109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1801
To amend the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to reauthorize
the Act, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 29, 2005
Mr. REED (for himself, Mr. ALLARD, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. BOND, Mrs.
MURRAY, Mr. CHAFEE, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. DODD, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. CORZINE,
Mrs. CLINTON, and Ms. LANDRIEU) introduced the following bill; which was read
twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
A BILL
To amend the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to reauthorize
the Act, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Community Partnership to End Homelessness Act
of 2005'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
Section 102 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11301)
is amended to read as follows:
`SEC. 102. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
`(a) Findings- Congress finds that--
`(1) the United States faces a crisis of individuals and families who lack
basic affordable housing and appropriate shelter;
`(2) assistance from the Federal Government is an important factor in the
success of efforts by State and local governments and the private sector
to address the problem of homelessness in a comprehensive manner;
`(3) there are several Federal Government programs to assist persons experiencing
homelessness, including programs for individuals with disabilities, veterans,
children, and youth;
`(4) homeless assistance programs must be evaluated on the basis of their
effectiveness in reducing homelessness, transitioning individuals and families
to permanent housing and stability, and optimizing their self-sufficiency;
`(5) States and units of general local government receiving Federal block
grant and other Federal grant funds must be evaluated on the basis of their
effectiveness in--
`(A) implementing plans to appropriately discharge individuals to and
from mainstream service systems; and
`(B) reducing barriers to participation in mainstream programs, as identified
in--
`(i) a report by the Government Accountability Office entitled `Homelessness:
Coordination and Evaluation of Programs Are Essential', issued February
26, 1999; or
`(ii) a report by the Government Accountability Office entitled `Homelessness:
Barriers to Using Mainstream Programs', issued July 6, 2000;
`(6) an effective plan for reducing homelessness should provide a comprehensive
housing system (including permanent housing and, as needed, transitional
housing) that recognizes that, while some individuals and families experiencing
homelessness attain economic viability and independence utilizing transitional
housing and then permanent housing, others can reenter society directly
and optimize self-sufficiency through acquiring permanent housing;
`(7) supportive housing activities include the provision of permanent housing
or transitional housing, and appropriate supportive services, in an environment
that can meet the short-term or long-term needs of persons experiencing
homelessness as they reintegrate into mainstream society;
`(8) homeless housing and supportive services programs within a community
are most effective when they are developed and operated as part of an inclusive,
collaborative, locally driven homeless planning process that involves as
decision makers persons experiencing homelessness, advocates for persons
experiencing homelessness, service organizations, government officials,
business persons, neighborhood advocates, and other community members;
`(9) homelessness should be treated as a symptom of many neighborhood, community,
and system problems, whose remedies require a comprehensive approach integrating
all available resources;
`(10) there are many private sector entities, particularly nonprofit organizations,
that have successfully operated outcome-effective homeless programs;
`(11) Federal homeless assistance should supplement other public and private
funding provided by communities for housing and supportive services for
low-income households;
`(12) the Federal Government has a responsibility to establish partnerships
with State and local governments and private sector entities to address
comprehensively the problems of homelessness; and
`(13) the results of Federal programs targeted for persons experiencing
homelessness have been positive.
`(b) Purpose- It is the purpose of this Act--
`(1) to create a unified and performance-based process for allocating and
administering funds under title IV;
`(2) to encourage comprehensive, collaborative local planning of housing
and services programs for persons experiencing homelessness;
`(3) to focus the resources and efforts of the public and private sectors
on ending and preventing homelessness;
`(4) to provide funds for programs to assist individuals and families in
the transition from homelessness, and to prevent homelessness for those
vulnerable to homelessness;
`(5) to consolidate the separate homeless assistance programs carried out
under title IV (consisting of the supportive housing program and related
innovative programs, the safe havens program, the section 8 assistance program
for single-room occupancy dwellings, the shelter plus care program, and
the rural homeless housing assistance program) into a single program with
specific eligible activities;
`(6) to allow flexibility and creativity in re-thinking solutions to homelessness,
including alternative housing strategies, outcome-effective service delivery,
and the involvement of persons experiencing homelessness in decision making
regarding opportunities for their long-term stability, growth, well-being,
and optimum self-sufficiency; and
`(7) to ensure that multiple Federal agencies are involved in the provision
of housing, health care, human services, employment, and education assistance,
as appropriate for the missions of the agencies, to persons experiencing
homelessness, through the funding provided for implementation of programs
carried out under this Act and other programs targeted for persons experiencing
homelessness, and mainstream funding, and to promote coordination among
those Federal agencies, including providing funding for a United States
Interagency Council on Homelessness to advance such coordination.'.
SEC. 3. UNITED STATES INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS.
Title II of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11311 et
seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 201 (42 U.S.C. 11311), by striking the period at the end
and inserting the following: `whose mission shall be to develop and coordinate
the implementation of a national strategy to prevent and end homelessness
while maximizing the effectiveness of the Federal Government in contributing
to an end to homelessness in the United States.';
(2) in section 202 (42 U.S.C. 11312)--
(i) by striking `(16)' and inserting `(19)'; and
(ii) by inserting after paragraph (15) the following:
`(16) The Commissioner of Social Security, or the designee of the Commissioner.
`(17) The Attorney General of the United States, or the designee of the
Attorney General.
`(18) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget, or the designee
of the Director.';
(B) in subsection (c), by striking `annually' and inserting `2 times each
year'; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
`(e) Administration- The Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy within
the Executive Office of the President shall oversee the functioning of the
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to ensure Federal interagency
collaboration and program coordination to focus on preventing and ending homelessness,
to increase access to mainstream programs (as identified in a report by the
Government Accountability Office entitled `Homelessness: Barriers to Using
Mainstream Programs', issued July 6, 2000) by persons experiencing homelessness,
to eliminate the barriers to participation in those programs, to implement
a Federal plan to prevent and end homelessness, and to identify Federal resources
that can be expended to prevent and end homelessness.';
(3) in section 203(a) (42 U.S.C. 11313(a))--
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), and (7)
as paragraphs (2), (3), (4), (5), (8), (9), and (10), respectively;
(B) by inserting before paragraph (2), as redesignated by subparagraph
(A), the following:
`(1) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Community
Partnership to End Homelessness Act of 2005, develop and submit to the President
and to Congress a National Strategic Plan to End Homelessness;';
(C) in paragraph (5), as redesignated by subparagraph (A), by striking
`at least 2, but in no case more than 5' and inserting `not less than
5, but in no case more than 10'; and
(D) by inserting after paragraph (5), as redesignated by subparagraph
(A), the following:
`(6) encourage the creation of State Interagency Councils on Homelessness
and the formulation of multi-year plans to end homelessness at State, city,
and county levels;
`(7) develop mechanisms to ensure access by persons experiencing homelessness
to all Federal, State, and local programs for which the persons are eligible,
and to verify collaboration among entities within a community that receive
Federal funding under programs targeted for persons experiencing homelessness,
and other programs for which persons experiencing homelessness are eligible,
including mainstream programs identified by the Government Accountability
Office in the 2 reports described in section 102(a)(5)(B);'; and
(4) by striking section 208 (42 U.S.C. 11318) and inserting the following:
`SEC. 208. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
`Of any amounts made available for any fiscal year to carry out subtitles
B and C of title IV, $3,000,000 shall be allocated to the Assistant to the
President for Domestic Policy within the Executive Office of the President
to carry out this title.'.
