Accelerating home building grant program

(a) In general The Secretary may award grants to eligible entities to review designs of covered structures of mixed-income housing and designate such reviewed designs to be included in pattern books for use in the jurisdiction of the eligible entity. (b) Restriction Amounts awarded under this section may not be used for construction, alteration, or repair work. (c) Considerations In reviewing applications submitted by eligible entities for a grant under this section, the Secretary shall consider— (1) the need for affordable housing in the eligible entity; (2) the presence of high opportunity areas in the eligible entity; (3) coordination between the eligible entity and a State agency; and (4) coordination between the eligible entity and State, local, and regional transportation planning authorities. (d) Set-aside for rural areas Of the amounts made available in each fiscal year for grants under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that not less than 10-percent shall be used for grants to eligible entities that are located in rural areas. (e) Report requirement Not later than 3 years after being awarded a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary a report that— (1) describes the impacts of the activities carried out using the amounts provided under this section on improving the production and supply of affordable housing; (2) includes a list of any pattern books the eligible entity has established using amounts provided under this section, including a description of the designs such pattern book includes; (3) identifies the number of permits issued by the eligible entity for housing development using designs from such pattern book; and (4) identifies the number of housing units produced in developments of the eligible entity using a design from such pattern book. (f) Availability of information The Secretary shall— (1) to the extent possible, encourage eligible entities awarded grants under this section to make any pattern books established by such entity, and designs in such pattern book, publicly available through a website; and (2) collect, identify, and disseminate best practices relating to pattern books and make such information publicly available on a website of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. (g) Repayment of awarded amounts The Secretary may require an eligible entity to return, to the Secretary, grant amounts awarded under this section if the Secretary determines that the eligible entity has not approved a sufficient number of building permits that use designs included in a pattern book established by the eligible entity, during the 5-year period following receipt of the grant by the eligible entity, unless such period is extended by the Secretary. (h) Definitions In this section: (1) Affordable housing The term affordable housing means housing for which the total monthly housing cost payment is not more than 30 percent 30-percent of the monthly household income for a household earning not more than 80 percent 80-percent of the area median area-median income. (2) Covered structure The term covered structure means— (A) means a low-rise or mid-rise structure with not more than 25 dwelling units; and (B) includes— (i) units that may include— (A) an accessory dwelling unit; (ii) (B) infill development; (iii) (C) a duplex; (iv) (D) a triplex; (v) (E) a fourplex; (vi) (F) a cottage court; (vii) (G) a courtyard building; (viii) (H) a townhouse; (ix) (I) a multiplex; and (x) (J) any other structure with not less than 2 dwelling units that the Secretary considers has determined in advance to be appropriate. (3) Eligible entity The term eligible entity means— (A) a unit of general local government, as defined in section 102(a) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5302(a)); and (B) a municipal membership organization; and (C) an Indian tribe, Tribe, as defined in section 102(a) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5302(a)). (4) High opportunity area The term high opportunity area has the meaning given the term in section 1282.1 of title 12, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation. (5) Infill development The term infill development means a residential housing development on small parcels in previously established areas for replacement by new or refurbished housing that utilizes existing utilities and infrastructure. (6) Mixed-income housing The term mixed-income housing means a housing development that is comprised of housing units that promote differing levels of affordability in the community. (7) Pre-reviewed designs Pattern book The term pre-reviewed designs, also known as pattern books, book means sets a set of pre-reviewed, designated designs or construction plans that are assessed and approved as by-right development by localities for compliance with local building and permitting standards to streamline and expedite approval pathways for housing construction. (8) Rural area The term rural area means any area other than a city or town that has a population of less than 50,000 inhabitants. (9) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (b) Authority The Secretary may award grants to eligible entities to select pre-reviewed designs of covered structures of mixed-income housing for use in the jurisdiction of the eligible entity, except that such grant awards may not be used for construction, alteration, or repair work. (c) Considerations In reviewing applications submitted by eligible entities for a grant under this section, the Secretary shall consider— (1) the need for affordable housing by the eligible entity; (2) the presence of high opportunity areas in the jurisdiction of the eligible entity; (3) coordination between the eligible entity and a State agency; and (4) coordination between the eligible entity and State, local, and regional transportation planning authorities. (d) Set-Aside for rural areas Of the amount made available in each fiscal year for grants under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that not less than 10 percent shall be used for grants to eligible entities that are located in rural areas. (e) Reports The Secretary shall require eligible entities receiving grants under this section to report on— (1) the impacts of the activities carried out using the grant amounts in improving the production and supply of affordable housing; (2) the pre-reviewed designs selected using the grant amounts in their communities; (3) the number of permits issued for housing development utilizing pre-reviewed designs; and (4) the number of housing units produced in developments utilizing the pre-reviewed designs. (f) Availability of information The Secretary shall— (1) to the extent possible, encourage localities to make publicly available through a website information on the pre-reviewed designs selected and submitted to the Secretary by eligible entities receiving grants under this section, including information on the benefits of use of those designs; and (2) collect, identify, and disseminate best practices regarding such designs and make such information publicly available on the website of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. (g) Design adoption and repayment The Secretary may require an eligible entity to return to the Secretary any grant funds received under this section if the selected pre-reviewed designs submitted under this section have not been adopted during the 5-year period following receipt of the grant, unless that period is extended by the Secretary.Development.