Sec. 110001. Affordable housing access program
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In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated for fiscal year 2022, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $9,900,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2026, for competitive grants to support access to affordable housing and the enhancement of mobility for residents in disadvantaged communities or neighborhoods, in persistent poverty communities, or for low-income riders generally. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration shall establish criteria and a process for the allocation of funds made available under this section in a manner to ensure that such funds support— access to affordable housing; enhanced mobility for residents and riders, including those in disadvantaged communities and neighborhoods, persistent poverty communities, or for low-income riders generally; or other community benefits for residents of disadvantaged communities or neighborhoods, persistent poverty communities, or for low-income riders generally identified by the Secretary and the Administrator related to enhanced transit service, including— access to job and educational opportunities; better connections to medical care; or enhanced access to grocery stores with fresh foods to help eliminate food deserts.
Funds made available under this section shall— be available to recipients and subrecipients eligible under chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code; after allocation, be administered by the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration— to recipients and subrecipients in urban areas, as if such funds were provided under section 5307 of title 49, United States Code; to recipients and subrecipients in rural areas, as if such funds were provided under section 5311 of such title; for any project activities related to the acquisition of zero-emission buses or related infrastructure, as if funds for such activities were awarded under section 5339(c) of such title; for any activities related to research that supports efforts to reduce barriers to the deployment of zero-emission transit vehicles in disadvantaged communities or neighborhoods and rural areas, including barriers related to the cost of such vehicles, as if funds for such activities were provided under section 5312 of such title; or for any activities related to the training and development of the transit workforce that provides service to disadvantaged communities or neighborhoods and rural areas, including the creation of new employment opportunities in the transit industry for workers from such communities, neighborhoods or areas, as if funds for such activities were provided under section 5314 of such title; not be subject to any restriction on the total amount of funds available for implementation or execution of programs authorized under section 5307, 5311, 5312, 5314, or 5339 of title 49, United States Code; notwithstanding paragraph (1), be available for grants for up to 100 percent of the net cost of a project; and be expended in compliance with the requirements of part 26 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations.
Eligible activities for funds made available under this section shall be— construction of a new fixed guideway capital project; construction of a bus rapid transit project or a corridor-based bus rapid transit project that utilizes zero-emission vehicles, including costs related to the acquisition of such vehicles and related charging or fueling infrastructure, or a collection of such projects; the establishment or expansion of high-frequency bus service that utilizes zero-emission buses, including costs related to the acquisition of such vehicles and related charging or fueling infrastructure, but does not have all of the features of a bus rapid transit project or corridor-based bus rapid transit project; an expansion of the service area or the frequency of service of recipients or subrecipients under section 5311 of title 49, United States Code, which may include operational expenses, including the provision of fare-free or reduced-fare service, or the acquisition of vehicles or infrastructure to expand service; notwithstanding subsection (a)(1) of section 5307 of such title, an expansion of the service area or the frequency of service of recipients under such section, which may include operational expenses, including the provision of fare-free or reduced-fare service, or the acquisition of zero-emission vehicles or infrastructure to expand service; renovation or construction of facilities and incidental expenses to continue or expand transit service in disadvantaged communities or neighborhoods or service that benefits low-income riders generally; research activities and capital expenses related to research under section 5312 of such title that support efforts to reduce barriers to the deployment of zero-emission transit vehicles in disadvantaged communities or neighborhoods and rural areas, including barriers related to the cost of such vehicles; activities under section 5314 of such title that support the training and development of the transit workforce that provides service to disadvantaged communities or neighborhoods and rural areas, including the creation of new employment opportunities in the transit industry for workers from such communities, neighborhoods, or areas; additional assistance to project sponsors of new fixed guideway capital projects, core capacity improvement projects, or corridor-based bus rapid transit projects not yet open to revenue service, notwithstanding applicable requirements regarding Government share of contributions toward net project cost of the project or the share of contributions from a program carried out by the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, if— the applicant demonstrates that the availability of funding under this section provides additional support for access to affordable housing and the enhancement of mobility for residents in disadvantaged communities or neighborhoods, persistent poverty communities, or for low-income riders generally in the service area of the recipient, consistent with the purposes described in subsection (b); and assistance under this paragraph does not increase by more than 10 percentage points— the Government share of contributions toward net project cost; or the Government share of assistance from a program carried out by the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration; fleet transition, route, or other public transportation planning, including planning related to economic development; or projects to upgrade the accessibility of bus or rail public transportation services for persons with disabilities, including individuals who use wheelchairs, in disadvantaged communities or neighborhoods.
In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated for fiscal year 2022, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $100,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2026, for the following: The costs of administering and overseeing the implementation of this section. To make new awards or to increase prior awards to provide technical assistance and capacity building for eligible recipients or subrecipients under this section.