Eviction protection grant program

(a) Establishment The Secretary shall establish a grant program to award competitive grants to eligible entities as described in this section. (b) Eligibility To be eligible for a grant under this section, an entity shall be a nonprofit or government entity. (c) Eligible uses An entity that is awarded a grant under this section shall use such grant to provide legal assistance (including assistance related to pretrial activities, trial activities, post-trial activities and alternative dispute resolution) at no cost to eligible low-income tenants at risk of or subject to eviction. (d) Priority In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to eligible entities that— (1) include a marketing strategy for residents of areas with high rates of eviction; (2) have experience providing no-cost legal assistance to low-income individuals, including those with limited English proficiency or disabilities; and (3) have sufficient capacity to administer such assistance. (e) Use in urban and rural areas The Secretary shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that the proportion of tenants living in rural areas who will receive legal assistance with grant amounts under this section is not less than the overall proportion of tenants who live in rural areas. (f) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as needed for— (1) grants under this section; and (2) assistance under the emergency solutions grants program under subtitle B of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11371 et seq.), to be used only for— (A) providing legal counsel for tenants subject to or at risk of eviction with regard to any eviction related legal proceeding; and (B) costs of any court fees associated with an eviction-related legal proceeding for a tenant (excluding any attorneys fees for the attorney of the landlord of the tenant).