article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Neighborhood Integrity and Responsibility Act''. SEC. 2. RENT REASONABLENESS TEST. (a) Housing Certificate Program.--Section 8(c)(2) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(c)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: ``(D)(i) Each public housing agency administering assistance provided under the housing certificate program under this section shall ensure that the rent charged for each dwelling unit assisted by the agency is reasonable in comparison with rents charged for comparable unassisted units available in the private residential rental market, by-- ``(I) reviewing all rents for units under consideration by families assisted under the certificate program; and ``(II) reviewing all rent increases for units under lease by families assisted under such program. If an agency determines that the rent (or rent increase) for a unit is not reasonable, the agency shall disapprove a lease for such unit. ``(ii) For purposes of this subparagraph, rent comparisons shall be conducted by comparing the rent of the assisted dwelling unit with the rent of comparable unassisted units that are located in a geographical area, determined by the agency and approved by the Secretary that-- ``(I) is geographically smaller than the applicable housing area used for the establishment of fair market rentals under paragraph (1); ``(II) has a continuous boundary; and ``(III) exhibits a commonality of geographic, demographic, housing, or other characteristics that make it appropriate for use under this subparagraph, including characteristics such as consisting of a recognized or identifiable neighborhood or geographic area, proximity to or identification with a particular location, structure, or feature, having a population with similar incomes, or containing housing a significant portion of which is similar in age, cost, type, or design.''. (b) Housing Voucher Program.--The last sentence of paragraph (10) of section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(10)) is amended by striking ``may'' and inserting ``shall''. (c) Condition on Receipt of Administrative Fees.--Section 8(q) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(q)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: ``(5) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, the fee under this subsection attributable to any dwelling unit for any fiscal year may be paid to the public housing agency only if the agency has complied, during the preceding fiscal year, with the requirement under subsection (c)(2)(D) or (o)(10), as applicable, to such dwelling unit.''. SEC. 3. LIMITATION ON ASSISTED UNITS OWNED BY SINGLE OWNER. Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f) is amended by inserting after subsection (k) the following new subsection: ``(l) Ownership Limitation.-- ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), a single public housing agency may not provide tenant- based assistance under this section for more than 5 dwelling units that are owned by any single owner. ``(2) Waiver.--A public housing agency may waive the applicability of the limitation under paragraph (1) with respect to an owner if the agency determines that all dwelling units owned by such owner and assisted or to be assisted with tenant-based assistance under this section are, at that time, in compliance with housing quality standards established by the Secretary for purposes of this section and any applicable State or local laws relating to housing habitability, construction, maintenance, safety, health, and sanitation. ``(3) Protection of current owners.-- ``(A) In general.--If, at any time, a single owner owns more than 5 protected dwelling units, such protected dwelling units in excess of 5 shall not be considered at such time for purposes of applying the numerical limitation under paragraph (1) to such owner. ``(B) Protected dwelling units.--A dwelling unit shall be considered to be a protected dwelling unit at any time for purposes of this paragraph only if the dwelling unit, at that time, is occupied by a tenant who-- ``(i) is an assisted family on whose behalf tenant-based assistance under this section is provided; ``(ii) on the date of the enactment of the Neighborhood Integrity and Responsibility Act occupied such unit and, at such time, was assisted with tenant-based assistance under this section; and ``(iii) has, without interruption since such date of enactment, continued to occupy such unit and continued to be assisted with such assistance. ``(4) Owner.--The Secretary shall issue regulations defining the term `single owner' for purposes of this subsection. The regulations shall provide that, with respect to any person or entity, any other person or entity owned or controlled by such person or entity (including any such affiliate or subsidiary of such person or entity) shall be considered a single owner for purposes of this subsection.''. SEC. 4. RENT PAID BY ASSISTED FAMILIES. (a) Exceptions to General Rent Rule.--Section 3(a)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(1)) is amended in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by striking ``section 8(c)(3)(B)'' and inserting ``subparagraph (B) or (C) of section 8(c)(3)''. (b) Tenant Rent Payment Under Certificate Program.--Section 8(c)(3) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(c)(3)) is amended-- (1) in the first sentence of subparagraph (A), by inserting before the period at the end the following: ``or subparagraph (B) or (C) of this paragraph, as applicable''; and (2) in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking the matter that precedes clause I and inserting the following: ``(B)(i) Notwithstanding section 3(a)(1) and subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, a family receiving tenant-based assistance under subsection (b) may pay for rent more than the amount determined under such provisions if--''; (3) by redesignating subparagraph (B) (as so amended) as subparagraph (C); and (4) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph: ``(B) A family on whose behalf tenant-based assistance under subsection (b) is provided for a dwelling unit having a maximum monthly rent under the contract equal to or exceeding 50 percent of the applicable fair market rental for the area shall pay as rent for the dwelling unit the greater of the following two amounts: ``(i) The amount determined for the family under section 3(a)(1). ``(ii) For a dwelling unit having a maximum monthly rent under the contract-- ``(I) that is equal to or exceeds 75 percent of the applicable fair market rental for the area, the amount that is equal to 50 percent of the contract rent for the unit. ``(II) that is equal to or exceeds 50 percent of the applicable fair market rental for the area but is less than 75 percent of such fair market rental, the amount that is equal to 30 percent of the contract rent for the unit.''. (c) Monthly Assistance Payment Under Voucher Program.--Section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (2)-- (A) by striking ``The'' and inserting ``(A) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the''; and (B) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: ``(B) The monthly assistance payment under this subsection for any family renting a dwelling unit having a rent equal to or exceeding 50 percent of the applicable payment standard for the area shall be the amount by which the payment standard exceeds the greater of the following two amounts: ``(i) The amount determined for the family pursuant to subparagraph (A). ``(ii) For a dwelling unit having a rent-- ``(I) that is equal to or exceeds 75 percent of the applicable payment standard for the area, the amount that is equal to 50 percent of the rent for the unit. ``(II) that is equal to or exceeds 50 percent of the applicable payment standard for the area but is less than 75 percent of such payment standard, the amount that is equal to 30 percent of the rent for the unit.''. (d) Conforming Amendments.--Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(c)(1)(B)) is amended-- (1) in clause (b) of the second sentence of subsection (c)(1), by striking ``paragraph (3)(B)'' and inserting ``paragraph (3)(C)''; and (2) in subsection (y)(6)(A), by striking ``Subsection (c)(3)(B)'' and inserting ``Subsection (c)(3)(C)''.
summary: Neighborhood Integrity and Responsibility Act - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to require public housing agencies (PHAs) administering the section 8 housing certificate program to: (1) ensure that program rents are reasonable in comparison with private rentals; and (2) disapprove leases that are not reasonable. Requires (currently authorizes) PHAs to disapprove leases that are not reasonable under the section 8 rental voucher program. Makes PHA administrative fee eligibility dependent upon compliance with such provisions. (Sec. 3) Prohibits (with exceptions) a PHA from providing section 8 tenant-based assistance for more than five units owned by any single owner. (Sec. 4) Revises tenant rent and monthly assistance provisions under the certificate and voucher programs.