SEC. 4. HOUSING ASSISTANCE GENERAL PROVISIONS.
Subtitle A of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
11361 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by striking the subtitle heading and inserting the following:
`Subtitle A--General Provisions';
(2)(A) by redesignating section 401 (42 U.S.C. 11361) as section 403; and
(B) by redesignating section 402 (42 U.S.C. 11362) as section 406;
(3) by inserting before section 403 (as redesignated in paragraph (2)) the
following:
`SEC. 401. DEFINITIONS.
`(1) CHRONICALLY HOMELESS-
`(A) IN GENERAL- The term `chronically homeless', used with respect to
an individual or family, means an individual or family who--
`(ii) has been homeless continuously for at least 1 year or has been
homeless on at least 4 separate occasions in the last 3 years; and
`(iii) in the case of a family, has an adult head of household with
a disabling condition.
`(B) DISABLING CONDITION- As used in this paragraph, the term `disabling
condition' means a condition that is a diagnosable substance use disorder,
serious mental illness, developmental disability (as defined in section
102 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act
of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15002)), or chronic physical illness or disability,
including the co-occurrence of 2 or more of those conditions.
`(2) COLLABORATIVE APPLICANT-
`(A) IN GENERAL- The term `collaborative applicant' means an entity that--
`(i) is a representative community homeless assistance planning body
established or designed in accordance with section 402;
`(ii) serves as the applicant for project sponsors who jointly submit
a single application for a grant under subtitle C in accordance with
a collaborative process; and
`(iii) if the entity is a legal entity and is awarded such grant, receives
such grant directly from the Secretary.
`(B) STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS- Notwithstanding the requirements of
subparagraph (A), the term `collaborative applicant' includes a State
or local government, or a consortium of State or local governments, engaged
in activities to end homelessness.
`(3) COLLABORATIVE APPLICATION- The term `collaborative application' means
an application for a grant under subtitle C that--
`(A) satisfies section 422 (including containing the information described
in subsections (a) and (c) of section 426); and
`(B) is submitted to the Secretary by a collaborative applicant.
`(4) CONSOLIDATED PLAN- The term `Consolidated Plan' means a comprehensive
housing affordability strategy and community development plan required in
part 91 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations.
`(5) ELIGIBLE ENTITY- The term `eligible entity' means, with respect to
a subtitle, a public entity, a private entity, or an entity that is a combination
of public and private entities, that is eligible to receive directly grant
amounts under that subtitle.
`(6) GEOGRAPHIC AREA- The term `geographic area' means a State, metropolitan
city, urban county, town, village, or other nonentitlement area, or a combination
or consortia of such, in the United States, as described in section 106
of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5306).
`(7) HOMELESS INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY-
`(A) IN GENERAL- The term `homeless individual with a disability' means
an individual who is homeless, as defined in section 103, and has a disability
that--
`(i)(I) is expected to be long-continuing or of indefinite duration;
`(II) substantially impedes the individual's ability to live independently;
`(III) could be improved by the provision of more suitable housing conditions;
and
`(IV) is a physical, mental, or emotional impairment, including an impairment
caused by alcohol or drug abuse;
`(ii) is a developmental disability, as defined in section 102 of the
Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000
(42 U.S.C. 15002); or
`(iii) is the disease of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or any condition
arising from the etiologic agency for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
`(B) RULE- Nothing in clause (iii) of subparagraph (A) shall be construed
to limit eligibility under clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (A).
`(8) LEGAL ENTITY- The term `legal entity' means--
`(A) an entity described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of that Code;
`(B) an instrumentality of State or local government; or
`(C) a consortium of instrumentalities of State or local governments that
has constituted itself as an entity.
`(9) METROPOLITAN CITY; URBAN COUNTY; NONENTITLEMENT AREA- The terms `metropolitan
city', `urban county', and `nonentitlement area' have the meanings given
such terms in section 102(a) of the Housing and Community Development Act
of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5302(a)).
`(10) NEW- The term `new', used with respect to housing, means housing for
which no assistance has been provided under this title.
`(11) OPERATING COSTS- The term `operating costs' means expenses incurred
by a project sponsor operating--
`(A) transitional housing or permanent housing under this title with respect
to--
`(i) the administration, maintenance, repair, and security of such housing;
`(ii) utilities, fuel, furnishings, and equipment for such housing;
or
`(iii) conducting an assessment under section 426(c)(2); and
`(B) supportive housing, for homeless individuals with disabilities or
homeless families that include such an individual, under this title with
respect to--
`(i) the matters described in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of subparagraph
(A); and
`(ii) coordination of services as needed to ensure long-term housing
stability.
`(12) OUTPATIENT HEALTH SERVICES- The term `outpatient health services'
means outpatient health care services, mental health services, and outpatient
substance abuse treatment services.
`(13) PERMANENT HOUSING- The term `permanent housing' means community-based
housing without a designated length of stay, and includes permanent supportive
housing for homeless individuals with disabilities and homeless families
that include such an individual who is an adult.
`(14) PERMANENT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES- The term `permanent housing
development activities' means activities--
`(A) to construct, lease, rehabilitate, or acquire structures to provide
permanent housing;
`(B) involving tenant-based and project-based flexible rental assistance
for permanent housing;
`(C) described in paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 423(a) as they
relate to permanent housing; or
`(D) involving the capitalization of a dedicated project account from
which payments are allocated for rental assistance and operating costs
of permanent housing.
