S. 2391 — BUILD Housing Act

This section authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to designate assistance administered by HUD as funds for a special project under section 305(c) of the Multifamily Housing Property Disposition Reform Act of 1994 (i.e., qualifying such assistance for streamlined environmental reviews, decision making, and action under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and related laws). The designation does not apply to assistance for which NEPA procedures are otherwise specified in law.

This section authorizes federally recognized Indian tribes to assume the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) environmental review obligations for multifamily housing property dispositions (previously limited to states and units of general local government). It defines Indian tribe by reference to the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (i.e., a federally recognized tribe). (Thus, tribes may conduct reviews required under the National Environmental Policy Act and related laws in lieu of HUD for HUD-held multifamily projects acquired due to mortgage defaults.)