Bill > HR5651

This bill establishes a waiver program administered by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development that allows county governments to calculate area median income (AMI) more flexibly for various housing assistance programs. Under this program, counties can choose to calculate AMI using either a specific ZIP Code or a group of bordering counties, instead of using traditional metropolitan statistical area calculations. The bill covers 11 specific housing programs, including public housing, rental assistance, housing for elderly and disabled individuals, and Native American housing programs. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary to conduct a comprehensive study on alternative AMI calculation methods, with a focus on making housing more affordable in mountain communities. The study must assess the impacts of high housing cost adjustments, examine how including roommates might affect calculations for seasonal workers, and provide recommendations for improving housing affordability. The bill defines key terms such as "mountain communities" (rural areas in the Mountain Division of the Western Region) and establishes a deadline of two years for completing and submitting the study report to Congressional committees. Ultimately, the bill aims to create more localized and potentially more accurate methods of determining income levels for housing assistance purposes.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5651/all-info