Housing Opportunities and Empowerment Act

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Abolishment of Department of Housing and Urban

Development and Disposition of Functions

Subtitle A: Abolishment of Department of Housing and

Urban Development

Subtitle B: Disposition of Particular Programs,

Functions, and Agencies of Department of Housing

and Urban Development

Subtitle C: Miscellaneous Provisions

Title II: Tenant-Based Vouchers for Rental and Homeownership

Assistance

Subtitle A: Block Grants for State Housing Voucher

Assistance

Subtitle B: Federal Housing Voucher Assistance Program

Subtitle C: Determination of State Allocations and

Election of Federal or State Voucher Program

Subtitle D: Office of Federal Housing Voucher

Assistance in Department of Health and Human Services

Subtitle E: General Provisions

Title III: Transition Provisions Relating to Replacement of

Public Housing and Assisted Housing Programs

Subtitle A: Replacement of Assisted Housing Programs

Subtitle B: Interim Program for Public Housing Block

Grants and Deregulation

Subtitle C: General Provisions

Title IV: Block Grants for Housing and Community Development

Opportunities

Subtitle A: Block Grants Program

Subtitle B: Block Grants for Housing for Special

Populations and Indian Housing

Subtitle C: General Provisions Relating to Block Grants

Subtitle D: Housing and Community Opportunities Agency

Subtitle E: Effective Date

Title V: Single Family Housing Mortgage Insurance

Subtitle A: Federal Home Mortgage Insurance Program

Subtitle B: Federal Home Mortgage Insurance Fund

Administration

Subtitle C: Transition Provisions

Subtitle D: General and Miscellaneous Provisions

Title VI: Office of Federalism in Office of Management and

Budget

Housing Opportunities and Empowerment Act - Title I: Abolishment of Department of Housing and Urban Development and Disposition of Functions - Subtitle A: Abolishment of Department of Housing and Urban Development - Reestablishes the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as the Housing and Urban Development Programs Resolution Agency (Agency) which shall be an independent Executive agency headed by the Resolution Administrator.

Terminates the Agency as of September 30, 2000.

(Sec. 106) Directs the General Accounting Office to report on the most efficient manner of abolishing HUD and transferring its functions.

Subtitle B: Disposition of Particular Programs, Functions, and Agencies of Department of Housing and Urban Development - Sets forth specified transfers of HUD functions.

(Sec. 122) Reestablishes the (HUD) Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight as an office in the Department of the Treasury.

(Sec. 123) Amends the National Housing Act to terminate the Government National Mortgage Association. Requires the Resolution Administrator to develop a phase-out plan.

(Sec. 124) Abolishes the (HUD) Office of Public Affairs.

Subtitle C: Miscellaneous Provisions - Sets forth transfer provisions, including authorizing the Office of Management and Budget to make any necessary transfer determinations.

Title II: Tenant-Based Vouchers for Rental and Homeownership Assistance - Subtitle A: Block Grants for State Housing Voucher Assistance - Directs the Administrator of the Federal Housing Voucher Agency (established by this Act) to make State block grants for (low-income) housing voucher assistance. Sets forth program provisions, including waiver of voucher program requirements and alternate State grant uses.

Subtitle B: Federal Housing Voucher Assistance Program - Establishes a Federal housing voucher assistance program of monthly payments on behalf of renting or first-time owning low-income families. Limits assistance to five years. Provides assistance portability within the same State or metropolitan area. Sets forth program provisions.

Subtitle C: Determination of State Allocations and Election of Federal or State Voucher Program - Directs the Administrator (Voucher Administrator) of the Office of Federal Housing Voucher Assistance (established by this Act) to establish: (1) a State housing assistance need formula; and (2) a limit on assisted families per State and a maximum State allocation.

(Sec. 252) Authorizes a State to elect State block grant voucher assistance (subtitle A) rather than Federal voucher assistance (subtitle B).

Subtitle D: Office of Federal Voucher Assistance in Department of Health and Human Services - Establishes in the Department of Health and Human Services the Office of Federal Housing Voucher Assistance (to be headed by the Voucher Administrator) which shall carry out the housing assistance programs under this title and certain other transferred housing authorities.