`(15) PRIVATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION- The term `private nonprofit organization'
means an organization--
`(A) no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any
member, founder, contributor, or individual;
`(B) that has a voluntary board;
`(C) that has an accounting system, or has designated a fiscal agent in
accordance with requirements established by the Secretary; and
`(D) that practices nondiscrimination in the provision of assistance.
`(16) PROJECT- The term `project', used with respect to activities carried
out under subtitle C, means eligible activities described in section 423(a),
undertaken pursuant to a specific endeavor, such as serving a particular
population or providing a particular resource.
`(17) PROJECT-BASED- The term `project-based', used with respect to rental
assistance, means assistance provided pursuant to a contract that--
`(i) a project sponsor; and
`(ii) an owner of a structure that exists as of the date the contract
is entered into; and
`(B) provides that rental assistance payments shall be made to the owner
and that the units in the structure shall be occupied by eligible persons
for not less than the term of the contract.
`(18) PROJECT SPONSOR- The term `project sponsor', used with respect to
proposed eligible activities, means the organization directly responsible
for the proposed eligible activities.
`(19) RECIPIENT- Except as used in subtitle B, the term `recipient' means
an eligible entity who--
`(A) submits an application for a grant under section 422 that is approved
by the Secretary;
`(B) receives the grant directly from the Secretary to support approved
projects described in the application; and
`(C)(i) serves as a project sponsor for the projects; or
`(ii) awards the funds to project sponsors to carry out the projects.
`(20) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development.
`(21) SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL- The term `seriously mentally ill' means having
a severe and persistent mental illness or emotional impairment that seriously
limits a person's ability to live independently.
`(22) STATE- Except as used in subtitle B, the term `State' means each of
the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands.
`(23) SUPPORTIVE HOUSING- The term `supportive housing' means housing that--
`(A) helps individuals experiencing homelessness and families experiencing
homelessness to transition from homelessness to living in safe, decent,
and affordable housing as independently as possible; and
`(B) provides supportive services and housing assistance on either a temporary
or permanent basis, as determined by the identified abilities and needs
of the program participants.
`(24) SUPPORTIVE SERVICES- The term `supportive services'--
`(A) through the end of the final determination year (as described in
section 423(a)(6)(C)(iii)), means the services described in section 423(a)(6)(A),
for both new projects and projects receiving renewal funding; and
`(B) after that final determination year, means the services described
in section 423(a)(6)(B), as permitted under section 423(a)(6)(C), for
both new projects and projects receiving renewal funding.
`(25) TENANT-BASED- The term `tenant-based', used with respect to rental
assistance, means assistance that allows an eligible person to select a
housing unit in which such person will live using rental assistance provided
under subtitle C, except that if necessary to assure that the provision
of supportive services to a person participating in a program is feasible,
a recipient or project sponsor may require that the person live--
`(A) in a particular structure or unit for not more than the first year
of the participation; and
`(B) within a particular geographic area for the full period of the participation,
or the period remaining after the period referred to in subparagraph (A).
`(26) TRANSITIONAL HOUSING- The term `transitional housing' means housing,
the purpose of which is to facilitate the movement of individuals and families
experiencing homelessness to permanent housing within 24 months or such
longer period as the Secretary determines necessary.
`SEC. 402. COLLABORATIVE APPLICANTS.
`(a) Establishment and Designation- A collaborative applicant shall be established
for a geographic area by the relevant parties in that geographic area, or
designated for a geographic area by the Secretary in accordance with subsection
(d), to lead a collaborative planning process to design and evaluate programs,
policies, and practices to prevent and end homelessness.
`(b) Membership of Established Collaborative Applicant- A collaborative applicant
established under subsection (a) shall be composed of persons from a particular
geographic area who are--
`(1) persons who are experiencing or have experienced homelessness (with
not fewer than 2 persons being individuals who are experiencing or have
experienced homelessness);
`(2) persons who act as advocates for the diverse subpopulations of persons
experiencing homelessness;
`(3) persons or representatives of organizations who provide assistance
to the variety of individuals and families experiencing homelessness; and
`(4) relatives of individuals experiencing homelessness;
`(5) government agency officials, particularly those officials responsible
for administering funding under programs targeted for persons experiencing
homelessness, and other programs for which persons experiencing homelessness
are eligible, including mainstream programs identified by the Government
Accountability Office in the 2 reports described in section 102(a)(5)(B);
`(6) 1 or more local educational agency liaisons designated under section
722(g)(1)(J)(ii), or their designees;
`(7) members of the business community;
`(8) members of neighborhood advocacy organizations; and
`(9) members of philanthropic organizations that contribute to preventing
and ending homelessness in the geographic area of the collaborative applicant.
`(c) Rotation of Membership of Established or Designated Collaborative Applicant-
The parties establishing or designating a collaborative applicant under subsection
(a) shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that the collaborative applicant
rotates its membership to ensure that representatives of all agencies, businesses,
and organizations who are described in paragraphs (1) through (9) of subsection
(b) and invested in developing and implementing strategies to prevent and
end homelessness are able to participate as decisionmaking members of the
collaborative applicant.
`(d) Existing Planning Bodies- The Secretary may designate an entity to be
a collaborative applicant if such entity--
`(1) prior to the date of enactment of the Community Partnership to End
Homelessness Act of 2005, engaged in coordinated, comprehensive local homeless
housing and services planning and applied for Federal funding to provide
homeless assistance; and
`(2) ensures that its membership includes persons described in paragraphs
(1) through (9) of subsection (b).
`(e) Tax Exempt Organizations- An entity may be established or designated
to serve as a collaborative applicant under this section without being a legal
entity. If a collaborative applicant is a legal entity, the collaborative
applicant may only receive funds directly from the Secretary under this title,
and may only apply for funds to conduct the activities described in section
423(a)(7).
`(f) Remedial Action- If the Secretary finds that a collaborative applicant
for a geographic area does not meet the requirements of this section, the
Secretary may take remedial action to ensure fair distribution of grant amounts
under subtitle C to eligible entities within that area. Such measures may
include designating another body as a collaborative applicant, or permitting
other eligible entities to apply directly for grants.
