104 STAT. 4224 PUBLIC LAW 101-625—NOV. 28, 1990 Secretary may increase such limitation in high cost areas in the manner described in such section. "(F) The Secretary may prescribe other terms and conditions which are necessary for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this paragraph and which are consistent with the purposes of this paragraph.". SEC. 551. PORTABILITY OF CERTIFICATES AND VOUCHERS. Section 8(r)(l) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f[rXl) is amended by striking "the same, or a contiguous," and inserting "the same State, or the same or a contiguous". SEC. 552. RENEWAL OF EXPIRING CONTRACTS. (a) IN GENERAL.— Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: Federal "(w) RENEWAL OF EXPIRING CONTRACTS.— Not later than 30 days Register, after the beginning of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall publish in publication. ^j^g Federal Register a plan for reducing, to the extent feasible, yearto-year fluctuations in the levels of budget authority that will be required over the succeeding 5-year period to renew expiring rental assistance contracts entered into under this section since the enactment of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. To the extent necessary to carry out such plan and to the extent approved in appropriations Acts, the Secretary is authorized to enter into annual contributions contracts with terms of less than 60 months.". (b) SHORT-TERM CONTRACTS. — Section 8(d)(2)(A) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(d)(2)(A)) is amended by inserting after the first sentence the following: "The Secretary shall permit public housing agencies to enter into contracts for assistance payments of less than 12 months duration in order to avoid disruption in assistance to eligible families if the annual contributions contract is within 1 year of its expiration date,". SEC. 553. ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE FAMILY UNIFICATION. Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: " (x) FAMILY UNIFICATION.— "(1) INCREASE IN BUDGET AUTHORITY. —The budget authority available under section 5(c) for assistance under section 8(b) is authorized to be increased by $35,000,000 on or after October 1, 1990, by $35,000,000 on or after October 1, 1991. "(2) tJsE OF FUNDS. —The amounts made available under this subsection shall be used only in connection with housing certificate assistance under section 8 on behalf of any family (A) who is otherwise eligible for such assistance, and (B) who the public child welfare agency for the jurisdiction has certified is a family for whom the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in the imminent placement of the family's child or children in outof-home care or the delayed discharge of a child or children to the family from out-of-home care. "(3) ALLOCATION. —The amounts made available under this subsection shall be allocated by the Secretary through a national competition among applicants based on demonstrated need for the assistance under this subsection. To be considered for assistance, an applicant shall submit to the Secretary a
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