DASH Act

Decent, Affordable, Safe Housing for all Act or the DASH Act

This bill provides grants, loans, tax credits, and other assistance to promote the building, maintenance, and affordability of housing.

Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development to (1) provide housing vouchers to individuals and families experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness, (2) provide grants for the modular construction of affordable housing, (3) propose a new formula for distribution of Housing Trust Fund amounts, and (4) encourage zoning and community planning methods that promote multi-family housing. The bill also makes permanent certain homeless assistance programs.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must provide additional grants and loans to construct or preserve affordable housing for farm laborers and may provide rural housing vouchers for low-income households residing in certain properties financed with a loan made or insured by USDA. The bill also provides statutory authority for a program to preserve and revitalize USDA-backed housing projects, including by restructuring existing housing loans.

The bill expands the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), including by increasing the credit for projects serving extremely low-income households. Further, the bill creates a refundable tax credit for participating owners of rental buildings who lower rents for their low-income tenants. The bill also creates a tax credit similar to the LIHTC for the development of housing for middle-income households and provides a tax credit of up to $15,000 for first-time homebuyers.

The DASH Act, also known as Bill 118 hr 6970, is a piece of legislation introduced in the US Congress that aims to address the issue of food insecurity among children in low-income households. The acronym DASH stands for "Delivering Assistance for School Health Act."

The main provisions of the DASH Act include expanding access to school meals for children in need by increasing funding for the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. The bill also seeks to improve the nutritional quality of school meals by requiring schools to offer more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Additionally, the DASH Act aims to increase participation in school meal programs by simplifying the application process and reducing stigma for students receiving free or reduced-price meals. The bill also includes provisions to support schools in implementing farm-to-school programs and promoting nutrition education. Overall, the DASH Act is designed to ensure that all children have access to healthy and nutritious meals at school, regardless of their family's income level. Supporters of the bill argue that addressing food insecurity among children is essential for promoting their overall health and academic success.