H.R. 1696 changes how the federal government determines which families in Puerto Rico qualify as "extremely low-income" for housing assistance purposes. Currently, Puerto Rico uses its own local poverty guidelines, which are lower than those used in the continental United States, meaning fewer Puerto Rican families qualify for federal housing aid. This bill would require Puerto Rico to use the same poverty guidelines as the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., potentially making more low-income Puerto Rican families eligible for housing programs under the Housing Act of 1937. Additionally, the bill directs the Comptroller General to complete a report within 180 days examining how the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Puerto Rico's housing agency identify and serve extremely low-income families, and how federal disaster recovery funds are used to rebuild housing after natural disasters like hurricanes. The report must also recommend ways to improve the effectiveness of housing programs serving Puerto Rico's poorest residents.
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