`(g) Construction- Nothing in this section shall be construed to displace
conflict of interest or government fair practices laws, or their equivalent,
that govern applicants for grant amounts under subtitles B and C.
`(h) Duties- A collaborative applicant shall--
`(1)(A) design a collaborative process, established jointly and complied
with by its members, for evaluating, reviewing, prioritizing, awarding,
and monitoring projects and applications submitted by project sponsors under
subtitle C, and for evaluating the outcomes of projects for which funds
are awarded under subtitle B, in such a manner as to ensure that the entities
involved further the goal of preventing and ending homelessness, and optimizing
self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness,
in the geographic area involved;
`(B)(i)(I) review relevant policies and practices (in place and planned)
of public and private entities in the geographic area served by the collaborative
applicant to determine if the policies and practices further or impede the
goal described in subparagraph (A);
`(II) in conducting the review, give priority to the review of--
`(aa) the discharge planning and service termination policies and practices
of publicly funded facilities or institutions (such as health care or
treatment facilities or institutions, foster care or youth facilities,
or juvenile or adult correctional institutions), and entities carrying
out publicly funded programs and systems of care (such as health care
or treatment programs, the programs of block grants to States for temporary
assistance for needy families established under part A of title IV of
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), child welfare or youth
programs, or juvenile or adult correctional programs), to ensure that
such a discharge or termination does not result in immediate homelessness
for the persons involved;
`(bb) the access and utilization policies and practices of the entities
carrying out mainstream programs identified by the Government Accountability
Office in the 2 reports described in section 102(a)(5)(B), to ensure that
persons experiencing homelessness are able to access and utilize the programs;
`(cc) local policies and practices relating to zoning and enforcement
of local statutes, to ensure that the policies and practices allow reasonable
inclusion and distribution in the geographic area of special needs populations
and families with children and the facilities that serve the populations
and families;
`(dd) policies and practices relating to the school selection and enrollment
of homeless children and youths (as defined in section 725) to ensure
that the homeless children and youths, and their parents, are able to
exercise their educational rights under subtitle B of title VII; and
`(ee) local policies and practices relating to the placement of families
with homeless children and youths (as so defined) in emergency or transitional
shelters, to ensure that the children and youths are placed as close as
possible to their school of origin in order to facilitate continuity of,
and prevent disruption of, educational services; and
`(III) in conducting the review, determine the modifications and corrective
actions that need to be taken, and by whom, to ensure that the relevant
policies and practices do not stimulate, or prolong, homelessness in the
geographic area;
`(ii) inform the appropriate entities of the determinations described in
clause (i); and
`(iii) at least once every 3 years, prepare for inclusion in any application
reviewed by the collaborative applicant, and submitted to the Secretary
under section 422, the determinations described in clause (i), in the form
of an exhibit entitled `Assessment of Relevant Policies and Practices, and
Needed Corrective Actions to End and Prevent Homelessness'; and
`(C) if the collaborative applicant designs and carries out the projects,
design and carry out the projects in such a manner as to further the goal
described in subparagraph (A);
`(2)(A) require, consistent with the Government Performance and Results
Act of 1993 and amendments made by that Act, that recipients and project
sponsors who are funded by grants received under subtitle C implement and
maintain an outcome-based evaluation of their projects that measures effective
and timely delivery of housing or services and whether provision of such
housing or services results in preventing or ending homelessness for the
persons that such recipients and project sponsors serve; and
`(B) request that States and local governments who distribute funds under
subtitle B submit information and comments on the administration of activities
under subtitle B, to enable the collaborative applicant to plan and design
a full continuum of care for persons experiencing homelessness;
`(3) require, consistent with the Government Performance and Results Act
of 1993 and amendments made by that Act, outcome-based evaluation of the
homeless assistance planning process of the collaborative applicant to measure
the performance of the collaborative applicant in preventing or ending the
homelessness of persons in the geographic area of the collaborative applicant;
`(4) participate in the Consolidated Plan for the geographic area served
by the collaborative applicant; and
`(5)(A) require each project sponsor who is funded by a grant received under
subtitle C to establish such fiscal control and fund accounting procedures
as may be necessary to assure the proper disbursal of, and accounting for,
Federal funds awarded to the project sponsor under subtitle C in order to
ensure that all financial transactions carried out under subtitle C are
conducted, and records maintained, in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles; and
`(B) arrange for an annual survey, audit, or evaluation of the financial
records of each project carried out by a project sponsor funded by a grant
received under subtitle C.
`(i) Conflict of Interest- No member of a collaborative applicant may participate
in decisions of the collaborative applicant concerning the award of a grant,
or provision of other financial benefits, to such member or the organization
that such member represents.
`(j) Homeless Management Information System-
`(1) IN GENERAL- In accordance with standards established by the Secretary,
each collaborative applicant shall ensure consistent participation by project
sponsors in a community-wide homeless management information system. The
collaborative applicant shall ensure the participation for purposes of collecting
unduplicated counts of individuals and families experiencing homelessness,
analyzing patterns of use of assistance provided under subtitles B and C
for the geographic area involved, implementing an effective information
and referral system, and providing information for the needs analyses and
funding priorities of collaborative applicants.
`(2) FUNDS- A collaborative applicant may apply for funds under this title
to establish, continue, carry out, or ensure consistent participation by
project sponsors in a homeless management information system, if the applicant
is a legal entity.';
(4) by inserting after section 403 (as redesignated in paragraph (2)) the
following:
`SEC. 404. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
`(a) Technical Assistance for Project Sponsors- The Secretary shall make effective
technical assistance available to private nonprofit organizations and other
nongovernmental entities, States, metropolitan cities, urban counties, and
counties that are not urban counties that are potential project sponsors,
in order to implement effective planning processes for preventing and ending
homelessness, to optimize self-sufficiency among individuals experiencing
homelessness and to improve their capacity to become project sponsors.
`(b) Technical Assistance for Collaborative Applicants- The Secretary shall
make effective technical assistance available to collaborative applicants
to improve their ability to carry out the provisions of this title, and to
design and execute outcome-effective strategies for preventing and ending
homelessness in their geographic areas consistent with the provisions of this
title.
`(c) Reservation- The Secretary may reserve not more than 1 percent of the
funds made available for any fiscal year for carrying out subtitles B and
C, to make available technical assistance under subsections (a) and (b).
`SEC. 405. PERFORMANCE REPORTS AND MONITORING.
