Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 101 Part 3.djvu/532

 101 STAT. 1830

PUBLIC LAW 100-242—FEB. 5, 1988

costs of, the audit. In such circumstances, the Secretary may withhold, from assistance otherwise payable to the agency under this section, amounts sufficient to pay for the reasonable costs of conducting an acceptable audit, including, when appropriate, the reasonable costs of accounting services necessary to place the agency's books and records in auditable condition.". 42 USC 1437Z iiote.

SEC. 119. COMPREHENSIVE IMPROVEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. (a) PURPOSE OF AMENDMENTS.—It is the purpose of the amendments made by this section— (1) to provide assistance on a reliable and more predictable basis to public housing agencies in furtherance of their plans to enable them to operate, upgrade, modernize, and rehabilitate public housing projects financed under the United States Housing Act of 1937 to ensure their continued availability for the benefit of lower income families as decent, safe, and sanitary rental housing at affordable rents; (2) to provide considerable discretion to public housing agencies to decide the specific improvements, the manner of their execution, and the timing of the expenditure of funds in the modernization of projects under section 14 of the United States Housing Act of 1937; (3) to significantly simplify the program of Federal assistance for capital improvements in public housing projects; (4) to provide increased opportunities and incentives for more efficient management of public housing projects; and (5) to afford public housing agencies greater control in planning and expending funds under the United States Housing Act of 1937 for the modernization, rehabilitation, maintenance, and improvement of public housing projects to benefit lower income families. (b) AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—Section 140b)

42 USC 1437Z. Grants. Contracts.

of the United States Housing Act of 1937 is amended— (A) by inserting "(1)" after the subsection designation; and (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: "(2) The Secretary may make contributions (in the form of grants) to public housing agencies under this section. The contract under which the contributions shall be made shall specify that the terms and conditions of the contract shall remain in effect for a 20-year period for any project receiving the benefit of a grant under the contract.". (c) APPLICATIONS BY P H A ' S MANAGING LESS THAN 500 UNITS.—

Section 14(d) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 is amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by inserting after "subsection (b)" the following: "to a public housing agency that owns or operates less than 500 public housing dwelling units". (d) COMPREHENSIVE PLANS.—Section 14 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 is amended— (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsection: "(e)(1) No financial assistance may be made available under this section to a public housing agency that owns or operates 500 or more public housing dwelling units unless the Secretary approves (or has approved before the effective date of this subsection) a 5-year comprehensive plan submitted by the public housing agency, except that