Subtitle E: General Provisions - Authorizes appropriations for specified provisions of this title.

Title III: Transition Provisions Relating to Replacement of Public Housing and Assisted Programs - Subtitle A: Replacement of Assisted Housing - Replaces the following housing programs with a five-year interim public housing block grant program: (1) tenant-based section 8 assistance; (2) project-based section 8 assistance; (3) tenant-based rental assistance for disabled families; (4) rental assistance for persons with AIDS; (5) shelter plus care rental assistance for homeless persons; (6) tenant opportunity program; (7) flexible subsidies; (8) preservation programs; (9) service coordinators for assisted projects; and (10) Indian public housing, childhood development, and rental assistance.

(Sec. 312) Provides for the transition of housing assistance from the interim block grant program to the voucher assistance programs.

(Sec. 313) Provides for: (1) the transfer of specified remaining HUD authority to the Voucher Administrator; and (2) benefits to families assisted under terminated programs.

Subtitle B: Interim Program for Public Housing Block Grants and Deregulation - Terminates the following housing programs: (1) public housing under title I or III of the United States Housing Act of 1937; (2) urban revitalization program; (3) public housing childhood development; (4) perinatal services demonstration; (5) youth sports demonstration; and (6) public and assisted housing drug elimination.

(Sec. 322) Provides for the deregulation of public housing authorities (PHAs). Requires PHAs to develop a strategic plan as a condition of assistance eligibility.

(Sec. 325) Establishes the Public Housing Block Grant Fund for grants to PHAs for public housing management and operations. Sets forth program provisions, including lead-based paint requirements. States that participation in the Family Self-Sufficiency program shall not be mandatory.

(Sec. 330) Authorizes appropriations.

Subtitle C: General Provisions - Defines specified terms.

Title IV: Block Grants for Housing and Community Development Opportunities - Subtitle A: Block Grants Program - Requires the Director of the Housing and Community Opportunities Agency to make an housing assistance block grant to eligible States, entitlement areas, and Indian tribes.

Sets forth program provisions, including at least 90 percent low-income use and one percent set-asides for Indian tribes.

Subtitle B: Block Grants for Housing for Special Populations and Indian Housing - Obligates specified block grant funds for State housing programs for low-income special populations (elderly families, disabled families, or persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and their families).

(Sec. 422) Obligates specified block grant funds for Indian housing authorities.

Subtitle C: General Provisions Relating to Block Grants - Authorizes block grant appropriations. Repeals specified housing and related programs.

Subtitle D: Housing and Community Opportunities Agency - Establishes the Housing and Community Opportunities Agency as an independent Executive agency.

Subtitle E: Effective Date - Sets forth effective dates for provisions of this title.

Title V: Single Family Housing Mortgage Insurance - Subtitle A: Federal Home Mortgage Insurance Program - Establishes in the Treasury the Federal Home Mortgage Insurance Fund (Fund). States that Fund amounts shall be for: (1) payment of losses to qualified mortgage insurers; (2) payment of certain claim notes; (3) investment; and (4) certain annual assessments.

(Sec. 502) Authorizes the Fund Administrator to enter into risk-sharing agreements with qualified mortgage insurers for single family home mortgage insurance coverage. Sets forth program provisions.

Subtitle B: Federal Home Mortgage Insurance Fund Administration - Establishes within the Department of the Treasury the Federal Home Mortgage Insurance Fund Administration which shall administer the Federal Home Mortgage Insurance Fund.

Subtitle C: Transition Provisions - Prohibits new Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan or mortgage activities. Repeals specified FHA insurance authorities. Provides for the sale of FHA mortgage insurance interests and transfer of remaining authority to the Federal Home Mortgage Insurance Fund.

Subtitle D: General and Miscellaneous Provisions - Sets forth miscellaneous and administrative provisions.

Title VI: Office of Federalism in Office of Management and Budget - Establishes in the Office of Management and Budget the Office of Federalism whose duties shall include: (1) review of policy and legislation's effect on the Federal-State relationship; and (2) federalism issues liaison services.

Authorizes appropriations.