`(a) In General- A collaborative applicant shall submit to the Secretary an
annual performance report regarding the activities carried out with grant
amounts received under subtitles B and C in the geographic area served by
the collaborative applicant, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary
determines to be reasonable.
`(b) Content- The performance report described in subsection (a) shall--
`(1) describe the number of persons provided homelessness prevention assistance
(including the number of such persons who were discharged or whose services
were terminated as described in section 422(c)(1)(B)(ii)(I)(bb)), and the
number of individuals and families experiencing homelessness who were provided
shelter, housing, or supportive services, with the grant amounts awarded
in the fiscal year prior to the fiscal year in which the report was submitted,
including measurements of the number of persons experiencing homelessness
who--
`(A) entered permanent housing, and the length of time such persons resided
in that housing, if known;
`(B) entered transitional housing, and the length of time such persons
resided in that housing, if known;
`(C) obtained or retained jobs;
`(D) increased their income, including increasing income through the receipt
of government benefits;
`(E) received mental health or substance abuse treatment in an institutional
setting and now receive that assistance in a less restrictive, community-based
setting;
`(F) received additional education, vocational or job training, or employment
assistance services;
`(G) received additional physical, mental, or emotional health care;
`(H) were children under the age of 18 during the year at issue, including
the number of--
`(i) children who were not younger than 2 and not older than 4, or were
infants or toddlers with disabilities (as defined in section 632 of
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1432));
`(ii) children described in clause (i) who were enrolled in preschool
or were receiving services under part C of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1431
et seq.);
`(iii) children who were not younger than 5 and not older than 17;
`(iv) children described in clause (iii) who are enrolled in elementary
school or secondary school (as such terms are defined in section 9101
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801));
and
`(v) children under the age of 18 who received child care, health care,
mental health care, or supplemental educational services; and
`(I) were reunited with their families;
`(2) estimate the number of persons experiencing homelessness, including
children under the age of 18, in the geographic area served by the collaborative
applicant who are eligible for, but did not receive, services, housing,
or other assistance through the programs funded under subtitles B and C
in the prior fiscal year;
`(3) indicate the accomplishments achieved within the geographic area that
involved the use of the grant amounts awarded in the prior fiscal year,
regarding efforts to coordinate services and programs within the geographic
area;
`(4) indicate the accomplishments achieved within the geographic area to--
`(A) increase access by persons experiencing homelessness to programs
that are not targeted for persons experiencing homelessness (but for which
persons experiencing homelessness are eligible), including mainstream
programs identified by the Government Accountability Office in the 2 reports
described in section 102(a)(5)(B); and
`(B) prevent the homelessness of persons discharged from publicly funded
institutions or systems of care (such as health care facilities, child
welfare or other youth facilities or systems of care, institutions or
systems of care relating to the program of block grants to States for
temporary assistance for needy families established under part A of title
IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), and juvenile or
adult correctional programs and institutions);
`(5) describe how the collaborative applicant and other involved public
and private entities within the geographic area will incorporate their experiences
in the prior fiscal year into the programs and process that the collaborative
applicant and entities will implement during the next fiscal year, including
describing specific strategies to improve their performance outcomes;
`(6) assess the consistency and coordination between the programs funded
under subtitles B and C in the prior fiscal year and the Consolidated Plan;
`(7) include updates to the exhibits described in section 402(h)(1)(B)(iii)
that were included in applications--
`(A) submitted under section 422 by collaborative applicants; and
`(B) approved by the Secretary;
`(8) for each project sponsor funded by the collaborative applicant through
a grant under subtitle C--
`(A) include a performance evaluation (which may include information from
the reports described in subsection (a) and section 422(c)(1)(B)(vii))
of each project carried out by the project sponsor, based on the outcome-based
evaluation measures described in section 402(h)(2)(A), the measurements
described in section 423(a)(7), and the evaluation plan for the project
described in section 426(b)(8) and resulting from the monitoring described
in sections 402(h)(1)(A) and 426(c)(3); and
`(B) include a report, resulting from a survey, audit or evaluation conducted
under section 402(h)(5)(B), detailing whether the project sponsor has
carried out the recordkeeping and reporting requirements of section 402(h)(5);
and
`(9) provide such other information as the Secretary finds relevant to assessing
performance, including performance on success measures that are risk-adjusted
to factors related to the circumstances of the population served.
`(c) Waiver- The Secretary may grant a waiver to any collaborative applicant
that is unable to provide information required by subsection (b). Such collaborative
applicant shall submit a plan to provide such information within a reasonable
period of time.
`(d) Monitoring by the Secretary-
`(1) COLLABORATIVE APPLICANTS- Each year, the Secretary shall--
`(A) ensure that each collaborative applicant has complied with the requirements
of subsection (b)(8) and section 402(h)(5);
`(B) require each collaborative applicant receiving funds under subtitle
C to establish such fiscal control and fund accounting procedures as may
be necessary to assure the proper disbursal of, and accounting for, Federal
funds awarded to the collaborative applicant under subtitle C in order
to ensure that all financial transactions carried out under subtitle C
are conducted, and records maintained, in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles; and
`(C) for a selected sample of collaborative applicants receiving funds
under subtitle C--
`(i) ensure that each selected collaborative applicant has satisfactorily
carried out the recordkeeping and reporting requirements of subsections
(a) and (b), section 426(c)(3), and, if applicable, section 426(c)(6);
and
`(ii) survey, audit, or evaluate the financial records of each selected
collaborative applicant receiving funds under subtitle C to carry out
section 423(a)(7)(A), using Federal auditors.
`(2) PROJECT SPONSORS- Each year, the Secretary shall select a sample of
project sponsors and shall conduct a performance evaluation of each project
of each selected project sponsor funded under subtitle C, using the outcome-based
evaluation measures developed by the appropriate collaborative applicant
in accordance with section 402(h)(2)(A) and including the measurements described
in section 423(a)(7).
`(e) Action by Secretary- Based on the information available to the Secretary,
including information obtained pursuant to subsections (b) and (d), the Secretary
may adjust, reduce, or withdraw amounts made available (or that would otherwise
be made available) to collaborative applicants, or take other action as appropriate
(including designating another body as a collaborative applicant, or permitting
other collaborative entities to apply directly for grants under subtitle C),
except that amounts already properly expended on eligible activities under
this title may not be recaptured by the Secretary.'; and
(5) by inserting after section 406 (as redesignated in paragraph (2)) the
following:
`SEC. 407. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
`There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out title II and this title
$1,600,000,000 for fiscal year 2006 and such sums as may be necessary for
fiscal years 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.'.
