ADMINISTRATIVE FEES FOR SECTION 8 CERTIFICATE AND HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAMS.

SEC. 144. ADMINISTRATIVE FEES FOR SECTION 8 CERTIFICATE AND HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAMS. Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: “(q) (1) The Secretary shall establish a fee for the costs incurred in administering the certificate and housing voucher programs under subsections (b) and (o). The amount of the fee for each month for which a dwelling unit is covered by an assistance contract shall be 8.2 percent of the fair market rental established under subsection (c)(1) for a 2-bedroom existing rental dwelling unit in the market area of the public housing agency. The Secretary may increase the fee if necessary to reflect the higher costs of administering small programs and programs operating over large geographic areas. “(2) (A) The Secretary shall also establish reasonable fees (as determined by the Secretary) for— “(i) the costs of preliminary expenses (not to exceed $275) that the public housing agency documents it has incurred in connection with new allocations of assistance under the certificate and housing voucher programs under subsections (b) and (o); “(ii) the costs incurred in assisting families who experience difficulty (as determined by the Secretary) in obtaining appropriate housing under the programs; and “(iii) extraordinary costs approved by the Secretary. “(B) The method used to calculate fees under subparagraph (A) shall be the same for the certificate and housing voucher programs under subsections (b) and (o) and shall take into account local cost differences. “(3) The Secretary may establish or increase a fee in accordance with this subsection only to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts.”.