[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5284 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5284
To provide economic empowerment opportunities in the United States
through the modernization of public housing, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
August 6, 2026
Mr. Sanders (for himself, Mr. Markey, Mr. Booker, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr.
Welch, Mr. Merkley, and Mr. Padilla) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing,
and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide economic empowerment opportunities in the United States
through the modernization of public housing, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Green New Deal for Public Housing
Act''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
The purpose of this Act is--
(1) to stimulate, gather, and develop the workforce
capacity, tools, financing, and materials needed to
rehabilitate, upgrade, modernize, maintain, staff, and
transition public housing;
(2) to rehabilitate and preserve public housing that is
severely distressed and causing residents to be exposed to
unhealthy and unsafe environments;
(3) to upgrade and equip all public housing with cutting-
edge materials, infrastructure, and all-electric appliances
made in the United States in order to improve energy
efficiency, water quality, and material living standards in
public housing and to support United States manufacturing;
(4) to ensure that public housing laws maximize tenant
participation and management by low- and very low-income
individuals in the rehabilitation, upgrade, and transition of
public housing through education, training, and jobs; and
(5) to modernize the entire public housing stock of the
United States, as swiftly and seamlessly as possible, into
highly energy-efficient homes that produce on-site, or procure,
enough carbon-free renewable energy to meet total energy
consumption annually.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a public housing agency;
(B) an Indian tribe or a tribally designated
housing entity that is eligible to receive assistance
under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.); and
(C) the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, as
defined in section 801 of the Native American Housing
Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25
U.S.C. 4221).
(2) Environmental justice community.--The term
``environmental justice community'' means a community with
significant representation of communities of color, low-income
communities, or Tribal and indigenous communities, that
experiences, or is at risk of experiencing, higher or more
adverse human health or environmental effects.
(3) Indian tribe; tribally designated housing entity.--The
terms ``Indian tribe'' and ``tribally designated housing
entity'' have the meanings given those terms in section 4 of
the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination
Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103).
(4) Public housing.--The term ``public housing''--
(A) has the meaning given the term in section 3(b)
of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437a(b)); and
(B) includes--
(i) any dwelling unit owned by an Indian
tribe that is or was a dwelling unit in public
housing;
(ii) any low-income housing dwelling unit
described in section 302(b)(1) of the Native
American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C.
4152(b)(1));
(iii) any dwelling unit assisted under
section 802 of the Native American Housing
Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996
(25 U.S.C. 4222); and
(iv) any dwelling unit that--
(I) was a low-income housing
dwelling unit described in section
302(b)(1) of the Native American
Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C.
4152(b)(1)); and
(II) is rented only to households
with an income that is not more than 80
percent of the area median income.
(5) Public housing agency.--The term ``public housing
agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 3(b) of the
United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)).
(6) Renewable energy.--The term ``renewable energy''
means--
(A) utility-, community-, and small-scale
photovoltaic and thermal solar energy;
(B) utility- and small-scale wind energy;
(C) geothermal energy;
(D) microturbine hydroelectricity;
(E) energy efficiency;
(F) building electrification;
(G) energy storage;
(H) microgrids; and
(I) modern distribution grid infrastructure.
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development.
(8) Subsidized housing resident-owned business.--The term
``subsidized housing resident-owned business'' means a business
concern that--
(A) provides economic opportunities, as defined in
section 3(e) of the Housing and Urban Development Act
of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701u(e)); and
(B) is owned by subsidized housing residents.
(9) Zero-carbon home.--The term ``zero-carbon home'' means
a highly energy-efficient home that produces on-site, or
procures, enough carbon-free renewable energy to meet the total
annual energy consumption of the home.
SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS FOR IMPROVED
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN IN GOVERNMENT HOUSING PROGRAMS.
Section 4 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12
U.S.C. 1701v) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 4. IMPROVED ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN IN GOVERNMENT HOUSING PROGRAMS.
``(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
``(1) if Federal aid is to make its full community-wide
contribution toward improving our urban and rural environments,
Federal aid must have a greater impact on improvements in
architectural design; and
``(2) even within the necessary budget limitations on
housing for low- and moderate-income families, architectural
design and environmental performance can be improved not only
to make the housing more livable, but also to better suit the
needs of occupants including human and environmental health,
zero carbon emissions, well-being, accessibility, and equity.
``(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that in the
administration of housing programs that assist in the provision of
housing for low- and moderate-income families, emphasis should be given
to--
``(1) encouraging good architectural design that yields
maximal environmental performance and adheres to accessibility
guidelines established in accordance with the Americans With
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) as an
essential component of such housing, and adequate staffing to
maintain that design and environmental performance; and
``(2) developing, with opportunities for resident
involvement, housing that will be of such quality as to reflect
the highest international architectural standards and the
architectural standards of the neighborhood and the community
in which it is situated, consistent with prudent budgeting.''.