SEC. 5. EMERGENCY SHELTER GRANTS PROGRAM.
Subtitle B of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
11371 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by striking section 412 (42 U.S.C. 11372) and inserting the following:
`SEC. 412. GRANT ASSISTANCE.
`The Secretary shall make grants to States and local governments (and to private
nonprofit organizations providing assistance to persons experiencing homelessness,
in the case of grants made with reallocated amounts) for the purpose of carrying
out activities described in section 414.
`SEC. 412A. AMOUNT AND ALLOCATION OF ASSISTANCE.
`(a) In General- Of the amount made available to carry out this subtitle and
subtitle C for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall allocate nationally not
more than 15 percent of such amount for activities described in section 414.
`(b) Allocation- An entity that receives a grant under section 412, and serves
an area that includes 1 or more geographic areas (or portions of such areas)
served by collaborative applicants that submit applications under subtitle
C, shall allocate the funds made available through the grant to carry out
activities described in section 414, in consultation with the collaborative
applicants.';
(2) in section 413(b) (42 U.S.C. 11373(b)), by striking `amounts appropriated'
and all that follows through `for any' and inserting `amounts appropriated
under section 407 and made available to carry out this subtitle for any';
(3) by striking section 414 (42 U.S.C. 11374) and inserting the following:
`SEC. 414. ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.
`(a) In General- Assistance provided under section 412 may be used for the
following activities:
`(1) The renovation, major rehabilitation, or conversion of buildings to
be used as emergency shelters.
`(2) The provision of essential services, including services concerned with
employment, health, or education, family support services for homeless youth,
alcohol or drug abuse prevention or treatment, or mental health treatment,
if such essential services have not been provided by the local government
during any part of the immediately preceding 12-month period, or the use
of assistance under this subtitle would complement the provision of those
essential services.
`(3) Maintenance, operation insurance, provision of utilities, and provision
of furnishings.
`(4) Efforts to prevent homelessness, such as the provision of financial
assistance to families who have received eviction notices or notices of
termination of utility services, if--
`(A) the inability of such a family to make the required payments is due
to a sudden reduction in income;
`(B) the assistance is necessary to avoid the eviction or termination
of services;
`(C) there is a reasonable prospect that the family will be able to resume
the payments within a reasonable period of time; and
`(D) funds appropriated for the assistance will not supplant funding for
homelessness prevention activities from other sources (other funds made
available under this Act).
`(b) Limitation- Not more than 30 percent of the aggregate amount of all assistance
to a State or local government under this subtitle may be used for activities
under subsection (a)(4).'; and
(4) by repealing sections 417 and 418 (42 U.S.C. 11377, 11378).
SEC. 6. HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
Subtitle C of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
11381 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by striking the subtitle heading and inserting the following:
`Subtitle C--Homeless Assistance Program';
(2) by striking sections 421 through 423 (42 U.S.C. 11381 et seq.) and inserting
the following:
`SEC. 421. PURPOSES.
`The purposes of this subtitle are--
`(1) to promote the implementation of activities that can prevent vulnerable
individuals and families from becoming homeless;
`(2) to promote the development of transitional and permanent housing, including
low-demand housing;
`(3) to promote access to and effective utilization of mainstream programs
identified by the Government Accountability Office in the 2 reports described
in section 102(a)(5)(B) and programs funded with State or local resources;
and
`(4) to optimize self-sufficiency among individuals experiencing homelessness.
`SEC. 422. COMMUNITY HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
`(a) Projects- The Secretary shall award grants to collaborative applicants
to carry out homeless assistance and prevention projects, either directly
or by awarding funds to project sponsors to carry out the projects.
`(b) Notification of Funding Availability- The Secretary shall release a Notification
of Funding Availability for grants awarded under this subtitle for a fiscal
year not later than 3 months after the date of enactment of the appropriate
Act making appropriations for the Department of Housing and Urban Development
for the fiscal year.
`(1) SUBMISSION TO THE SECRETARY- To receive a grant under subsection (a),
a collaborative applicant shall submit an application to the Secretary at
such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require, and containing--
`(A) the information described in subsections (a) and (c) of section 426;
and
`(B) other information that shall--
`(i) describe the establishment (or designation) and function of the
collaborative applicant, including--
`(I) the nomination and selection process, including the names and
affiliations of all members of the collaborative applicant; or
`(II) all meetings held by the collaborative applicant in preparing
the application, including identification of those meetings that were
public; and
`(III) all meetings between representatives of the collaborative applicant,
and persons responsible for administering the Consolidated Plan;
`(ii) outline the range of housing and service programs available to
persons experiencing homelessness or imminently at risk of experiencing
homelessness and describe the unmet needs that remain in the geographic
area for which the collaborative applicant seeks funding regarding--
`(I) prevention activities, including providing assistance in--
`(aa) making mortgage, rent, or utility payments; or
`(bb) accessing permanent housing and transitional housing for individuals
(and families that include the individuals) who are being discharged from
a publicly funded facility, program, or system of care, or whose services
(from such a facility, program, or system of care) are being terminated;
`(II) outreach activities to assess the needs and conditions of persons
experiencing homelessness, including significant subpopulations of
such persons, including individuals with disabilities, veterans, victims
of domestic violence, homeless children and youths (as defined in
section 725), and chronically homeless individuals and families;
`(III) emergency shelters, including the supportive and referral services
the shelters provide;
`(IV) transitional housing with appropriate supportive services to
help persons experiencing homelessness who are not yet able or prepared
to make the transition to permanent housing and independent living;
`(V) permanent housing to help meet the long-term needs of individuals
and families experiencing homelessness; and
`(VI) needed supportive services, including services for children;
`(iii) prioritize the projects for which the collaborative applicant
seeks funding according to the unmet needs in the fiscal year for which
the applicant submits the application as described in clause (ii);
`(iv) identify funds from private and public sources, other than funds
received under subtitles B and C, that the State, units of general local
government, recipients, project sponsors, and others will use for homelessness
prevention, outreach, emergency shelter, supportive services, transitional
housing, and permanent housing, that will be integrated with the assistance
provided under subtitles B and C;
`(v) identify funds provided by the State and units of general local
government under programs targeted for persons experiencing homelessness,
and other programs for which persons experiencing homelessness are eligible,
including mainstream programs identified by the Government Accountability
Office in the 2 reports described in section 102(a)(5)(B);
`(I) how the collaborative applicant will meet the housing and service
needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness in the
applicant's community; and
`(II) how the collaborative applicant will integrate the activities
described in the application with the strategy of the State, units
of general local government, and private entities in the geographic
area over the next 5 years to prevent and end homelessness, including,
as part of that strategy, a work plan for the applicable fiscal years;
`(vii) report on the outcome-based performance of the homeless programs
within the geographic area served by the collaborative applicant that
were funded under this title in the fiscal year prior to the fiscal
year in which the application is submitted;
`(viii) include any relevant required agreements under subtitle C;
`(ix) contain a certification of consistency with the Consolidated Plan
pursuant to section 403;
`(x) include an exhibit described in section 402(h)(1)(B)(iii) and prepared
by the collaborative applicant in accordance with that section; and
`(xi) contain a certification that project sponsors for all projects
for which the collaborative applicant seeks funding through the grant
will establish policies and practices that are consistent with, and
do not restrict the exercise of rights provided by, subtitle B of title
VII, and other laws relating to the provision of educational and related
services to individuals experiencing homelessness.
