Housing Temperature Safety Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 638
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Housing and Community Development
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-01-22: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-08T15:28:42Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Housing Temperature Safety Act of 2025 aims to improve temperature safety in certain federally supported rental housing by establishing a 3-year pilot program. This program provides grants for installing and testing internet-connected temperature sensors to monitor indoor temperatures and help ensure units meet existing federal temperature standards, reducing risks from extreme heat or cold.
Key Provisions
- Pilot Program Establishment: The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must create a 3-year program offering grants to public housing agencies and owners of "covered federally assisted rental dwelling units" (specific types of subsidized housing) to install and evaluate temperature sensors.
- Eligibility and Diversity: Within 180 days of enactment, HUD must set criteria to ensure participants represent diverse geographic areas, climates, unit sizes, and housing types. Sensors must measure air temperature precisely (to the tenth degree in Fahrenheit or Celsius) and connect to the internet.
- Installation and Monitoring: Sensors can only be installed with written permission from residents. Participating agencies and owners must monitor sensor data and collect records of temperature-related complaints (e.g., reports of units being too hot or cold) and violations (e.g., failures to maintain safe temperatures).
- Data Handling: Data from sensors must be kept until HUD completes the program evaluation. Within 180 days, HUD must define "temperature-related complaints" and "violations," and establish rules to protect personally identifiable information (PII, meaning data that could identify individuals, like names or addresses linked to sensor readings).
- Evaluations and Reporting:
- Interim Report (due 12 months after program start): Analyzes complaint and violation numbers before and after sensor installation, broken down by sensor type and climate region; identifies barriers like lack of internet access or resident opt-in issues. Report submitted to Congress and made public.
- Final Report (due 36 months after program ends): Expands on the interim analysis, compares sensor technologies by climate, cost, features, and other factors; also submitted to Congress and public.
- Funding: Authorizes appropriations for grants, program administration, and technical assistance to participants.
- Definitions:
- Covered Housing: Rental units assisted under key federal programs, including Section 8 project-based vouchers, public housing, supportive housing for elderly (Section 202), and for people with disabilities (Section 811).
- Owner: Varies by program but generally includes public housing agencies, private nonprofits, or entities legally allowed to lease units.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces a new pilot program under HUD's authority, adding requirements for temperature monitoring in federally assisted housing without directly amending prior laws. It builds on existing temperature standards in housing programs (e.g., minimum/maximum indoor temperatures) by mandating data collection and evaluation to test sensor effectiveness, potentially informing future regulations. No explicit repeals or overrides of current laws are specified.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: HUD gains responsibilities for program setup, oversight, data protection, and reporting to Congress, requiring new administrative resources and funding. Public housing agencies must participate if selected, involving installation and record-keeping.
- Citizens: Residents in covered housing may benefit from better enforcement of safe temperatures, potentially reducing health risks from heat or cold exposure, especially for vulnerable groups like the elderly or disabled. However, it introduces privacy considerations due to data collection, with opt-in protections. Broader tenants could see improved housing quality if the pilot leads to wider adoption.
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. housing policy.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Public Housing Agencies and Owners: Responsible for applying for grants, installing sensors (with permission), monitoring data, and reporting complaints; they receive funding and technical support but face new compliance duties.
- Residents/Tenants: Primarily in subsidized housing programs; they must consent to installations and may experience enhanced safety monitoring, but could have concerns over privacy or internet requirements.
- HUD and Federal Government: Leads implementation, evaluation, and privacy safeguards; Congress receives reports that could influence future housing policies.
- Vulnerable Populations: Elderly and disabled individuals in supportive housing, who may gain the most from temperature protections in extreme weather.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Emphasizes resident consent for installations and strict PII protections, aligning with federal privacy laws (e.g., similar to data handling under the Privacy Act). Definitions and standards must be set quickly (within 180 days), providing HUD with rulemaking authority but requiring transparency.
- Constitutional: Balances public health/safety interests (under government promotion of welfare) with privacy rights (Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches), mitigated by opt-in requirements and data retention limits. No major challenges anticipated if implemented as written.
- Political: Could highlight housing affordability and safety amid climate change concerns, potentially bipartisans as a targeted pilot rather than a mandate. Success might expand to non-federal housing, influencing debates on federal intervention in private rentals; failure (e.g., due to costs or barriers) could critique program efficacy.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15]
Cosponsors (2)
Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
Recent Actions
- 2025-01-22: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
- 2025-01-22: Introduced in House
- 2025-01-22: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Housing Temperature Safety Act of 2025 — issued 2025-01-22 — PDF (8 pages)