r/title-42-THE-PUBLIC-HEALTH-AND-WELFARE wiki — defined terms
The statute’s own glossary: every term Title 42 defines, in section order.
“qualified nonprofit” applies in that section
The term “qualified nonprofit” means a nonprofit organization that— (A) has received funding, as a recipient or subrecipient, through— (i) the Community Development Block Grant program under title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 ( 42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.); (ii) the HOME Investment Partnerships program under subtitle A of title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act ( 42 U.S.C.
“Secretary” applies in that section
The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (11) Specified program For purposes of paragraph (3)(A)(ii),
“specified program” applies in that section
the term “specified program” means any of the following: (A) The Medicaid program established under title XIX of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.). (B) The State Children’s Health Insurance Program established under title XXI of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.). (C) The supplemental security income benefits program established under title XVI of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.). (D) The supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.). (E) The temporary assistance for needy families program established under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C.
“State” applies in that section
The term “State” means— (A) each State of the United States; (B) the District of Columbia; (C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; (D) any territory or possession of the United States; and (E) an Indian tribe. (13) Tribally designated housing entity
“tribally designated housing entity” applies in that section
The term “tribally designated housing entity” has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 ( 25 U.S.C. 4103 ). (14) Whole-home repairs
“whole-home repairs” applies in that section
The term “whole-home repairs” means modifications, repairs, or updates to home-owner or renter-occupied units to address— (A) physical and sensory accessibility for individuals with disabilities and older adults, such as bathroom and kitchen modifications, installation of grab bars and handrails, guards and guardrails, lifting devices, ramp additions or repairs, sidewalk addition or repair, or doorway or hallway widening; (B) habitability and safety concerns, such as repairs needed to ensure residential units are fit for human habitation and free from defective conditions or health and safety hazards; or (C) energy and water efficiency, resilience, and weatherization.
“infill project” applies in that section
The term “infill project” means a project that— (A) occurs within the geographic limits of a municipality; (B) is adequately served by existing utilities and public services as required under applicable law; (C) is located on a site of previously disturbed land of not more than 5 acres and substantially surrounded by residential or commercial development; (D) will repurpose a vacant or underutilized parcel of land, or a dilapidated or abandoned structure; and (E) will serve a residential or commercial purpose. (2) Secretary
“Secretary” applies in that section
The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (b) NEPA streamlining for HUD housing-related activities (1) In general The Secretary shall, in accordance with section 553 of title 5 and section 4333 of this title , expand and reclassify housing-related activities under the necessary administrative regulations as follows: (A) The following housing-related activities shall be subject to regulations equivalent or substantially similar to the regulations entitled “exempt activities” as set forth in section 58.34 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on January 1, 2025 : (i) Tenant-based rental assistance.
“eligible entity” applies in that section
The term “eligible entity” means— (A) a State, insular area, metropolitan city, or urban county, as those terms are defined in section 5302 of this title ; or (B) a regional planning agency or consortia of regional planning agencies. (2) Housing plan
“housing plan” applies in that section
The term “housing plan” means a plan to, with respect to an area within the jurisdiction of an eligible entity— (A) increase the amount of available housing to meet the demand for such housing and any projected increase in the demand for such housing; (B) increase the affordability of housing; (C) increase the accessibility of housing for people with disabilities, including location-efficient housing; (D) preserve or improve the quality of housing; (E) reduce barriers to housing development; and (F) coordinate with transportation-related agencies. (3) Housing strategy
“housing strategy” applies in that section
The term “housing strategy” means a housing strategy required under section 12705 of this title . (4) Secretary
“Secretary” applies in that section
The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (b) Establishment Not later than 1 year after July 11, 2026 , the Secretary shall establish a program to award grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to assist planning and implementation activities associated with affordable housing, except that such grant awards may not be used for construction, alteration, or repair work.
“attainable housing” applies in that section
The term “attainable housing” means housing that serves households earning not more than 120 percent of the area median income, if the majority of the housing units are affordable to households earning not more than 60 percent of the area median income. (2) Eligible entity
“eligible entity” applies in that section
The term “eligible entity” means— (A) a metropolitan city or urban county, as those terms are defined in section 102 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 ( 42 U.S.C. 5302 ), that has demonstrated an objective improvement in housing supply growth, as determined by the Secretary, whose methodology for determining such growth is published in the Federal Register to allow for public comment not less than 90 days before the date on which the notice of funding opportunity is made available; or (B) a unit of general local government or an Indian tribe, as those terms are defined in section 102 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 ( 42 U.S.C.
