S 1091119th CongressIn Committee

Rural Housing Accessibility Act

Introduced: Mar 24, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Rural Housing Accessibility Act would create a new portable voucher framework within the federal public housing program. It targets so‑called “covered” public housing agencies (PHAs) that are underutilizing their budget authority (less than 95% used) and allows them to absorb, or take over, portable family vouchers that originate from another PHA (the initial PHA). When a portable family seeks housing outside the initial PHA’s jurisdiction, the covered PHA must decide whether to absorb the voucher with its own funds or bill the initial PHA for up to 12 months. If absorbing, the covered PHA must make the voucher payments under an Annual Contributions Contract (ACC) with the Secretary; if billing, it cannot bill for more than 12 months from the date the initial billing begins. The aim is to broaden mobility for voucher households, particularly in rural areas, while limiting ongoing billing between PHAs.

Key Points

1Definitions and scope
2- Covered public housing agency: a PHA that, in a given fiscal year, uses less than 95% of its budget authority.
3- Initial public housing agency (initial PHA): as defined in existing regulations governing voucher programs.
4- Portable family: a household holding a voucher that seeks housing outside the initial PHA’s jurisdiction.
5Portability obligation and options
6- When a portable family moves to a covered PHA’s jurisdiction, the covered PHA must notify the initial PHA whether it will absorb the voucher with its own funds or bill the initial PHA for up to 12 months.
7- The covered PHA must make housing assistance payments to the portable family under an ACC with the Secretary.
8- If the covered PHA bills the initial PHA, it may do so for no more than 12 months from the effective date of the initial billing.
9Funding and administration
10- If the covered PHA absorbs the voucher, it uses its own funds to support the assistance.
11- If billing, the initial PHA remains responsible for funding the voucher payments beyond the 12-month period, subject to the bill and the ACC framework.
12Purpose
13- To increase voucher portability and reduce barriers to mobility for rural households by leveraging underutilized PHAs’ capacity.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Rural households using Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) who wish to move across PHA jurisdictions, especially into areas served by underutilized PHAs.Secondary group/area affected- Covered PHAs with available budget authority (under 95% used) that can absorb vouchers, potentially expanding their program activities.- Initial PHAs that may no longer bear the full ongoing cost of a portable voucher if absorbed by another PHA.Additional impacts- Administrative changes: new notification and billing processes between initial and covered PHAs, and compliance with ACC requirements.- Fiscal implications: shifts in when and how voucher subsidies are paid (direct absorption by another PHA vs. billing back to the initial PHA for up to 12 months).- Potential geographic mobility benefits for rural residents, potentially expanding housing options and access to services outside the initial jurisdiction.

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