DASH Act
Latest action (23 Sep 2021): Introduced
What this bill does
Here's a factual summary:
The DASH Act (S. 2820), introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden in September 2021, is a broad housing bill combining direct assistance programs with tax-code changes. Its housing title would create a new permanent voucher program for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, directing HUD to issue 250,000 vouchers in the first year and 400,000 annually thereafter until need is met, funded automatically rather than through annual appropriations. It sets rules for voucher payment amounts, administrative fees for costs like security deposits and moving expenses, required data collection and reporting, and mandatory supportive services (health, substance-use treatment, education, and benefits-enrollment referrals) coordinated through partnerships between public housing agencies, child welfare agencies, and local homeless service networks. The bill also addresses rural housing preservation and voucher eligibility, and includes numerous tax provisions affecting the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, new credits for renters, first-time homebuyers, and "middle-income" and "neighborhood homes" housing development, among other changes.
The bill would primarily affect homeless and low-income individuals and families, unaccompanied homeless youth, rural housing residents, public housing agencies, homeless service providers (including faith-based nonprofits), affordable housing developers, and taxpayers who could claim new or expanded housing-related tax credits.
The bill was introduced in the Senate on September 23, 2021, and referred to the Committee on Finance. According to the Congressional Research Service, it did not receive a vote and did not advance further in the 117th Congress.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Decent, Affordable, Safe Housing for all Act or the DASH Act
This bill provides grants, loans, tax credits, and other assistance to promote the building, maintenance, and affordability of housing. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development to (1) provide housing vouchers to individuals and families experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness, (2) provide grants for the modular construction of affordable housing, (3) propose a new formula for distribution of Housing Trust Fund amounts, and (4) encourage zoning and community planning methods that promote multi-family housing. The bill also makes permanent certain homeless assistance programs.
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must provide grants and loans to construct or preserve affordable housing for farm laborers and may provide rural housing vouchers for low-income households residing in certain properties financed with or insured by USDA loans. The bill also makes permanent a program for the preservation and revitalization of USDA-backed housing projects and expands existing domestic violence housing protections to rural housing voucher recipients.
The bill expands the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) to be more widely available and to allocate a larger portion of available funds to projects serving extremely low-income households. Further, the bill creates a refundable tax credit for participating owners of rental buildings who lower rents for their low-income tenants. The bill also creates a tax credit similar to the LIHTC for the development of housing for middle-income households and provides a tax credit of up to $15,000 for first-time homebuyers.
Common questions
- What does S. 2820 do?
- Here's a factual summary: The DASH Act (S. 2820), introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden in September 2021, is a broad housing bill combining direct assistance programs with tax-code changes. Its housing title would create a new permanent voucher program for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, directing HUD to issue 250,000 vouchers in the first year and 400,000 annually thereafter until need is met, funded automatically rather than through annual appropriations. It sets rules for voucher payment amounts, administrative fees for costs like security deposits and moving expenses, required data collection and reporting, and mandatory supportive services (health, substance-use treatment, education, and benefits-enrollment referrals) coordinated through partnerships between public housing agencies, child welfare agencies, and local homeless service networks. The bill also addresses rural housing preservation and voucher eligibility, and includes numerous tax provisions affecting the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, new credits for renters, first-time homebuyers, and "middle-income" and "neighborhood homes" housing development, among other changes. The bill would primarily affect homeless and low-income individuals and families, unaccompanied homeless youth, rural housing residents, public housing agencies, homeless service providers (including faith-based nonprofits), affordable housing developers, and taxpayers who could claim new or expanded housing-related tax credits. The bill was introduced in the Senate on September 23, 2021, and referred to the Committee on Finance. According to the Congressional Research Service, it did not receive a vote and did not advance further in the 117th Congress.
- Has S. 2820 become law?
- Not yet. As of 23 Sep 2021, S. 2820 is introduced.
- Who sponsored S. 2820?
- S. 2820 was sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden [D-OR] (Democrat-OR), with 0 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 2820?
- Introduced (23 Sep 2021).
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