“Secretary” applies in that section
The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (b) Establishment of a grant program (1) Establishment Not later than 1 year after July 11, 2026 , the Secretary shall establish a program to award grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities that have increased their local housing supply. (2) List of eligible entities The Secretary shall make a list of eligible entities publicly available on the website of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“affordable housing” applies in that section
The term “affordable housing” means housing for which the total monthly housing cost payment is not more than 30 percent of the monthly household income for a household earning not more than 80 percent of the area median income. (2) Covered structure
“covered structure” applies in that section
The term “covered structure” means— (A) a low-rise or mid-rise structure with not more than 25 dwelling units; and (B) includes— (i) an accessory dwelling unit; (ii) infill development; (iii) a duplex; (iv) a triplex; (v) a fourplex; (vi) a cottage court; (vii) a courtyard building; (viii) a townhouse; (ix) a multiplex; and (x) any other structure with not less than 2 dwelling units that the Secretary considers appropriate. (3) Eligible entity
“eligible entity” applies in that section
The term “eligible entity” means— (A) a unit of general local government, as defined in section 5302(a) of this title ; (B) a municipal membership organization; and (C) an Indian tribe, as defined in section 5302(a) of this title . (4) High opportunity area
“high opportunity area” applies in that section
The term “high opportunity area” has the meaning given the term in section 1282.1 of title 12, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation. (5) Infill development
“infill development” applies in that section
The term “infill development” means residential development on small parcels in previously established areas for replacement with new or refurbished housing that utilizes existing utilities and infrastructure. (6) Mixed-income housing
“mixed-income housing” applies in that section
The term “mixed-income housing” means a housing development that is comprised of housing units that promote differing levels of affordability in the community. (7) Prereviewed designs The term “prereviewed designs”, also known as pattern books, means sets of construction plans that are assessed and approved by localities for compliance with local building and permitting standards to streamline and expedite approval pathways for housing construction. (8) Rural area
“rural area” applies in that section
The term “rural area” means any area other than a city or town that has a population of less than 50,000 inhabitants. (9) Secretary
“Secretary” applies in that section
The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (b) Authority The Secretary is authorized to award grants to eligible entities utilizing funds appropriated for such purpose to select prereviewed designs of covered structures of mixed-income housing for use in the jurisdiction of the eligible entity, except that such grant awards may not be used for construction, alteration, or repair work.
“covered recipient” applies in that section
The term “covered recipient” means a metropolitan city or urban county, as those terms are defined in section 5302 of this title , that receives funds under section 106. (2) Current annual growth rate The term “current annual growth rate”, with respect to an eligible recipient and a fiscal year, means the average annual percentage increase in the number of housing units in the jurisdiction of the eligible recipient, as calculated by the Secretary, during the period— (A) beginning with the third quarter of the sixth preceding fiscal year; and (B) ending with the third quarter of the preceding fiscal year. (3) Eligible recipient
“eligible recipient” applies in that section
The term “eligible recipient” means any covered recipient unless— (A) (i) the median Small Area Fair Market Rent in the jurisdiction of the covered recipient is at or below the 60th percentile of median Small Area Fair Market Rents in the jurisdictions of all covered recipients; and (ii) the median home value in the jurisdiction of the covered recipient is below the median home value for the United States; (B) the annual rental vacancy rate in the jurisdiction of the covered recipient is greater than the national annual rental vacancy rate for the most recent year available, as published by the Bureau of the Census; (C) during the 3-year period preceding the date on which the Secretary …
“extremely high-growth recipient” applies in that section
The term “extremely high-growth recipient” means an eligible recipient for which the current annual growth rate is at or above 4 percent. (5) Housing growth improvement rate The term “housing growth improvement rate”, with respect to an eligible recipient and a fiscal year, means the quotient of— (A) (i) the current annual growth rate of the eligible recipient, minus (ii) the prior annual growth rate of the eligible recipient; and (B) the sum obtained by adding the absolute values of the current annual growth rate and the prior annual growth rate of the eligible recipient.
“Secretary” applies in that section
The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (8) Section 106
“section 106” applies in that section
The term “section 106” means section 106 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 ( 42 U.S.C. 5306 ). (b) Adjustments to community development block grant allocations (1) In general In allocating amounts to an eligible recipient under section 106 for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall adjust the allocation based on the housing growth improvement rate of the eligible recipient, in accordance with paragraph (2) of this subsection.
“consumer reporting agency” applies in that section
The term “consumer reporting agency” has the meaning given the term in section 1681a of title 15 ). 1 (2) Excepted purchase
“excepted purchase” applies in that section
The term “excepted purchase” means any purchase of a single-family home that is— (A) newly constructed, renovated, or a rental conversion for sale by a large institutional investor and not as a residence rented pending sale; (B) pursuant to a build-to-rent program where the large institutional investor purchases, constructs, or constructs and retains a newly constructed single-family homes to be managed as a rental property, whether as part of a community made up exclusively of renter-occupied single-family homes or as part of a community made up of single-family homes that are both owner- and renter-occupied; (C) pursuant to a renovate-to-rent program that— (i) substantially rehabilitates …
“large institutional investor” applies in that section
The term “large institutional investor”— (i) means an investment fund, corporation, general or limited partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, or other for-profit entity that is a legal entity structured in a manner that is not aforementioned that— (I) is engaged, in whole or in part, in the business of investing in, owning, renting, managing, or holding single-family homes; and (II) alone or in concert with 1 or more other entities, beginning after July 11, 2026 , directly or indirectly has investment control of not less than 350 single-family homes in the aggregate, not including any single-family home purchased in an excepted purchase made after July 11, 2026 …
“purchase” applies in that section
The term “purchase” includes any purchase, transfer, or other acquisition of a single family home, including through mergers, acquisitions, construction, foreclosures, or bulk purchases, whether or not for cash consideration. (5) Single-family home
“single-family home” applies in that section
The term “single-family home”— (A) means a structure that contains 2 or fewer dwelling units that are each intended for residential occupancy by a single household; and (B) does not include a manufactured home, as defined in section 5402 of this title . (b) Prohibition on purchases by large institutional investors (1) In general No large institutional investor may purchase, or enter into a contract to directly or indirectly purchase, any single-family home.