Bill Text: PA SB599 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Providing for the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Program.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-03-30 - Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS [SB599 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-SB599-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 649
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 599 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY YAW, PIPPY, KITCHEN, WAUGH, PILEGGI, FONTANA, CORMAN, WONDERLING, GORDNER, RAFFERTY, STOUT, ALLOWAY, KASUNIC, ERICKSON, BROWNE, LOGAN, GREENLEAF, HUGHES, O'PAKE, STACK, BOSCOLA AND WILLIAMS, MARCH 12, 2009
REFERRED TO URBAN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING, MARCH 12, 2009
AN ACT
Amending the act of December 3, 1959 (P.L.1688, No.621),
entitled, as amended, "An act to promote the health, safety
and welfare of the people of the Commonwealth by broadening
the market for housing for persons and families of low and
moderate income and alleviating shortages thereof, and by
assisting in the provision of housing for elderly persons
through the creation of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance
Agency as a public corporation and government
instrumentality; providing for the organization, membership
and administration of the agency, prescribing its general
powers and duties and the manner in which its funds are kept
and audited, empowering the agency to make housing loans to
qualified mortgagors upon the security of insured and
uninsured mortgages, defining qualified mortgagors and
providing for priorities among tenants in certain instances,
prescribing interest rates and other terms of housing loans,
permitting the agency to acquire real or personal property,
permitting the agency to make agreements with financial
institutions and Federal agencies, providing for the purchase
by persons of low and moderate income of housing units, and
approving the sale of housing units, permitting the agency to
sell housing loans, providing for the promulgation of
regulations and forms by the agency, prescribing penalties
for furnishing false information, empowering the agency to
borrow money upon its own credit by the issuance and sale of
bonds and notes and by giving security therefor, permitting
the refunding, redemption and purchase of such obligations by
the agency, prescribing remedies of holders of such bonds and
notes, exempting bonds and notes of the agency, the income
therefrom, and the income and revenues of the agency from
taxation, except transfer, death and gift taxes; making such
bonds and notes legal investments for certain purposes; and
indicating how the act shall become effective," providing for
the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation
Enhancement Program.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of December 3, 1959 (P.L.1688, No.621),
known as the Housing Finance Agency Law, is amended by adding an
article to read:
ARTICLE IV-D
PENNSYLVANIA HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND REHABILITATION
ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM
Section 401-D. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this article
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Persons with disabilities." Individuals with physical,
sensory or mental impairment that substantially limits one or
more major life activities.
"Program." The Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and
Rehabilitation Enhancement Program established under section
402-D.
Section 402-D. Establishment.
There is established the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability
and Rehabilitation Enhancement Program to be administered by the
agency.
Section 403-D. Program.
(a) Funding.--The program shall be funded by appropriations
by the General Assembly for the purposes stated in this article
or other sources as provided by law.
(b) Project types.--The program shall provide funding for
the following:
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(1) Projects to provide safe and sanitary dwellings for
sale or rent to low-income and moderate-income individuals or
families.
(2) Projects to increase the availability or quality of
housing for elderly persons.
(3) Projects to increase the availability or quality of
accessible housing for individuals with disabilities.
(4) Projects to prevent or reduce homelessness.
(5) Projects to encourage the development and
rehabilitation of distressed neighborhoods.
(6) Projects to provide mortgage or rental assistance,
including housing counseling, foreclosure prevention and
refinancing products.
(7) Projects to provide loans, low-interest loans or
grants to low-income and moderate-income individuals or
families who are owner-occupants for repairs and improvement
to sustain or increase the conditions of the home.
(c) Purposes.--Moneys for projects under subsection (b) may
be used for the following:
(1) Predevelopment activities, including title searches,
market studies, project planning, architectural services,
legal and engineering studies and related fees.
(2) Acquisition and disposition of real or personal
property.
(3) Site preparation, including demolition of existing
structures and remediation of environmental conditions.
(4) Construction, reconstruction, alteration and repair
of existing structures, improvements and infrastructure.
(d) Matching funds.--Funds appropriated to the program may
be used for a set-aside for matching funds for counties that
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have established optional county affordable housing funds under
53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 60 (relating to optional affordable housing
funding). In order to receive matching funds under this
subsection, a county must annually report detailed information
as required by the agency on the use of the funds for county
projects. The information shall be included in the agency's
report under section 405-D.
(e) Limitation.--Funds appropriated to the program shall not
supplant existing resources dedicated to affordable housing
activities. Funds appropriated to the program may be used to
support, expand and enhance other programs administered by the
agency.
(f) Preferences.--The agency may adopt written policies to
give preference to projects that meet specific goals, such as
energy efficiency, green building standards and comprehensive
design strategies, or that target identified needs.
(g) Considerations.--The agency shall take into
consideration geographical distribution of funds appropriated to
the program to ensure that all areas of this Commonwealth
participate to the greatest extent possible.
(h) Funding for housing program.--The agency shall make
available 30% of the funds appropriated under this article for
housing programs benefiting households with household incomes
which are less than 50% of the median area income.
Section 404-D. Plan.
(a) General rule.--Within 90 days of the effective date of
this section and by March 15 of each year thereafter, the agency
shall adopt a plan which establishes the agency's priorities for
that year and sets forth the method in which the funds will be
distributed that year.
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(b) Publication.--The proposed plan, including a comment
response document, shall be submitted to the chair and minority
chair of the Urban Affairs and Housing Committee in the Senate
and the chair and minority chair of the Commerce Committee in
the House of Representatives, published in the Pennsylvania
Bulletin and published on the agency's Internet website for
public comment no later than 45 days prior to its adoption under
subsection (a). All comments submitted to the agency in writing
shall be public records and shall be incorporated into the
comment response document.
Section 405-D. Reporting.
Within 90 days following the close of the first calendar year
after the effective date of this article and by July 1 of every
year thereafter, the agency shall issue a report containing a
financial statement, an itemized list of projects funded and a
description of other expenditures in the preceding calendar
year. The report shall be submitted to the Governor, the Auditor
General and the chair and minority chair of the Urban Affairs
and Housing Committee in the Senate and the chair and minority
chair of the Commerce Committee in the House of Representatives
and published on the agency's Internet website. The report shall
be a public record.
Section 406-D. Account.
There is established in the State Treasury a restricted
receipt account. All appropriations and other funds allocated to
the program shall be deposited in the account. Interest and any
unspent appropriations in the account shall remain in the
account.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 90 days.
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