INTERNATIONAL HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

EXCERPT FROM HOUSING ACT OF 1957

[Public Law 85-104, 85th Congress; 71 Stat. 305; 12 U.S.C. 1701d-4]

EXCHANGE OF DATA

SEC. 604. (a) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may exchange data relating to housing and urban planning and development with other nations and assemble such data from other nations, through participation in international conferences and other means, where such exchange or assembly is deemed by him to be beneficial in carrying out his responsibilities under the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act or other legislation. In carrying out his responsibilities under this subsection the Secretary may

(1) pay the expenses of participation in activities conducted under authority of this section including, but not limited to, the compensation, travel expenses, and per diem in lieu of subsistence of persons serving in an advisory capacity while away from their homes or regular places of business in connection with attendance at international meetings and conferences or other travel for the purpose of exchange or assembly of data relating to housing and urban planning and development; but such travel expenses shall not exceed those authorized for regular officers and employees traveling in connection with said activities; and

(2) accept from international organizations, foreign countries, and private nonprofit foundations, funds, services, facilities, materials, and other donations to be utilized jointly in carrying out activities under this section.

(b) International programs and activities carried out by the Secretary under the authority provided in subsection (a) shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of State for the purpose of assuring that such authority shall be exercised in a manner consistent with the foreign policy of the United States. [12 U.S.C. 1701d-4]

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW-INCOME

PERSONS

EXCERPT FROM HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1968

[Public Law 102-550; 106 Stat. 3878; 12 U.S.C. 1701u]

SEC. 3. ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW- AND VERY LOW-INCOME PERSONS.

(a) FINDINGS.-The Congress finds that

(1) Federal housing and community development programs provide State and local governments and other recipients of Federal financial assistance with substantial funds for projects and activities that produce significant employment and other economic opportunities;

(2) low- and very low-income persons, especially recipients of government assistance for housing, often have restricted access to employment and other economic opportunities;

(3) the employment and other economic opportunities generated by projects and activities that receive Federal housing and community development assistance offer an effective means of empowering low- and very low-income persons, particularly persons who are recipients of government assistance for housing; and

(4) prior Federal efforts to direct employment and other economic opportunities generated by Federal housing and community development programs to low- and very low-income persons have not been fully effective and should be intensified. (b) POLICY.-It is the policy of the Congress and the purpose of this section to ensure that the employment and other economic opportunities generated by Federal financial assistance for housing and community development programs shall, to the greatest extent feasible, be directed toward low- and very low-income persons, particularly those who are recipients of government assistance for housing.

(c) EMPLOYMENT.

(1) PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING PROGRAM.—

(A) IN GENERAL.-The Secretary shall require that public and Indian housing agencies, and their contractors and subcontractors, make their best efforts, consistent with existing Federal, State, and local laws and regulations, to give to low- and very low-income persons the training and employment opportunities generated by development assistance provided pursuant to section 5 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, operating assistance provided pursuant to section 9 of that Act, and modernization grants provided pursuant to section 14 of that Act.

(B) PRIORITY.-The efforts required under subparagraph (A) shall be directed in the following order of priority:

(i) To residents of the housing developments for which the assistance is expended.

(ii) To residents of other developments managed by the public or Indian housing agency that is expending the assistance.

(iii) To participants in Youthbuild programs receiving assistance under subtitle D of title IV of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act.

(iv) To other low- and very low-income persons residing within the metropolitan area (or nonmetropolitan county) in which the assistance is expended.

(2) OTHER PROGRAMS.

(A) IN GENERAL.-In other programs that provide housing and community development assistance, the Secretary shall ensure that, to the greatest extent feasible, and consistent with existing Federal, State, and local laws and regulations, opportunities for training and employment arising in connection with a housing rehabilitation (including reduction and abatement of lead-based paint hazards), housing construction, or other public construction project are given to low- and very low-income persons residing within the metropolitan area (or nonmetropolitan county) in which the project is located.

(B) PRIORITY.-Where feasible, priority should be given to low- and very low-income persons residing within the service area of the project or the neighborhood in which the project is located and to participants in Youthbuild programs receiving assistance under subtitle D of title IV of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act.

(d) CONTRACTING.—

(1) PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING PROGRAM.—

(A) IN GENERAL.-The Secretary shall require that public and Indian housing agencies, and their contractors and subcontractors, make their best efforts, consistent with existing Federal, State, and local laws and regulations, to award contracts for work to be performed in connection with development assistance provided pursuant to section 5 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, operating assistance provided pursuant to section 9 of that Act, and modernization grants provided pursuant to section 14 of that Act, to business concerns that provide economic opportunities for low- and very low-income persons.

(B) PRIORITY.-The efforts required under subparagraph (A) shall be directed in the following order of priority:

(i) To business concerns that provide economic opportunities for residents of the housing development for which the assistance is provided.

(ii) To business concerns that provide economic opportunities for residents of other housing developments operated by the public and Indian housing agency that is providing the assistance.

(iii) To Youthbuild programs receiving assistance under subtitle D of title IV of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act.

(iv) To business concerns that provide economic opportunities for low- and very low-income persons residing within the metropolitan area (or nonmetropolitan county) in which the assistance is provided.

(2) OTHER PROGRAMS.—

(A) IN GENERAL.-In providing housing and community development assistance pursuant to other programs, the Secretary shall ensure that, to the greatest extent feasible, and consistent with existing Federal, State, and local laws and regulations, contracts awarded for work to be performed in connection with a housing rehabilitation (including reduction and abatement of lead-based paint hazards), housing construction, or other public construction project are given to business concerns that provide economic opportunities for low- and very low-income persons residing within the metropolitan area (or nonmetropolitan county) in which the assistance is expended.

(B) PRIORITY.-Where feasible, priority should be given to business concerns which provide economic opportunities for low- and very low-income persons residing within the service area of the project or the neighborhood in which the project is located and to Youthbuild programs receiving assistance under subtitle D of title IV of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act. (e) DEFINITIONS.-For the purposes of this section the following definitions shall apply:

(1) LOW- AND VERY LOW-INCOME PERSONS.-The terms "low-income persons" and "very low-income persons" have the same meanings given the terms "low-income families" and "very low-income families", respectively, in section 3(b)(2) of the United States Housing Act of 1937.

(2) BUSINESS CONCERN THAT PROVIDES ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. The term "a business concern that provides economic opportunities" means a business concern that

(A) provides economic opportunities for a class of persons that has a majority controlling interest in the business;

(B) employs a substantial number of such persons; or (C) meets such other criteria as the Secretary may establish.

(f) COORDINATION WITH OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.-The Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Commerce, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, and such other Federal agencies as the Secretary determines are necessary to carry out this section.

(g) REGULATIONS.-Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the National Affordable Housing Act Amendments of 1992,1 the Secretary shall promulgate regulations to implement this section. [12 U.S.C. 1701u]

1 Probably intended to refer to the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, Pub.

L. 102-550, approved October 28, 1992.