H.R. 8171

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8171 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8171

To direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a 
demonstration program to develop workforce housing and affordable 
housing in areas where the workforce is expanding significantly, and 
for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 2, 2026

Mr. Ciscomani (for himself and Mr. Quigley) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in 
addition to the Committee on Appropriations, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a 
demonstration program to develop workforce housing and affordable 
housing in areas where the workforce is expanding significantly, and 
for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Facilitating Accelerated Supply of 
Targeted Housing Act'' or the ``FAST Housing Act''.

SEC. 2. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORKFORCE AND 
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

(a) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development shall establish a demonstration program to award not more 
than 15 grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to develop 
workforce housing and affordable housing in areas within the 
jurisdiction of such entity where such entity has determined that the 
workforce is expanding significantly.
(b) Application.--
(1) In general.--To be eligible for a grant under this 
section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may 
reasonably require.
(2) Required inclusions.--
(A) In general.--In an application for a grant 
under this subsection, an eligible entity shall 
include--
(i) a list of existing laws, regulations, 
and policies effective in the jurisdiction of 
such entity that facilitate the development of 
workforce housing; and
(ii) a list of proposed laws, regulations, 
or policies that such entity intends to adopt 
that will reform zoning and facilitate the 
development of workforce housing, and a 
timeline for the adoption and implementation of 
such law, regulations, or policies.
(B) Types of reforms.--Types of laws, regulations, 
or policies that reform zoning and facilitate the 
development of workforce housing and affordable housing 
include--
(i) upzoning, including by-right 
development of mixed use, higher density, and 
accessory dwelling units;
(ii) expedited permitting with set, 
shortened review timelines;
(iii) by-right zoning for multifamily 
residential development near public transit;
(iv) activities that reduce barriers to 
placing manufactured and modular housing;
(v) removal of parking minimums; and
(vi) reductions of minimum lot size 
requirements.
(c) Priority.--When awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities whose removal or 
streamlining of regulatory barriers has, as determined by the 
Secretary, most increased the amount of workforce housing and 
affordable housing in the jurisdiction of such eligible entity.
(d) Variety of Geographic Areas.--When selecting eligible entities 
to receive amounts under this section, the Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development shall, to the extent practicable based on the 
eligible entities that apply, strive to provide amounts to eligible 
entities in a variety of geographic areas, so that the impact of the 
demonstration program can be evaluated in urban, suburban, and rural 
areas.
(e) Use of Amounts.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity shall use any amounts 
provided under this section to finance--
(A) costs associated with converting commercial 
space into workforce housing and affordable housing 
though private-public partnerships, including physical 
improvements, rehabilitation and development of such 
space;
(B) costs associated with developing, 
rehabilitating, and physically improving workforce 
housing and affordable housing though private-public 
partnerships;
(C) technical assistance for housing developers; 
and
(D) the identification and acquisition of 
properties that can be used to develop new and 
rehabilitated workforce housing and affordable housing 
in high-opportunity, mixed-income neighborhoods.
(2) 30 percent used for affordable housing.--Each eligible 
entity shall ensure that not less than 30 percent of the 
workforce housing units created, rehabilitated or improved by 
such eligible entity using amounts provided under this section 
are affordable housing units.
(f) Term.--Each eligible entity shall ensure that each workforce 
housing unit or affordable housing unit created, rehabilitated or 
improved by such eligible entity using amounts provided under this 
section remains a workforce housing unit or affordable housing unit for 
not a period of not less than 5 years and after the conclusion of such 
period remains in compliance with any requirements established by the 
Secretary for workforce housing assisted under this section.
(g) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide technical 
assistance to eligible entities that are awarded a grant under this 
subsection with respect to using such grant amounts in conjunction with 
other Federally funded housing assistance programs.
(h) Study.--The Secretary shall, not later than 18 months after the 
Secretary provides a grant under this section, and each year thereafter 
that the demonstration program is active, conduct a study to examine 
the effectiveness of the demonstration program that includes--
(1) an evaluation of the impact of the demonstration 
program on the timeline of approval, construction, and number 
of new workforce housing units; and
(2) a comparison of such timelines in communities that 
participated in the demonstration program and communities that 
did not participate in the demonstration program.
(i) Use of Unobligated COVID Funds.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
the enactment of this section, the Secretary of the Treasury 
shall identify all Covid funds and transfer 10 percent of such 
amounts to the Secretary to carry out this section.
(2) Availability and use.--Amounts transferred under this 
section shall remain available until expended.
(j) 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 of the monthly household income for 
a household earning not more than 80 percent of the area median 
income.
(2) Covid funds.--The term ``Covid funds'' means amounts 
made available under--
(A) the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response 
Supplemental Appropriations Act;
(B) the Families First Coronavirus Response Act;
(C) the CARES Act;
(D) the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care 
Enhancement Act;
(E) the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021; 
and
(F) the American Rescue Plan Act.
(3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
unit of local government or a public housing agency that has 
can demonstrate that--
(A) the workforce in its area of jurisdiction has 
expanded as a result of Federal investments made 
through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or 
the CHIPS and Science Act; and
(B) can demonstrate that there is a housing supply 
shortage in its area of jurisdiction, including by 
showing low vacancy rates, rapid price increases, or 
high housing cost burdens.
(4) Public housing agency.--The term ``public housing 
agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the 
United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a).
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of Housing and Urban Development.
(6) Workforce housing.--
(A) In general.--The term ``workforce housing'' 
means--
(i) housing for which the total monthly 
housing cost payment does not exceed 30 percent 
of the amount equal to 120 percent of the 
median income in the area, as determined by the 
Secretary, with appropriate adjustments for the 
size of the household; and
(ii) housing made available for purchase at 
a rate that does not exceed 110 percent of the 
median price in the area for a comparable 
housing unit, as determined by the Secretary.
(B) Adjustments.--The Secretary may adjust the 
amounts described in subparagraph (A) if the Secretary 
determines that such adjustments are appropriate 
because of unusually high or low incomes in the area.
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