H.R. 646 — Build Housing with Care Act of 2025

This section establishes a competitive grant program administered by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to facilitate the design, planning, construction, acquisition, preservation, conversion, retrofitting, long-term leasing, or renovation of co-location facilities for housing and child care providers. In developing the program, HUD must consult with the Secretaries of Health and Human Services (through the Administration for Children and Families), Treasury (through the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund), and Agriculture (through Rural Development); eligible entities must submit applications with certifications on child care provider eligibility for Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9857 et seq.) or Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) assistance, no resident evictions, resident engagement plans, environmental compliance, and child care provider business plans. HUD must prioritize grants for child care deserts, low-income or rural communities, Head Start providers enrolling at least 10% very low-income children, or CDFI partnerships; limits grants to $10 million per entity; restricts uses to facility-related activities (with subgrants permitted to governments, nonprofits, public housing agencies, or Tribally designated housing entities, and CDFIs able to capitalize loans); and caps pre-development at 10% of funds and CDFI technical assistance or capacity building at 10%. HUD must provide technical assistance and publish best practices for the program.

This section directs the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the availability and affordability of child care for residents of public housing dwelling units assisted under the United States Housing Act of 1937. The study shall include (1) a description of the use of specified funds (i.e., Community Development Block Grant funds, New Markets Tax Credits, Community Development Financial Institution Program funds, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, Capital Magnet Fund funds, and HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds) by eligible child care providers to establish, renovate, or improve facilities; (2) an evaluation of the effects of housing and child care costs on public housing residents' economic outlook; (3) the percentage of public housing residents who are cost-burdened (as defined by HUD) and spend at least 7% of household income on child care; (4) identification of state or local laws that are barriers to child care facilities in or near public housing; (5) an assessment of how Section 8 rental assistance affects public housing residents' ability to afford child care and essential expenses such as food, telecommunications, and transportation; (6) an evaluation of the efficacy of the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account for public housing residents, including public knowledge, outreach success, and sufficiency to cover child care costs; (7) the extent to which public housing residents receive information on child care resources from federal agencies or public housing agencies; and (8) recommendations to improve child care access near public housing and awareness of federal housing and child care assistance programs. Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment, the Comptroller General shall submit a report on the study to the House Committees on Financial Services and Education and the Workforce and the Senate Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.