Temperature Sensor pilot program

(a) In general The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall establish a temperature sensor 3-year pilot program to provide grants to public housing agencies and owners of covered federally assisted rental dwelling units to acquire, install, and test the efficacy of approved temperature sensors in residential dwelling units to ensure such units remain in compliance with temperature requirements. (b) Eligibility (1) In general The Secretary shall, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, establish eligibility criteria for public housing agencies and owners of covered federally assisted rental dwelling units to participate in the pilot program established pursuant to subsection (a). (2) Criteria In establishing the eligibility criteria described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure— (A) the pilot program includes a diverse range of participants that represent different geographic regions, climate regions, unit sizes, and types of housing; and (B) that the functionality of an approved temperature sensor will be installed and tested using amounts awarded under this section, including internet connectivity requirements. (c) Installation Each public housing agency or owner of a covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit that acquires 1 or more approved temperature sensors under this section shall, after receiving written permission from the resident of a dwelling unit, install such temperature sensor and monitor the data from such temperature sensor. (d) Collection of complaint records (1) In general Each public housing agency or owner of a covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit that installs 1 or more approved temperature sensors under this section shall collect and retain information about temperature-related complaints and violations. (2) Definitions The Secretary shall, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, define the terms temperature-related complaints and temperature-related violations for the purposes of this section. (e) Data collection (1) In general Data collected from temperature sensors acquired and installed by public housing agencies and owners of covered federally assisted rental dwelling units under this section shall be retained until the Secretary notifies the public housing agency or owner that the pilot program and the evaluation of the pilot program are complete. (2) Personally identifiable information The Secretary shall, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, establish standards for the protection of personally identifiably information collected during the pilot program by public housing agencies, owners of federally assisted rental dwelling units, and the Secretary. (f) Pilot program evaluation (1) Interim evaluation Not later than 12 months after the establishment of the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall publicly publish and submit to the Congress a report that— (A) examines the number of temperature-related complaints and violations in federally assisted rental dwelling units with temperature sensors, disaggregated by temperature sensor technology and climate region— (i) that occurred before the installation of such sensor, if known; and (ii) that occurred after the installation of such sensor; and (B) identifies any barriers to full utility of temperature sensor capabilities, including broadband internet access and tenant participation. (2) Final evaluation Not later than 36 months after the conclusion of the pilot program established by the Secretary under this section, the Secretary shall publicly publish and submit to the Congress a report that— (A) examines the number of temperature-related complaints and violations in federally assisted rental dwelling units with temperature sensors, disaggregated by temperature sensor technology and climate region— (i) that occurred before the installation of such sensor; and (ii) that occurred after the installation of such sensor; (B) identifies any barriers to full utility of temperature sensor capabilities, including broadband internet access and tenant participation; and (C) compares the utility of various temperature sensor technologies based on— (i) climate zones; (ii) cost; (iii) features; and (iv) any other factors identified by the Secretary. (g) Sunset The pilot program established under this section shall terminate on the date that is 3 years after the date of the enactment of this section. (h) Definitions For the purposes of this section: (1) Approved temperature sensor The term approved temperature sensor means an internet capable temperature reporting device able to measure ambient air temperature to the tenth degree Fahrenheit and Celsius selected from a list of such devices approved in advance by the Secretary. (2) Assistance The term assistance means any grant, loan, subsidy, contract, cooperative agreement, or other form of financial assistance, but such term does not include the insurance or guarantee of a loan, mortgage, or pool of loans or mortgages. (3) Covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit The term covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit means a residential dwelling unit that is made available for rental and for which assistance is provided, or that is part of a housing project for which assistance is provided, under— (A) the program for project-based rental assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f); (B) the public housing program under the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.); (C) the program for supportive housing for the elderly under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q); or (D) 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). (4) Owner The term owner means— (A) with respect to the program for project-based rental assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f), any private person or entity, including a cooperative, an agency of the Federal Government, or a public housing agency, having the legal right to lease or sublease dwelling units; (B) with respect to the public housing program under the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.), a public housing agency or an owner entity of public housing units as defined in section 905.108 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations; (C) with respect to the program for supportive housing for the elderly under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q), a private nonprofit organization as defined under section 202(k)(4) of the Housing Act of 1959; and (D) with respect to 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), a private nonprofit organization as defined under section 811(k)(5) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act.