119-hr638

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 638 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 638

 To require owners of covered federally assisted rental dwelling units 
 to install temperature sensors in such units, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 January 22, 2025

 Mr. Torres of New York introduced the following bill; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To require owners of covered federally assisted rental dwelling units 
 to install temperature sensors in such units, 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 ``Housing Temperature Safety Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. TEMPERATURE SENSOR PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a temperature sensor 
3-year pilot program to provide grants to public housing agencies and 
owners of covered federally assisted rental dwelling units to install 
and test the efficacy of temperature sensors in residential dwelling 
units to ensure such units remain in compliance with temperature 
requirements.

    (b) Application.--The Secretary shall, not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, establish eligibility 
criteria for participation in the pilot program established pursuant to 
subsection

    (a) and such criteria shall be designed to ensure--

    (1) the pilot program includes a diverse range of 
 participants that represent different geographic regions, 
 climate regions, unit sizes and types of housing; and

    (2) the functionality of the temperature sensors that will 
 be tested, including internet connectivity requirements.
            (c) Installation.--Each public housing agency or owner of a covered 
federally assisted rental dwelling unit that receives one or more 
temperature sensors under this Act shall, after receiving written 
permission from the resident of a dwelling unit, install such 
temperature sensor and monitor the data from such temperature sensor.
            (d) Collection of Complaint Records.--

    (1) In general.--Each public housing agency or owner of a 
 covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit that receives 
 one or more temperature sensors under this Act shall collect 
 and retain information about temperature-related complaints and 
 violations.

    (2) === Definitions. ===
-The Secretary shall, not later than 180 
 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, define the 
 terms temperature-related complaints and temperature-related 
 violations for the purposes of this Act.

    (e) Data Collection.--

    (1) In general.--Data collected from temperature sensors 
 provided to public housing agencies and owners of covered 
 federally assisted rental dwelling units under this Act shall 
 be retained until the Secretary notifies the public housing 
 agency or owner that the pilot program and the evaluation of 
 the pilot program are complete.

    (2) Personally identifiable information.--The Secretary 
 shall, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
 of this Act, establish standards for the protection of 
 personally identifiably information collected during the pilot 
 program by public housing agencies, owners of federally 
 assisted rental dwelling units, and the Secretary.

    (f) Pilot Program Evaluation.--

    (1) Interim evaluation.--Not later than 12 months after the 
 establishment of the pilot program under this Act, the 
 Secretary shall publicly publish and submit to the Congress a 
 report that--
        (A) examines the number of temperature-related 
 complaints and violations in federally assisted rental 
 dwelling units with temperature sensors, disaggregated 
 by temperature sensor technology and climate region--
            (i) that occurred before the installation 
 of such sensor, if known; and
            (ii) that occurred after the installation 
 of such sensor; and
        (B) identifies any barriers to full utility of 
 temperature sensor capabilities, including broadband 
 internet access and tenant participation.

    (2) Final evaluation.--Not later than 36 months after the 
 conclusion of the pilot program established by the Secretary 
 under this Act, the Secretary shall publicly publish and submit 
 to the Congress a report that--
        (A) examines the number of temperature-related 
 complaints and violations in federally assisted rental 
 dwelling units with temperature sensors, disaggregated 
 by temperature sensor technology and climate region--
            (i) that occurred before the installation 
 of such sensor; and
            (ii) that occurred after the installation 
 of such sensor;
        (B) identifies any barriers to full utility of 
 temperature sensor capabilities, including broadband 
 internet access and tenant participation; and
            (C) compare the utility of various temperature 
 sensor technologies based on--
            (i) climate zones;
            (ii) cost;
            (iii) features; and
            (iv) any other factors identified by the 
 Secretary.

    (g) 

=== Definitions. ===
-For the purposes of this Act:

    (1) Temperature sensor.--The term ``temperature sensor'' 
 means an internet capable temperature reporting device able to 
 measure ambient air temperature to the tenth degree Fahrenheit 
 and Celsius.

    (2) Covered federally assisted housing.--The term ``covered 
 federally assisted rental dwelling unit'' means a residential 
 dwelling unit that is made available for rental and for which 
 assistance is provided, or that is part of a housing project 
 for which assistance is provided, under--
        (A) the program for project-based rental assistance 
 under 

section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 
 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f);
        (B) the public housing program under the United 
 States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.);
            (C) the program for supportive housing for the 
 elderly under 

section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 
 (12 U.S.C. 1701q); or
            (D) the program for supportive housing for persons 
 with disabilities under 

section 811 of the Cranston-
 Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 
 8013).

    (3) Owner.--The term ``owner'' means--
        (A) with respect to the program for project-based 
 rental assistance under 

section 8 of the United States 
 Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f), any private 
 person or entity, including a cooperative, an agency of 
 the Federal Government, or a public housing agency, 
 having the legal right to lease or sublease dwelling 
 units;
        (B) with respect to public housing program under 
 the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 
 et seq.), a public housing agency or an owner entity of 
 public housing units as defined in 

section 905.108 of 
 title 24, Code of Federal Regulations;
            (C) with respect to the program for supportive 
 housing for the elderly under 

section 202 of the 
 Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q), a private 
 nonprofit organization as defined under 

section 202

    (k)

    (4) of the Housing Act of 1959; and
            (D) with respect to the program for supportive 
 housing for persons with disabilities under 

section 811 
 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing 
 Act (42 U.S.C. 8013), a private nonprofit organization 
 as defined under 

section 811

    (k)

    (5) of 

section 811 of 
 the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act.

    (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Housing and Urban Development.

    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary--

    (1) such sums as may be necessary for the Secretary to 
 provide grants to owners of covered federally assisted rental 
 dwelling units participating in the pilot program established 
 under this Act;

    (2) such sums as may be necessary for the Secretary to 
 administer the pilot program established under this Act; and

    (3) such sums as may be necessary for the Secretary to 
 provide technical assistance to owners of covered federally 
 assisted rental dwelling units that are participating in the 
 pilot program established under this Act.
 <all>