`(2) CONSIDERATION- In outlining the programs and describing the needs referred
to in paragraph (1)(A)(ii), the collaborative applicant shall take into
account the findings and recommendations of the most recently completed
annual assessments, conducted pursuant to section 2034 of title 38, United
States Code, of the Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers or regional
benefits offices whose service areas include the geographic area described
in paragraph (1)(A)(ii).
`(3) ANNOUNCEMENT OF AWARDS- The Secretary shall announce, within 4 months
after the last date for the submission of applications described in this
subsection for a fiscal year, the grants conditionally awarded under subsection
(a) for that fiscal year.
`(4) OBLIGATION, DISTRIBUTION, AND UTILIZATION OF FUNDS-
`(A) REQUIREMENTS FOR OBLIGATION-
`(i) IN GENERAL- Not later than 9 months after the announcement referred
to in paragraph (3), each recipient of a grant announced under paragraph
(3) shall, with respect to a project to be funded through such grant,
meet, or cause the project sponsor to meet, all requirements for the
obligation of funds for such project, including site control, matching
funds, and environmental review requirements, except as provided in
clause (ii).
`(ii) ACQUISITION, REHABILITATION, OR CONSTRUCTION- Not later than 15
months after the announcement referred to in paragraph (3), each recipient
or project sponsor seeking the obligation of funds for acquisition of
housing, rehabilitation of housing, or construction of new housing for
a grant announced under paragraph (3) shall meet all requirements for
the obligation of those funds, including site control, matching funds,
and environmental review requirements.
`(iii) EXTENSIONS- At the discretion of the Secretary, and in compelling
circumstances, the Secretary may extend the date by which a recipient
shall meet or cause a project sponsor to meet the requirements described
in clause (i) if the Secretary determines that compliance with the requirements
was delayed due to factors beyond the reasonable control of the recipient
or project sponsor. Such factors may include difficulties in obtaining
site control for a proposed project, completing the process of obtaining
secure financing for the project, or completing the technical submission
requirements for the project.
`(B) OBLIGATION- Not later than 45 days after a recipient meets or causes
a project sponsor to meet the requirements described in subparagraph (A),
the Secretary shall obligate the funds for the grant involved.
`(C) DISTRIBUTION- A recipient that receives funds through such a grant--
`(i) shall distribute the funds to project sponsors (in advance of expenditures
by the project sponsors); and
`(ii) shall distribute the appropriate portion of the funds to a project
sponsor not later than 45 days after receiving a request for such distribution
from the project sponsor.
`(D) EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS- The Secretary may establish a date by which
funds made available through a grant announced under paragraph (3) for
a homeless assistance and prevention project shall be entirely expended
by the recipient or project sponsors involved. The Secretary shall recapture
the funds not expended by such date. The Secretary shall reallocate the
funds for another homeless assistance and prevention project that meets
the requirements of this subtitle to be carried out, if possible and appropriate,
in the same geographic area as the area served through the original grant.
`(d) Notification of Pro Rata Estimated Need Amounts-
`(1) NOTICE- The Secretary shall inform each collaborative applicant, at
a time concurrent with the release of the Notice of Funding Availability
for the grants, of the pro rata estimated need amount under this subtitle
for the geographic area represented by the collaborative applicant.
`(A) BASIS- Such estimated need amount shall be based on a percentage
of the total funds available, or estimated to be available, to carry out
this subtitle for any fiscal year that is equal to the percentage of the
total amount available for section 106 of the Housing and Community Development
Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5306) for the prior fiscal year that--
`(i) was allocated to all metropolitan cities and urban counties within
the geographic area represented by the collaborative applicant; or
`(ii) would have been distributed to all counties within such geographic
area that are not urban counties, if the 30 percent portion of the allocation
to the State involved (as described in subsection (d)(1) of that section
106) for that year had been distributed among the counties that are
not urban counties in the State in accordance with the formula specified
in that subsection (with references in that subsection to nonentitlement
areas considered to be references to those counties).
`(B) RULE- In computing the estimated need amount, the Secretary shall
adjust the estimated need amount determined pursuant to subparagraph (A)
to ensure that--
`(i) 75 percent of the total funds available, or estimated to be available,
to carry out this subtitle for any fiscal year are allocated to the
metropolitan cities and urban counties that received a direct allocation
of funds under section 413 for the prior fiscal year; and
`(ii) 25 percent of the total funds available, or estimated to be available,
to carry out this subtitle for any fiscal year are allocated--
`(I) to the metropolitan cities and urban counties that did not receive
a direct allocation of funds under section 413 for the prior fiscal
year; and
`(II) to counties that are not urban counties.
`(C) COMBINATIONS OR CONSORTIA- For a collaborative applicant that represents
a combination or consortium of cities or counties, the estimated need
amount shall be the sum of the estimated need amounts for the cities or
counties represented by the collaborative applicant.
`(D) AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY- The Secretary may increase the estimated
need amount for a geographic area if necessary to provide 1 year of renewal
funding for all expiring contracts entered into under this subtitle for
the geographic area.
