H.R. 3060: No Biometric Barriers to Housing Act of 2025

This bill, titled the No Biometric Barriers to Housing Act of 2025, aims to prevent the use of biometric recognition technology in certain rental housing that receives federal assistance. Specifically, the bill prohibits owners of covered federally assisted rental residences from using technologies such as facial recognition and other biometric identifiers after a period of one year from its enactment.

Key Provisions

• Prohibition on Biometric Technology: Landlords cannot use biometrics for surveillance or any other purpose that might negatively affect tenants’ access to fair and affordable housing.
• Definitions:
  • Assistance: Refers to financial aid like grants, loans, or contracts provided for housing but does not include loan insurance or guarantees.
  • Covered Rental Units: Includes any residential units that receive assistance through various federal housing programs, such as public housing or housing assistance for the elderly and disabled.
  • Biometric Technologies: Includes facial recognition, DNA identification, and other technologies that capture unique physical characteristics to identify individuals.
  • Owner: Defines who can own and lease these rental units, which can be individuals, entities, or governmental bodies.
• Report Requirement: Within one year of the bill’s enactment, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development must provide a report to Congress detailing the use of biometric technologies in these housing units over the past five years. This report must include information on:
  • Instances of technology use
  • Known adverse effects on tenants
  • Overall impacts on residents
  • Reasons for technology installation
  • Demographic details of affected tenants
  • Potential consequences for vulnerable communities concerning privacy and civil rights.

Overlap with Federal Housing Programs

The bill specifically targets housing units that are part of various federal programs, including:

• The public housing program established by the United States Housing Act of 1937.
• The rental assistance program under section 8 of the same act.
• The HOME Investment Partnerships program.
• Programs under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
• Supportive housing programs for the elderly and persons with disabilities.
• Housing programs specific to Native Americans and Native Hawaiians.

Affected Technology Types

The bill covers three specific types of biometric technology:

• Facial Recognition Technology: Automates the process of identifying individuals based on their facial features.
• Physical Biometric Recognition Technology: Involves identifying individuals through biological characteristics like DNA or fingerprints.
• Remote Biometric Recognition Technology: Identifying individuals from a distance based on unique traits like voice or gait.

Potential Implications

By prohibiting these technologies, the bill seeks to safeguard tenants in federally assisted housing from surveillance that could lead to discrimination or undue barriers to accessing housing. The requirement for a comprehensive report aims to assess the current landscape of biometric technology in these settings and understand its effects on tenant privacy and rights.

Relevant Companies

None found