12 U.S.C. § 1701u — Economic opportunities for low- and very low-income persons

(a) Findings. Congress finds that: (1) federal housing and community-development programs give State and local governments and other federal-aid recipients substantial money for projects that create significant jobs and other economic opportunities; (2) low- and very low-income people, especially government housing-assistance recipients, often have limited access to those opportunities; (3) opportunities created by federally assisted projects can effectively empower those people; and (4) earlier federal efforts to direct those opportunities to them have not worked fully and should be strengthened. (b) Policy. Congress’s policy and this section’s purpose are to ensure, as far as feasible, that jobs and other economic opportunities created by federal housing and community-development assistance go to low- and very low-income people, especially housing-assistance recipients. (c) Employment (1) Public and Indian housing (A) In general. The Secretary must require public and Indian housing agencies, their contractors, and subcontractors to make their best efforts, consistent with federal, State, and local law, to give low- and very low-income people training and jobs created by development assistance under 42 U.S.C. § 1437c, operating assistance under § 1437g, and modernization grants under § 1437l. (B) Priority. These efforts must be directed in this order: (i) residents of the development receiving the assistance; (ii) residents of other developments managed by the agency spending the assistance; (iii) YouthBuild participants receiving assistance under 29 U.S.C. § 3226; and (iv) other low- and very low-income people living in the metropolitan area, or nonmetropolitan county, where the assistance is spent. (2) Other programs (A) In general. For other housing and community-development programs, the Secretary must ensure, as far as feasible and consistent with existing law, that training and jobs connected with housing rehabilitation, including lead-paint hazard reduction or abatement, housing construction, or other public construction go to low- and very low-income people living in the metropolitan area or nonmetropolitan county where the project is located. (B) Priority. When feasible, priority should go to such people living in the project’s service area or neighborhood and to YouthBuild participants receiving assistance under 29 U.S.C. § 3226. (d) Contracting (1) Public and Indian housing (A) In general. The Secretary must require agencies, contractors, and subcontractors to make their best efforts, consistent with existing law, to award contracts connected with assistance under 42 U.S.C. §§ 1437c, 1437g, and 1437l to business concerns that provide economic opportunities for low- and very low-income people. (B) Priority. The efforts must first target concerns providing opportunities for residents of the assisted development; then concerns providing opportunities for residents of other developments operated by the assisting agency; then YouthBuild programs under 29 U.S.C. § 3226; and then concerns providing opportunities for low- and very low-income people in the metropolitan area or nonmetropolitan county where assistance is provided. (2) Other programs (A) In general. For other programs, the Secretary must ensure, as far as feasible and consistent with existing law, that contracts connected with rehabilitation, lead-paint hazard reduction or abatement, housing construction, or other public construction are awarded to concerns providing economic opportunities for low- and very low-income people in the relevant metropolitan area or nonmetropolitan county. (B) Priority. When feasible, priority should go to concerns providing opportunities for such people in the project’s service area or neighborhood and to YouthBuild programs under 29 U.S.C. § 3226. (e) Definitions (1) “Low-income persons” and “very low-income persons” have the meanings of “low-income families” and “very low-income families” in 42 U.S.C. § 1437a(b)(2). (2) A “business concern that provides economic opportunities” is a concern that (A) provides opportunities for a class of people holding a majority controlling interest in it; (B) employs a substantial number of those people; or (C) meets other criteria the Secretary establishes. (f) Coordination. The Secretary must consult the Secretaries of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Commerce, the Small Business Administration Administrator, and any other federal agencies the Secretary considers necessary. (g) Regulations. Within 180 days after October 28, 1992, the Secretary must issue regulations implementing this section.