Bill Summary
This legislation, titled the Safe Temperature Act of 2019, aims to establish a comfortable and safe temperature level in dwelling units that receive Federal housing assistance. The Act requires owners of these units to maintain a temperature ranging from 71 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit. This applies to both public housing and privately-owned units that receive project-based assistance. The Act also allows the Secretary to use funds from the Capital and Operating Funds to ensure this temperature level is maintained in public housing units. It also extends this requirement to housing for the elderly, specifically in Section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959.
Possible Impacts
1. People living in federally assisted housing may experience more comfortable and safe temperature levels within their homes, as the bill requires dwelling units to maintain a temperature between 71-81 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Owners of federally assisted housing may have to make adjustments to their heating and cooling systems to comply with the temperature requirements, potentially leading to increased costs for them.
3. Elderly residents living in supportive housing may benefit from this legislation as the bill specifically mentions maintaining temperature levels in units designated for them.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 17 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 17
To provide for a comfortable and safe temperature level in dwelling
units receiving certain Federal housing assistance, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 3, 2019
Mr. Rubio introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for a comfortable and safe temperature level in dwelling
units receiving certain Federal housing assistance, 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 ``Safe Temperature Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. COMFORTABLE AND SAFE TEMPERATURE LEVEL IN FEDERALLY ASSISTED
HOUSING.
(a) Public Housing and Project-Based Assistance.--The United States
Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 8(o) (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)), by adding at the
end the following:
``(P) Maintaining temperature level in units.--The
Secretary may require the owner of a dwelling unit
receiving assistance under a housing assistance payment
under this paragraph to ensure that the dwelling unit
maintains a comfortable and safe temperature level
ranging from 71 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit.'';
and
(2) in section 9 (42 U.S.C. 1437g), by adding at the end
the following:
``(p) Use of Funds To Maintain Temperate Level in Units.--With
respect to a public housing dwelling unit, the Secretary may use
amounts in the Capital Fund or the Operating Fund to ensure that the
dwelling unit maintains a comfortable and safe temperature level
ranging from 71 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit.''.
(b) Supportive Housing for the Elderly.--Section 202 of the Housing
Act of 1959 is amended by striking the first and second subsection (m)
and inserting the following:
``(m) Maintaining Temperature in Units.--The Secretary may require
the owner of housing assisted under this section to ensure that each
unit in that housing maintains a comfortable and safe temperature level
ranging from 71 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit.''.
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