SEC. 5. DECLARATION OF POLICY.
Section 2(a) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437(a)) is amended to read as follows:
``(a) Declaration of Policy.--It is the policy of the United
States--
``(1) to modernize the intersections of Federal and local
government by employing the funds and credit of the United
States, as provided in this Act--
``(A) to guarantee the right to housing for every
individual;
``(B) to assist States and political subdivisions
of States in ensuring that--
``(i) all housing in the United States is
habitable, highly energy-efficient, and safe;
and
``(ii) housing conditions lead to good
health, security, and adequate protection from
the economic fears relating to old age,
disability, sickness, accident, and
unemployment; and
``(C) to protect, maintain, preserve, and expand
public housing as a sustainable safety net for all
people;
``(2) that it is the responsibility of the Federal
Government, in conjunction with public housing agencies, to
incentivize, promote, and protect the independent,
collaborative, and collective actions of public housing
residents and other private citizens to develop housing in a
manner that strengthens entire neighborhoods; and
``(3) that the Federal Government should act and create new
public housing where there is a serious need that the free
market cannot address or is not addressing responsibly and
support the staffing needed to maintain and sustain the quality
of this public housing.''.
SEC. 6. GREEN NEW DEAL PUBLIC HOUSING GRANTS.
(a) Establishment of Grant Programs.--
(1) Grants for public housing community workforce
development.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation
with the Secretary of Labor, shall establish a grant
program that provides amounts to eligible entities to
facilitate workforce development projects and high-
income employment transition at public housing.
(B) Requirements.--In awarding grants under this
paragraph, the Secretary may only give grants to--
(i) eligible entities that have formed
partnerships with an existing registered
apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, internship,
vocational rehabilitation agency, labor-
management partnership, or other partnerships
with labor organizations;
(ii) eligible entities that demonstrate a
capacity to facilitate a workforce development
program that leads to--
(I) the development of career and
related skills, including general
educational development support and
financial and economic empowerment
education;
(II) direct entry to registered
apprenticeship programs;
(III) certification or associate
degree acquisition;
(IV) technical assistance and
resources for subsidized housing
resident-owned businesses for purposes
of compliance with the requirements
under section 3 of the Housing and
Urban Development Act of 1968 (12
U.S.C. 1701u), including--
(aa) legal or compliance
services on behalf of
subsidized housing resident-
owned businesses for purposes
of helping them access and
apply for government
procurement and contracting
opportunities;
(bb) education on starting
and sustaining a business;
(cc) accessing insurance
and bonds; and
(dd) demonstrating capacity
and sustainable operations;
(V) training and development of
skills necessary for career development
in the fields, trades, and services
reasonably determined during the first
public comment period held in
accordance with subsection (b)(3) to be
of interest to public housing
residents;
(VI) educational and organizational
tools for public housing residents in
order to advance the models of worker
cooperatives and collective bargaining;
(VII) education, engagement, and
empowerment resources to help both
residents of public housing and local
low- and very low-income individuals
avail themselves of opportunities made
available under the workforce
development program, including
education, engagement, and empowerment
resources provided in partnership
with--
(aa) a local entity that
operates a Family Self-
Sufficiency program under
section 23 of the United States
Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437u); and
(bb) community-based
organizations that demonstrate
a commitment to and history of
organizing with public housing
residents;
(VIII) innovative design
partnerships with local schools and
architectural firms;
(IX) training and employment
opportunities reserved specifically for
local low- and very low-income people
that were formerly incarcerated;
(X) stipends valued at not less
than $250 per week to individuals
participating in the workforce
development program; and
(XI) childcare and financial
literacy courses for individuals
participating in the workforce
development program;
(iii) eligible entities in the construction
or maintenance sector seeking to carry out a
project to develop pre-apprenticeships that
prepare individuals for acceptance into
registered programs in that sector, as well as
technical and vocational colleges;
(iv) eligible entities that propose in
their application to use grant amounts to bring
public housing in their jurisdiction into
compliance with Federal, State, and local
building codes; and
(v) eligible entities that propose in their
application to use grant amounts to provide
relocation assistance and mobility counseling
for displaced residents.
(C) Technical assistance.--The Secretary of Labor
shall make technical assistance available to eligible
entities applying for grants under this paragraph.
(D) Compliance managers.--Not more than 10 percent
of the amount of a grant received by an eligible entity
under this paragraph may be used by an eligible entity
to hire or otherwise retain reporting and compliance
managers with sufficient expertise to ensure that the
eligible entity can comply with the requirements of
section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of
1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701u).
(E) Additional eligible entities.--The following
entities shall be eligible for grants under this
paragraph if the entity submits a joint application
with an eligible entity described in section 3(1):
(i) An organization that has demonstrated
effectiveness in providing adult education and
literacy activities, which may include--
(I) a local educational agency;
(II) a community-based organization
or fai