Choice in Affordable Housing

(a) Preapproval of units Section 8(o)(8)(A) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(8)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (iv) Initial inspection prior to lease agreement (I) Definition In this clause, the term new landlord means an owner of a dwelling unit who has not previously entered into a housing assistance payment contract with a public housing agency under this subsection for any dwelling unit. (II) Early inspection Upon the request of a new landlord, a public housing agency may inspect the dwelling unit owned by the new landlord to determine whether the unit meets the housing quality standards under subparagraph (B) before the unit is selected by a family assisted under this subsection. (III) Effect An inspection conducted under subclause (II) that determines that the dwelling unit meets the housing quality standards under subparagraph (B) shall satisfy the requirements in this subparagraph and subparagraph (C) if the new landlord enters into a lease agreement with a family assisted under this subsection not later than 60 days after the date of the inspection. (IV) Information when family is selected When a public housing agency selects a family to participate in the tenant-based assistance program under this subsection, the public housing agency shall include in the information provided to the family a list of dwelling units that have been inspected under subclause (II) and determined to meet the housing quality standards under subparagraph (B).. (b) Satisfaction of inspection requirements through participation in other housing programs Section 8(o)(8) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(8)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (I) Satisfaction of inspection requirements through participation in other housing programs (i) Low-income housing tax credit-financed buildings A dwelling unit shall be deemed to meet the inspection requirements under this paragraph if— (I) the dwelling unit is in a building, the acquisition, rehabilitation, or construction of which was financed by a person who received a low-income housing tax credit under section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in exchange for that financing; (II) the dwelling unit was physically inspected and passed inspection as part of the low-income housing tax credit program described in subclause (I) during the preceding 12-month period; and (III) the applicable public housing agency is able to obtain the results of the inspection described in subclause (II). (ii) Home investment partnerships program A dwelling shall be deemed to meet the inspection requirements under this paragraph if— (I) the dwelling unit is assisted under the HOME Investment Partnerships Program under title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act; (II) the dwelling unit was physically inspected and passed inspection as part of the program described in subclause (I) during the preceding 12-month period; and (III) the applicable public housing agency is able to obtain the results of the inspection described in subclause (II). (iii) Rural Housing Service A dwelling unit shall be deemed to meet the inspection requirements under this paragraph if— (I) the dwelling unit is assisted by the Rural Housing Service of the Department of Agriculture; (II) the dwelling unit was physically inspected and passed inspection in connection with the assistance described in subclause (I) during the preceding 12-month period; and (III) the applicable public housing agency is able to obtain the results of the inspection described in subclause (II). (iv) Remote or video inspections When complying with inspection requirements for a housing unit located in a rural or small area using assistance under this subtitle, the Secretary may allow a grantee to conduct a remote or video inspection of a unit provided that the remote or video inspection— (I) covers a substantially similar review of the relevant aspects of the unit compared to an in-person inspection; (II) does not misrepresent the condition of the unit; and (III) provides the information necessary to fully and accurately evaluate the conditions of the unit to ensure that the unit meets the applicable standards. (v) Rule of construction Nothing in clause (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) may be construed to affect the operation of a housing program described in, or authorized under a provision of law described in, that clause..