Bill Summary
The "Housing Our Communities Act" aims to create a competitive grant program administered by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support planning and implementation activities related to affordable housing. The act outlines the following key components:
1. **Establishment of Grant Program**: Within one year of the bill's enactment, HUD will initiate a program to award grants to eligible entities—such as state and local governments, regional planning agencies, and urban counties—to enhance affordable housing efforts.
2. **Use of Funds**: The funding can be utilized for various activities, including developing housing plans, improving housing strategies, updating zoning codes, conducting housing inspections, and addressing barriers to housing supply and affordability. Eligible entities are encouraged to focus on community development that increases access to affordable housing and public transportation.
3. **Limit on Administrative Costs**: Recipients of the grants may use up to 10% of the funds for administrative expenses, ensuring that the majority of the funding directly supports housing initiatives.
4. **Coordination with Other Agencies**: The act emphasizes the need for collaboration with the Federal Transit Administrator to ensure effective implementation.
5. **Eligible Expenses**: In addition to planning and administrative costs, the grants can also cover new housing construction and certain government buildings related to natural hazard mitigation.
Overall, this legislation seeks to enhance affordable housing availability and accessibility while fostering sustainable community development.
Possible Impacts
The "Housing Our Communities Act" could affect people in several significant ways:
1. **Increased Availability of Affordable Housing**: The establishment of a competitive grant program is designed to assist regional planning agencies and local governments in developing and implementing housing strategies. This could lead to a greater supply of affordable housing options for low- and moderate-income families, helping to reduce homelessness and housing insecurity in communities.
2. **Enhanced Access to Public Transportation**: The Act encourages the development of community development strategies that increase access to public transportation. Improved public transit options can provide low-income residents with better access to jobs, education, and essential services, thereby enhancing their overall quality of life and economic opportunities.
3. **Improved Housing Quality and Accessibility**: The funding can be used to update zoning codes and develop housing plans that focus on improving the quality of existing housing and increasing accessibility for individuals with disabilities. This can lead to healthier living environments and greater inclusivity in housing options, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their physical abilities, has access to safe and quality homes.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6768 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6768
To establish a competitive grant program supporting affordable housing
planning and implementation activities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 16, 2025
Ms. Tlaib introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Financial Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a competitive grant program supporting affordable housing
planning and implementation activities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Housing Our Communities Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION ASSOCIATED WITH
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
shall, not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this
Act, establish a program to award grants on a competitive basis to
eligible entities to assist planning and implementation activities
associated with affordable housing.
(b) Use of Amounts.--
(1) By regional planning agencies.--If an eligible entity
that receives amounts under this Act is a regional planning
agency or consortia of regional planning agencies, such
eligible entity shall use such amounts to assist planning
activities with respect to affordable housing, including--
(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;
(E) increasing the capacity to conduct housing
inspections;
(F) increasing the capacity to reduce barriers to
housing supply elasticity and housing affordability;
(G) the development of local or regional plans for
community development; and
(H) the substantial improvement of community
development strategies, including strategies designed
to--
(i) increase the availability of affordable
housing and access to affordable housing;
(ii) increase access to public
transportation; and
(iii) advance sustainable or location-
efficient community development goals.
(2) By states, insular areas, metropolitan cities, and
urban counties.--If an eligible entity that receives amounts
under this Act is a State, insular area, metropolitan city, or
urban county, such eligible entity shall use such amounts to--
(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;
(C) fund any community investments that support
goals identified in a housing strategy or housing plan;
(D) implement and administer regulatory
requirements and processes with respect to reformed
zoning codes;
(E) increase the capacity to conduct housing
inspections;
(F) increase the capacity to reduce barriers to
housing supply elasticity and housing affordability;
(G) implement and administer local or regional
plans for community development; and
(H) fund any planning to increase--
(i) the availability of affordable housing
and access to affordable housing;
(ii) access to public transportation; and
(iii) any location-efficient community
development goals.
(3) Use for administrative costs.--A eligible entity that
receives amounts under this Act may not use more than 10-
percent of such amounts for administrative costs.
(c) Coordination.--To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall
coordinate with the Federal Transit Administrator in carrying out this
Act.
(d) Additional Uses of Amounts.--
(1) Housing construction.--Expenditures on new construction
of housing shall be an eligible expense under this Act.
(2) Buildings for general conduct of government.--
Expenditures on building for the general conduct of government,
other than the Federal Government, shall be eligible under this
Act when necessary and appropriate as a part of a natural
hazard mitigation project.
(e) Definitions.--In this subsection:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a State, insular area, metropolitan city, or
urban county, as such terms are defined in section 102
of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974;
or
(B) a regional planning agency or consortia of
regional planning agencies.
(2) Housing plan.--The term ``housing plan'' means a plan
to, with respect to an area within the jurisdiction of an
eligible entity--
(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;
(C) increase the accessibility of housing for
people with disabilities, including location-efficient
housing;
(D) preserve or improve the quality of housing;
(E) reduce barriers to housing development; and
(F) coordinate with transportation-related
agencies.
(3) Housing strategy.--The term ``housing strategy'' means
a housing strategy required under section 105 of the Cranston-
Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act.
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