Surplus Property Bill Reintroduced in the House

Representative Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) reintroduced the Excess Federal Building and Property Disposal Act. The bill, H.R. 328, was introduced on January 22 and has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Representative Mike Quigley (D-Ill) is an original cosponsor. The Excess Federal Building and Property Disposal Act was one of several bills introduced in the 112th Congress to change the process by which surplus federal properties can be sold. The measure passed the House of Representatives in the 112th Congress but did not advance in the Senate (see Memo, 3/23/12).Advocates are watching these measures carefully as Title V of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act gives homeless service providers a first right of refusal to these properties before they are made available for sale. H.R. 328 would streamline the property disposition process by creating a five-year pilot program to expedite the disposal of the highest-value vacant properties. Under the bill, Title V would continue to apply to all but these select high-value properties. The bill would also authorize HUD to award grants to eligible nonprofit organizations to purchase properties to be used to assist people experiencing homelessness. Grants could be used to acquire or rehabilitate property for permanent housing, transitional housing, or temporary shelter. The HUD Secretary is directed to give preference to nonprofits operating in areas where federal properties have been sold under the pilot program authorized by the bill.Mr. Chaffetz’s bill is generally the most protective of the interests of homeless providers of proposals that were pending in the last Congress. However, many advocates would prefer that Title V remain fully intact in any reform proposal.Click here for the full text of H.R. 328.