HR3988-119

What This Bill Does

This bill requires a federal data study on housing loss. HUD and the Census Bureau must jointly examine how federal agencies identify and record cases of housing loss in the United States. They must consult the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Housing Finance Agency, and the Commerce Department's Under Secretary for Economic Affairs. Within six months, HUD and Census must report to House Oversight and Government Reform, House Financial Services, and Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. The report must define all types of housing loss experienced by U.S. residents on or after January 1, 2022, identify which types are most common, identify federal datasets used to count annual cases, and describe each dataset's update frequency, data-sharing policies, specificity to individuals or households, geographic coverage, and source accuracy or reliability. It must recommend ways federal agencies can improve identification and recording of housing loss, including additional data collection. The bill does not create direct housing aid; it is meant to improve the government's evidence base on eviction, foreclosure, displacement, homelessness transitions, and related housing-loss events.

Who Benefits and How

Housing loss researchers benefit from a federal inventory of definitions, datasets, reliability, geographic coverage, and data gaps. HUD policy staff benefit from a cross-agency map of how housing loss is recorded and where collection can improve. Census Bureau statisticians benefit from a mandate to define housing-loss types and assess data specificity. Congressional housing committees benefit from a six-month report on housing-loss data quality and recommendations. People experiencing housing loss benefit indirectly if better data leads to more targeted future policy.

Who Bears the Burden and How

HUD research staff must conduct the study and write the report with Census. Census Bureau staff must analyze datasets, definitions, geography, and source reliability. CFPB data staff must consult on housing-loss datasets and sharing policies. FHFA data staff must consult on mortgage and housing-finance records. Federal agencies holding housing-loss data may need to describe sharing rules, update frequency, and accuracy.

Key Provisions

• Requires HUD and Census to study federal identification and recording of housing loss.
• Requires consultation with CFPB, FHFA, and Commerce economic affairs officials.
• Requires a report within six months to House and Senate oversight, housing, and banking committees.
• Defines report contents around housing-loss types, common events, datasets, update frequency, sharing, specificity, geography, and reliability.
• Requires recommendations for improved federal housing-loss data collection and recording.