Disabled.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall carry out a study and submit to Congress a report that identifies options to remove barriers and improve housing for persons who are elderly or disabled, including any potential impacts of providing capital advances for—
(1)
the program for supportive housing for the elderly under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q); and
(2)
the program for supportive housing for persons with disabilities under section 811 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 8013).
(c)
Proximity of Housing to Superfund Sites.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall carry out a study and submit to Congress a report that identifies how many residential dwelling units, and how many dwelling units that are a part of public housing (as defined in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b))), are located less than 1 mile from a site that is included on the National Priorities List established pursuant to section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9605).
(d)
Residential Heirs Property.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall carry out a study and submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report that—
(1)
establishes a comprehensive definition of residential heirs property, or family land inherited without a will or legal documentation of ownership;
(2)
examines the occurrence of and consequences to owners of residential heirs property, and provides an estimate regarding the number of current residential heirs properties;
(3)
describes the objectives and requirements of the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act as approved by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in 2010;
(4)
details the various resources that may be available to the owners of residential heirs properties, including housing counseling, legal services, and financial assistance to resolve residential heirs property title issues from the Federal Government, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education; and
(5)
makes recommendations with respect to how to reduce the number of residential heirs properties, including—
(A)
by incentivizing States and other jurisdictions which enact or adopt the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act or similar such reforms;
(B)
by awarding grants to States and other jurisdictions to assist residents of those States and jurisdictions to establish and document property ownership rights or settle a decedent’s estate;
(C)
by awarding grants to entities that—
(i)
provide housing counseling, legal assistance, and financial assistance to home-owners and their heirs relating to title clearing and home retention efforts of heirs’ property; and
(ii)
target services to low- and moderate-income persons or provide services in neighborhoods that have a high concentration of low- and moderate-income persons; and
(D)
by conducting other activities that assist individuals to clear title with respect to heirs’ property and with general estate planning.

SEC. 805. Improving Public Housing Agency Accountability.

(a)
Definitions.— In this section:
(1)
Covered public housing agency.— The term “covered public housing agency” means a public housing agency (as defined in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b))) for which an administrative or judicial receiver or Federal monitor was appointed.
(2)
Inspector general.— The term “Inspector General” means the Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
(3)
Secretary.— The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
(b)
Required Notice.— The Secretary shall require each covered public housing agency to provide a notice each year to the Secretary that—
(1)
indicates that if a receiver or Federal monitor remains appointed for the covered public housing agency as of October 1 of the calendar year to which the notice relates;
(2)
provides the date on which the receiver or Federal monitor was first appointed and the projected date, if known, the appointment of the receiver or Federal monitor will be terminated; and
(3)
identifies the current receiver or Federal monitor appointed to oversee the public housing agency.
(c)
Federal Monitor and Receiver Transparency.—
(1)
In general.— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, not later than October 1 of each year, each receiver or Federal monitor that is currently appointed to oversee a covered public housing agency shall provide to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate a written assessment that—
(A)
describes the management and oversight activities of the receiver or Federal monitor for the covered public housing agency;
(B)
identifies the significant factors that led to the appointment of the receiver or Federal monitor for the covered public housing agency;
(C)
identifies the factors that remain unresolved at the covered public housing agency that have led to the continued oversight of the receiver or Federal monitor; and
(D)
includes a timeline developed by the receiver or Federal monitor that projects when the factors identified under subparagraphs (B) and (C) will be resolved.
(2)
Additional information.— In addition to the written assessment required in paragraph (1), upon written request by the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate or the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives, each receiver or Federal monitor appointed to oversee a covered public housing agency shall promptly furnish additional or supplemental information requested by the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate or the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives with respect to the covered public housing agency that such receiver or Federal monitor is appointed to oversee, including presenting testimony upon request.
(d)
Disclosure Required.— The Secretary shall, not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, require each covered public housing agency to publicly disclose, on the website of the covered public housing agency, with respect to each contract entered into by such covered public housing agency in the preceding year, the following information:
(1)
All material information about the contract, including the goods and service provided.
(2)
The identity of the vendor selected to receive the contract.
(3)
The date of the solicitation of the contract.
(4)
The relevant information pertaining to the bids and quotes solicited for the contract.
(5)
The name of the official who solicited the contract.
(e)
Inspector General Review.— Not later than 180 days after receiving a written request from the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate, the Inspector General shall provide to the requesting committee an analysis of—
(1)
the status of any covered public housing agency’s compliance with any agreements entered into between the covered public housing agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, including specific areas of deficiency and progress toward compliance;
(2)
a review of actions taken by the receiver or Federal monitor appointed to oversee a covered public housing agency and any private sector housing development partners pursuant to such agreement, including any gaps in oversight by the receiver or Federal monitor;
(3)
an assessment of the physical conditions of housing provided by the covered public housing agency, including the status of the covered public housing agency’s compliance with relevant health and safety requirements;
(4)
an examination of any allegations of waste, fraud, abuse or violations of Federal law committed by employees or contractors of the covered public housing agency;
(5)
any additional pertinent information, as determined necessary and appropriate by the inspector general; and
(6)
any recommendations of the inspector general that relate to how to improve the compliance of the covered public housing agency with any agreements entered into with the Department of Housing and Urban Development or enhance the oversight of the receiver or Federal monitor over such covered public housing agency.