106 STAT. 3686 PUBLIC LAW 102-550—OCT. 28, 1992 into by the family under subsection (c), as determined according to the specific goals and terms included in the contract, and under other circumstances in which the Secretary determines an exception for good cause is warranted. A public housing agency establishing such escrow accounts may make certain amounts in the accounts available to the participating families before full performance of the contract obligations based on compliance with, and completion of, specific interim goals included in the contract; except that any such amounts shall be used by the participating famihes for purposes consistent with the contracts of participation, as determined by the public housing agency.". (g) INCENTIVES FOR PARTICIPATION. —Section 23(d) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437u(d)) is amended— (1) by striking the subsection designation and heading and inserting the following: "(d) INCENTIVES FOR PARTICIPATION.— "; and (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: "(3) PLAN. —Each public housing agency carrying out a local program under this section shall establish a plan to offer incentives to families to encourage families to participate in the program. The plan shall require the establishment of escrow savings accounts under paragraph (2) and may include any other incentives designed by the public housing agency.", (h) ACTION PLAN.— Section 23(g)(3) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437u(g)(3)) is amended— (1) in subparagraph (F), by striking "and" at the end; (2) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at the end and inserting "; and"; (3) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) through (G) (as so amended) as subparagraphs (E) through (H), respectively; (4) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new subparagraph: "(D) a description of the incentives pursuant to subsection (d) offered by the public housing agency to families to encourage participation in the program;"; and (5) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: "(I) assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that nonparticipating families will retain their rights to public housing or section 8 assistance notwithstanding the provisions of this section.", (i) DEFINITIONS.— Section 23(n) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437u(n)) is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively; (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph: "(3) The term 'eligible family* means a family whose head of household is not elderly, disabled, pregnant, a primary caregiver for children under the age of 3, or for whom the family self-sufRciency program would otherwise be unsuitable. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, a public housing agency may enroll such families if they choose to participate in the program."; and (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: "(6) The term Vacant unit' means a dwelling unit that has been vacant for not less than 9 consecutive months.".
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