Issue Position: Housing

Issue Position

Owning a home is part of the American dream. With Nassau County's high cost of living and lack of undeveloped space, housing is at a premium. We must create affordable housing opportunities in order to keep Long Island families in their homes and ensure that the next generation can afford to stay here.

Carolyn has introduced the following bills:

Middle Class Home Heating Relief Bill, H.R. 152

Provides a two year $1,000 refundable tax credit for individuals and $2,000 for families, to offset the cost of home heating oil, gas and propane.

Housing Preservation and Tenant Protection Act of 2010, HR 4868

This bill aims to prevent the loss of affordable housing dwelling units in the United States.

CMC had an amendment included in the bill that would prevent the possession or use of firearms by a person whose a registered, or required to register pursuant to the requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act as a sex offender.

Carolyn has cosponsored the following bills:

Recognizing National Homeownership Month and the importance of homeownership in the United States, H. Res. 502

Recognizing National Homeownership Month and the importance of homeownership in the US. Passed in the House.

Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act, H.R. 1247

States that any immediate successor in interest to residential property in foreclosure assumes such interest subject to: (1) giving an existing tenant at least 90-day notice to vacate; and (2) specified rights of such tenant to occupy the premises until the end of the lease.

Drywall Safety Act of 2009, H.R. 1977

Requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to: (1) study drywall that was imported from China from 2004 through 2007 and used in U.S. residences; and (2) initiate a proceeding on whether a consumer product safety standard regulating drywall materials is necessary.

Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act, HR 1547

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for collegiate housing and infrastructure grants.

Stable Flood Insurance Authorization Act of 2010, HR 5255

Would extend flood insurance through Sept 30, 2010 and delay mandatory purchase for 3 years.

Carolyn supported the following legislation that has been voted on in the House:

Helping Families Save Their Homes Act , H.R. 1106

The bill allows bankruptcy judges to modify home mortgages, fixes the Federal Housing Administration's Hope for Homeowners program, and offering new incentives for lenders to negotiate loan modifications. Prior to passage, Republicans offered a motion to recommit that bans the use of TARP funds for home mortgage mitigation. This would undermine the Obama housing plan and prevent any mortgage assistance. Passed by the House.

Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act, S. 386

Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act- authorizes funding for hiring fraud prosecutors and investigators at the Justice Department to go after mortgage and financial fraud. Signed by the President on May 20, 2009.\

Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act, H.R. 1728

Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act- outlaws many of the egregious industry practices that marked the subprime lending boom, and it would prevent borrowers from deliberately misstating their income to qualify for a loan.

This should go under the tax section of the accomplishments. Passed by the House.

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the lack of adequate housing must be addressed as a barrier to effective HIV prevention, treatment, and care, and that the United States should make a commitment to providing adequate funding for developing housing as a response to the AIDS pandemic, H Con Res 137

Declares the sense of the Congress that: (1) stable and affordable housing is an essential component of an effective strategy for HIV prevention, treatment, and care; and (2) the United States should make a commitment to providing adequate funding for developing housing as a response to the AIDS pandemic. Passed in the House.

Federal Housing Reform Act of 2010, HR 5072

The bill provides the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) with the authority to raise the insurance premiums of FHA-guaranteed mortgages, which the FHA has requested to help increase its capital reserves and comply with reserve requirements under current law. The measure also allows the FHA to reimburse loan-servicing firms for the costs of conducting in-person counseling with homeowners who are more than 60 days past due, provides the FHA with greater authority to terminate the approval of certain mortgage companies to originate or underwrite FHA-insured loans in cases of poor performance, and authorizes additional funding through FY 2014 for the Housing and Urban Development Department to conduct reviews of early defaults. Passed in the House.

Flood Insurance Reform Priorities Act of 2010, HR 5114

The bill reauthorizes the National Flood Insurance Program through FY 2015. It delays, for five years, the effective date for a requirement under which homeowners living in newly designated flood-hazard areas would have to purchase flood insurance, and phases-in a new risk-rate schedule for those areas over the next five years. The bill also increases the coverage limits for the program, allows annual increases of up to 20% for flood insurance premiums instead of the 10% cap under current law, authorizes $250 million over five years for outreach and education efforts, and creates an Office of Flood Insurance Advocate within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

We had 2 amendments accepted which would encourage any governmental agency who receives a grant under the "Flood Outreach" section for the purpose of facilitating and educating homeowners and renters about NFIP, to coordinate with groups that have expertise with the disabled, older Americans and minorities. Our other amendment would clarify that during the time period a borrower has to purchase NFIP once they are notified they must do so, if the lender applies "force placed insurance", once the borrower notifies them they have NFIP, the lender must remove the force placed policy within 15 days and refund the borrower any double premiums they would have paid for the force placed insurance if they were also covered by NFIP. Passed in the House.

National Flood Insurance Program Extension Act of 2010, HR 5569

Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to extend the National Flood Insurance Program from September 30, 2008, through September 30, 2010. Deems the amendments made by this Act to have taken effect on May 31, 2010. Became Public Law No: 111-196

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