Puerto Rico Low-Income Housing Support Act

H.R. 1696, the Puerto Rico Low-Income Housing Support Act, would amend the definition of "extremely low-income families" in the United States Housing Act of 1937. The key change is to align the poverty guidelines used to determine eligibility for housing assistance in Puerto Rico with the poverty guidelines used for the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia, at least for public housing agencies and projects located in Puerto Rico. This effectively standardizes how extremely low-income status is calculated for PR housing programs, potentially altering who is eligible for assistance. Additionally, the bill requires a Comptroller General report to Congress within 180 days detailing HUD’s and Puerto Rico’s collaboration to connect low-income families in PR with housing assistance and affordable units, including units assisted under the 1937 Act. The report must assess how needs are identified and addressed, how federal disaster recovery funds are used to rebuild or expand low-income housing after events like hurricanes and earthquakes, and provide recommendations to improve federal and local housing programs serving extremely low-income families in Puerto Rico. No new funding is authorized in the bill.