Summary
# SAFE TEMPERATURE ACT OF 2023 (H.R. 1333)
## WHAT THIS BILL DOES
This bill requires owners of housing units that receive federal housing assistance to maintain comfortable and safe temperatures in those units. The bill applies to three types of federally assisted housing: public housing, project-based assistance (housing where federal payments are tied to specific buildings), and supportive housing for elderly people.
## WHO IT AFFECTS
- Owners of public housing units that receive federal money
- Owners of housing units receiving federal housing assistance payments
- Owners of supportive housing (housing with services) for elderly people
- The U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (the federal official in charge of housing programs)
- Residents living in these federally assisted housing units
## KEY PROVISIONS
- Owners of housing units receiving federal assistance payments must maintain a comfortable and safe temperature between 71 degrees and 81 degrees Fahrenheit in each unit (Sec. 2(a)(1))
- The Secretary may use money from the Capital Fund or Operating Fund (federal money set aside for public housing repairs and day-to-day costs) to ensure public housing units maintain temperatures between 71 degrees and 81 degrees Fahrenheit (Sec. 2(a)(2))
- Owners of supportive housing for elderly people must keep each unit at a comfortable and safe temperature between 71 degrees and 81 degrees Fahrenheit (Sec. 2(b))
## WHAT CHANGES
If this bill becomes law, federal housing authorities will be allowed to require that federally assisted housing units stay between 71 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit. Federal money currently available for public housing maintenance can now be used specifically for temperature control. Owners of elderly supportive housing will need to meet the same temperature standards.
## IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
None defined in the bill text.
## EFFECTIVE DATE
Not specified in bill text.
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1333
To provide for a comfortable and safe temperature level in dwelling units
receiving certain Federal housing assistance, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 1, 2023
Ms. WILSON of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Financial Services
A BILL
To provide for a comfortable and safe temperature level
in dwelling units receiving certain Federal housing assist-
ance, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safe Temperature Act
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of 2023’’.
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SEC. 2. COMFORTABLE AND SAFE TEMPERATURE LEVEL IN
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FEDERALLY ASSISTED HOUSING.
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(a) PUBLIC HOUSING AND PROJECT-BASED ASSIST-
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ANCE.—The United States Housing Act of 1937 (42
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U.S.C. 1437 et seq.) is amended—
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•HR 1333 IH
(1)
in
section
8(o)(13)
(42
U.S.C.
1
1437f(o)(13)), by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘(P) MAINTAINING TEMPERATURE LEVEL
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IN
UNITS.—The Secretary may require the
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owner of a dwelling unit receiving assistance
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under a housing assistance payment under this
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paragraph to ensure that the dwelling unit
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maintains a comfortable and safe temperature
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level ranging from 71 degrees to 81 degrees
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Fahrenheit.’’; and
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(2) in section 9 (42 U.S.C. 1437g), by adding
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at the end the following:
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‘‘(p) USE
OF FUNDS TO MAINTAIN TEMPERATE
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LEVEL
IN UNITS.—With respect to a public housing
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dwelling unit, the Secretary may use amounts in the Cap-
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ital Fund or the Operating Fund to ensure that the dwell-
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ing unit maintains a comfortable and safe temperature
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level ranging from 71 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit.’’.
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(b) SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY.—
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Section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C.
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1701q) is amended by striking the last two subsections
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(each designated as subsection (m)) and inserting the fol-
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lowing:
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‘‘(m) MAINTAINING TEMPERATURE IN UNITS.—The
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Secretary may require the owner of housing assisted under
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•HR 1333 IH
this section to ensure that each unit in that housing main-
1
tains a comfortable and safe temperature level ranging
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from 71 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit.’’.
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Æ
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