Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Better Use of Intergovernmental and Local Development for Housing Act or the BUILD Housing Act.
Section 2. Designation of environmental review procedure
The Department of Housing and Urban Development Act (42 U.S.C. 3531 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 12 (42 U.S.C. 3537a) the following:
(a) In general
Except as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary may, for purposes of environmental review, decision making, and action pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and other provisions of law that further the purposes of such Act, designate the treatment of assistance administered by the Secretary as funds for a special project for purposes of section 305(c) of the Multifamily Housing Property Disposition Reform Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 3547).
(b) Exception
The designation described in subsection (a) shall not apply to assistance for which a procedure for carrying out the responsibilities of the Secretary under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and other provisions of law that further the purposes of such Act, is otherwise specified in law.
Section 3. Tribal assumption of environmental review obligations
Section 305(c) of the Multifamily Housing Property Disposition Reform Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 3547) is amended—
(1) by striking State or unit of general local government each place it appears and inserting State, Indian Tribe, or unit of general local government;
(2) in paragraph (1)(C), in the heading, by striking State or unit of general local government and inserting State, Indian Tribe, or unit of general local government; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
(5) Definition of Indian Tribe
For purposes of this subsection, the term Indian Tribe means a federally recognized tribe, as defined in section 4(13)(B) of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103(13)(B)).