Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that appropriates $100 billion for emergency rental assistance programs and extends the CARES Act eviction and foreclosure moratorium through March 2021.

Highlights:

• Appropriates $100 billion to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for grants under the Emergency Solutions Grants program to be used for providing short- or medium-term assistance with rent and rent-related costs, including utility fees (Sec. 101).

• Establishes the Homeowner Assistance Fund within the Department of the Treasury to provide finance funds to state housing finance agencies in order to prevent homeowner mortgage defaults, foreclosures, and displacements of individuals and families experiencing financial hardship after January 21, 2020 (Sec. 102).

• Appropriates $75 billion to the Homeowner Assistance Fund (Sec. 102).

• Appropriates $11.5 billion for homeless assistance funding under the Emergency Solutions Grants program for grants to respond to needs arising from the public health emergency relating to the COVID-19 coronavirus (Sec. 201).

• Appropriates $1 billion to HUD for the emergency assistance voucher program (Sec. 202).

• Prohibits a lessor of a covered dwelling from filing with a legal action to recover possession of the covered dwelling from the tenant for nonpayment of rent or other fees or charges during the 12-month moratorium period beginning on the date of enactment of the CARES Act (Sec. 103).

• Appropriates $309 million for rural rental assistance (Sec. 105).

• Appropriates $2 billion to the Public Housing Operating Fund for public housing and tenant-based rental assistance (Sec. 106).

• Appropriates $3 billion for tenant-based Section 8 rental assistance (Sec. 106).

• Appropriates $500 million in supplemental funding for supportive housing for the elderly, supportive housing for persons with disabilities, supportive housing for persons with AIDS, and project-based Section 8 rental assistance (Sec. 107).

• Appropriates $4 million for Fair Housing Organization Initiative grants through the Fair Housing Initiatives Program to ensure existing grantees have sufficient resources for fair housing activities and for technology and equipment needs to deliver services through the use of the Internet or other electronic means in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic (Sec. 108).

• Appropriates $10 million to the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity of HUD  to carry out a national media campaign and local education and outreach to inform the public of increased housing rights during the COVID-19 emergency period (Sec. 108).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text