Sponsors (5)
Creates a HUD grant program that provides PHAs funds to buy, install, repair, or replace specified safety and security items and authorizes $225M per year.
The bill provides new federal funding and direct safety and climate-resilience improvements for public housing residents, but it increases federal spending and could leave some PHAs shortchanged by caps or by reallocation of existing Capital Fund formula dollars.
Public housing agencies (PHAs) receive a dedicated $225 million per year to fund repairs, safety, and resilience projects, enabling more work without redirecting existing Capital Fund dollars.
Residents of public housing (largely low-income renters) will gain improved safety and emergency equipment—such as cameras, lighting, alarms, and detectors—reducing crime and in-home hazards.
Public housing tenants will benefit from upgraded building resilience to extreme temperatures through Secretary-guided heating/cooling measures, improving health and comfort during heat/cold events.
Taxpayers face a new federal outlay of $225 million per year, which increases federal spending and may require budget offsets or higher deficits.
A Secretary-determined set-aside from the existing Capital Fund could reduce formula funds available for other PHA capital needs if the new appropriation does not fully cover that set-aside.
Smaller PHAs are constrained by a $250,000 per-year cap, which may slow large-scale or concentrated repair and modernization projects in jurisdictions with higher needs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Official title: To amend the United States Housing Act of 1937 to permanently authorize the emergency safety and security grant program, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 4, 2026 by Daniel Goldman · Last progress February 4, 2026
Creates a new HUD "Emergency safety and security" grant program within the Public Housing Capital Fund that lets public housing agencies (PHAs) apply for money to buy, install, repair, or replace safety- and security-related equipment and systems (cameras, lighting, doors, alarms, CO/smoke detectors, window bars, and temperature-related systems consistent with HUD guidance). Grants are generally capped at $250,000 per PHA per year (with higher caps for very large PHAs), and the bill authorizes $225 million per fiscal year in addition to existing Capital Fund amounts.