Bill Overview
Title: Safe at Home Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture to issue regulations concerning inspections of federally assisted housing. In particular, the departments must jointly (1) review state and federal requirements for inspecting housing to ensure safety, habitability, and other aspects of housing quality; (2) identify the most stringent requirements; and (3) issue regulations to apply the identified requirements to certain housing programs administered by the departments.
Sponsors: Rep. Axne, Cynthia [D-IA-3]
Target Audience
Population: Residents of Federally Assisted Housing
Estimated Size: 15000000
- The bill impacts residents of federally assisted housing, which includes a significant portion of low-income individuals and families who rely on government assistance for housing.
- The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) oversees programs like public housing and Section 8, which serve millions of Americans.
- The USDA also administers housing programs in rural areas which are generally designed to provide aid to low-income households.
- Federally assisted housing programs often have a high proportion of elderly, disabled, and single-parent households who may be more vulnerable and thus more affected by changes in regulation.
- Housing quality and safety improvements will directly impact the wellbeing of individuals living in these federally supported homes.
Reasoning
- The policy impacts those in federally assisted housing, which primarily supports low-income individuals and families. Given that it aims to enhance safety and habitability through stricter inspection standards, the most directly affected individuals likely include low-income residents living in public housing, Section 8, and USDA-assisted rural housing.
- The policy's inspection and regulatory focus means benefits could include improved living conditions, increased safety, and potentially better health outcomes due to reduced exposure to hazards. These factors influence self-reported wellbeing.
- The budget constraints of $30,000,000 in the first year and $135,000,000 over ten years suggest limited capacity to implement widespread changes immediately. Initial impacts may be stronger in areas with higher existing issues.
- For this simulation, people living in non-assisted housing are included to provide perspective on those unaffected directly, thus illustrating the difference in perceived impact.
- The population distribution will likely show significant variations in impact, with higher benefits expected in neglected or improperly maintained housing areas.
Simulated Interviews
Unemployed (Chicago, IL)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's great that they'll be making sure our homes are safer. Sometimes I worry about the mold issue in my apartment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Construction Worker (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Better inspections could mean fewer health problems from my apartment conditions. I've been worried about the asbestos.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Retired (Rural Georgia)
Age: 70 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm glad they'll be checking on my home more often because I can't fix things myself anymore.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Factory Worker (Detroit, MI)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our building has needed repairs forever, so maybe this will finally get some attention.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Freelancer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 20/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Doesn't affect us directly as we're not in federal housing, but I think it's a good move for others who need it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retail Worker (Houston, TX)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If they actually fix the issues inspectors find, it should improve our quality of life.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Taxi Driver (Newark, NJ)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This might be the push needed for better housing, which I believe could make a huge difference.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Retired (St. Louis, MO)
Age: 62 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Safer housing should help my health deteriorate less quickly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Graduate Student (Boulder, CO)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't see this affecting me directly, but I support better living conditions for others.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Part-time Student (Miami, FL)
Age: 21 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope the changes will come in quickly, my apartment has problems and with a child, I want it to be safe.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $30000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $40000000)
Year 2: $25000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $35000000)
Year 3: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $30000000)
Year 5: $10000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $20000000)
Year 10: $5000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $15000000)
Year 100: $1000000 (Low: $500000, High: $5000000)
Key Considerations
- Costs may be higher if the identified regulations require substantial increases in inspection frequency or upgrades to many housing units.
- Coordinating between HUD and USDA could pose logistical challenges and may require additional resources and planning.
- Enforcing new regulations could face resistance from stakeholders within existing housing programs.