text: 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)''.
target: 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.
feat_title: Neighborhood Integrity and Responsibility Act