Hartzler Introduces Bill to Protect Subsidized Housing from Smoke Damage

WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) introduced the Smoke Free Affordable Housing Act (HR3322) today to encourage subsidized housing developers to maintain a healthy environment for residents while protecting the subsidized property from expensive smoking related remediation costs. The federal government is investing billions of dollars every year in subsidized housing only to see many properties seriously degraded by smoke damage within only a few years. The Smoke Free Affordable Housing Act would incentivize subsidized housing developers to establish and maintain smoke-free policies to create a healthy environment for residents and protect the investment of hardworking taxpayers.

“Healthy housing means healthy living, and the families and children living in subsidized housing deserve to be free from the negative health effects and property damage second-hand smoke causes,” said Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler. “Why would we invest our hard-earned tax dollars in building quality subsidized housing when it is being ruined by smoke damage within a few years? We should give priority to subsidized housing development that creates a safe environment for families and children while protecting the housing itself so it can serve as a comfortable place to live for years to come.”

LIHTC is the federal program that awards about $9 billion annually in tax credits for subsidized housing development. Under the program, states have discretion in how that funding is distributed. The Smoke Free Affordable Housing Act directs states receiving federal tax credits from LIHTC to give preference to applications that show commitment to developing non-smoking buildings.  Some states already give preference to smoke-free housing, and this bill would place a very minimal requirement on states that would save billions in the long run.

“This bill doesn’t place any additional burdens on developers,” said Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler. “The Smoke Free Affordable Housing Act simply says that if developers are using federal funds to build their housing, then they will be given preference for meeting a higher standard.”

According to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, the LIHTC program assists with the construction of over 100,000 units of affordable housing annually. 

The LIHTC was set up by Congress through the Tax Reform Act of 1986, which stipulated that states and localities retain most of the power when determining which developers receive LIHTC tax credits.  State and local housing authorities are required to award these tax credits based on a qualified allocation plan (QAP), and developers are ranked according to how they score in their QAP.  The requirement to have a QAP is set up in federal statute; however, states and localities determine the specifics of how they rank developers.  States can award points based on a variety of factors, such as location and building characteristics.  Some states, such as Hawaii and North Carolina, already award QAP points for developers that commit to having non-smoking buildings. 

“I am thrilled that Congresswoman Hartzler is addressing the important issue of subsidized housing with this innovative bill,” said Evelyn Craig, President and CEO of reStart, a Kansas City organization that works to end homelessness. “People in subsidized housing deserve a clean, healthy place to live, and this bill helps to create more affordable and safe housing by providing vital incentives to individuals and organizations that develop housing.”

WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) introduced the Smoke Free Affordable Housing Act (H.R. 3322) today to encourage subsidized housing developers to maintain a healthy environment for residents while protecting the subsidized property from expensive smoking related remediation costs. The federal government is investing billions of dollars every year in subsidized housing only to see many properties seriously degraded by smoke damage within only a few years. The Smoke Free Affordable Housing Act would incentivize subsidized housing developers to establish and maintain smoke-free policies to create a healthy environment for residents and protect the investment of hardworking taxpayers.

“Healthy housing means healthy living, and the families and children living in subsidized housing deserve to be free from the negative health effects and property damage second-hand smoke causes,” said Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler. “Why would we invest our hard-earned tax dollars in building quality subsidized housing when it is being ruined by smoke damage within a few years? We should give priority to subsidized housing development that creates a safe environment for families and children while protecting the housing itself so it can serve as a comfortable place to live for years to come.”

LIHTC is the federal program that awards about $9 billion annually in tax credits for subsidized housing development. Under the program, states have discretion in how that funding is distributed. The Smoke Free Affordable Housing Act directs states receiving federal tax credits from LIHTC to give preference to applications that show commitment to developing non-smoking buildings.  Some states already give preference to smoke-free housing, and this bill would place a very minimal requirement on states that would save billions in the long run.

“This bill doesn’t place any additional burdens on developers,” said Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler. “The Smoke Free Affordable Housing Act simply says that if developers are using federal funds to build their housing, then they will be given preference for meeting a higher standard.”

According to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, the LIHTC program assists with the construction of over 100,000 units of affordable housing annually. 

The LIHTC was set up by Congress through the Tax Reform Act of 1986, which stipulated that states and localities retain most of the power when determining which developers receive LIHTC tax credits.  State and local housing authorities are required to award these tax credits based on a qualified allocation plan (QAP), and developers are ranked according to how they score in their QAP.  The requirement to have a QAP is set up in federal statute; however, states and localities determine the specifics of how they rank developers.  States can award points based on a variety of factors, such as location and building characteristics.  Some states, such as Hawaii and North Carolina, already award QAP points for developers that commit to having non-smoking buildings. 

“I am thrilled that Congresswoman Hartzler is addressing the important issue of subsidized housing with this innovative bill,” said Evelyn Craig, President and CEO of reStart, a Kansas City organization that works to end homelessness. “People in subsidized housing deserve a clean, healthy place to live, and this bill helps to create more affordable and safe housing by providing vital incentives to individuals and organizations that develop housing.”