`(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 3 months after the date of enactment of
the Community Partnership to End Homelessness Act of 2005, the Secretary
shall establish a timely appeal procedure for grant amounts awarded or denied
under this subtitle pursuant to an application for funding.
`(2) PROCESS- The Secretary shall ensure that the procedure permits appeals
submitted by collaborative applicants, entities carrying out homeless housing
and services projects (including emergency shelters and homelessness prevention
programs), homeless planning bodies not designated by the Secretary as collaborative
applicants.
`(f) Renewal Funding for Unsuccessful Applicants- The Secretary may renew
funding for a specific project previously funded under this subtitle that
the Secretary determines is worthy, and was included as part of a total application
that met the criteria of subsection (c), even if the application was not selected
to receive grant assistance. The Secretary may renew the funding for a period
of not more than 1 year, and under such conditions as the Secretary determines
to be appropriate.
`SEC. 423. ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.
`(a) In General- The Secretary may award grants to qualified collaborative
applicants under section 422 to carry out homeless assistance and prevention
projects that consist of 1 or more of the following eligible activities:
`(1) Construction of new housing units to provide transitional or permanent
housing.
`(2) Acquisition or rehabilitation of a structure to provide supportive
services or to provide transitional or permanent housing, other than emergency
shelter.
`(3) Leasing of property, or portions of property, not owned by the recipient
or project sponsor involved, for use in providing transitional or permanent
housing, or providing supportive services.
`(4) Provision of rental assistance to provide transitional or permanent
housing to eligible persons. The rental assistance may include tenant-based
or project-based rental assistance.
`(5) Payment of operating costs for housing units assisted under this subtitle.
`(6)(A) Through the end of the final determination year (as described in
subparagraph (C)(iii)), the supportive services described in section 425(c),
for both new projects and projects receiving renewal funding.
`(B) After that final determination year, for both new projects and projects
receiving renewal funding, services providing job training, case management,
outreach services, life skills training, housing counseling services, and
other services determined by the Secretary (either at the Secretary's initiative
or on the basis of adequate justification by an applicant) to be directly
relevant to allowing persons experiencing homelessness to access and retain
housing.
`(C)(i) Not later than 30 days after the end of the fiscal year in which
the date of enactment of the Community Partnership to End Homelessness Act
of 2005 occurs (referred to in this paragraph as the `initial year'), the
Government Accountability Office, after consultation with the congressional
committees with jurisdiction over the services referred to in this pararaph,
shall determine--
`(I) the amount of Federal funds (other than funds made available under
this subtitle) that were made available to fund the supportive services
described in section 425(c), other than the services described in subparagraph
(B) (referred to in this paragraph as the `outside supportive services
amount') for that initial year; and
`(II) the amount of Federal funds made available under this subtitle to
fund the supportive services described in section 425(c), other than the
services described in subparagraph (B) (referred to in this paragraph
as the `subtitle B supportive services amount') for that initial year.
`(ii) Not later than 30 days after the end of the third full fiscal year
after that date of enactment and of each subsequent fiscal year (referred
to in this paragraph as the `determination year') until the final determination
year described in clause (iii), the Government Accountability Office, after
consultation with the committees described in clause (i), shall--
`(I) determine the outside supportive services amount for that determination
year;
`(II) calculate the increase in the outside supportive services amount,
by subtracting the outside supportive services amount for the initial
year from the outside supportive services amount for that determination
year;
`(aa) a positive determination that the increase is greater than or
equal to the subtitle B supportive services amount for the initial year;
or
`(bb) a negative determination that that increase is less than that
amount; and
`(IV) submit a report regarding that determination year, and containing
the positive or negative determination, to the Secretary.
`(iii) On receipt of such a report regarding a determination year that contains
a positive determination, the Secretary may publish a notice in the Federal
Register, containing a proposed order that subparagraph (B) shall apply
for subsequent fiscal years, and seeking public comment for a period of
not less than 60 days. At the end of the comment period, the Secretary may
issue a final order that subparagraph (B) shall apply for subsequent fiscal
years. If the Secretary issues that final order, the determination year
shall be considered to be the final determination year for purposes of this
subparagraph.
`(iv) If the Secretary does not issue a final order under clause (iii),
subparagraph (A) shall apply for the fiscal year following the determination
year.
`(7)(A) In the case of a collaborative applicant that is a legal entity,
payment of administrative costs related to planning, administering grand
awards for, monitoring, and evaluating projects, and ensuring compliance
with homeless management information system requirements described in section
402(j)(2), for which the collaborative applicant may use not more than 6
percent of the total funds made available through the grant. A project sponsor
receiving funds from the collaborative applicant may use not more than an
additional 5 percent of the total funds made available through the grant
for such administrative costs.
`(B) For purposes of this paragraph, monitoring and evaluating shall include--
`(i) measuring the outcomes of the homeless assistance planning process
of a collaborative applicant for preventing and ending homelessness;
`(ii) the effective and timely implementation of specific projects funded
under this subtitle, relative to projected outcomes; and
`(iii) in the case of a housing project funded under this subtitle, compliance
with appropriate standards of housing quality and habitability as determined
by the Secretary.
`(8) Prevention activities (for which a collaborative applicant may use
not more than 5 percent of the funds made available through the grant),
including--
`(A) providing financial assistance to individuals or families who have
received eviction notices, foreclosure notices, or notices of termination
of utility services if, in the case of such an individual or family--
`(i) the inability of the individual or family to make the required
payments is due to a sudden reduction in income;
`(ii) the assistance is necessary to avoid the eviction, foreclosure,
or termination of services; and
`(iii) there is a reasonable prospect that the individual or family
will be able to resume the payments within a reasonable period of time;
`(B) carrying out relocation activities (including providing security
or utility deposits, rental assistance for a final month at a location,
assistance with moving costs, or rental assistance for not more than 3
months) for moving into transitional or permanent housing, individuals,
and families that include such individuals--
`(ii) who are being discharged from a publicly funded acute care or
long-term care facility, program, or system of care, or whose services
(from such a facility, program, or system of care) are being terminated;
and
`(iii) who have plans, developed collaboratively by the public entities
involved and the individuals and families, for securing or maintaining
housing after any funding provided under this subtitle is utilized;
and
`(C) providing family support services that promote reunification of--
`(i) youth experiencing homelessness, with their families; and
`(ii) children or youth involved with the child welfare or juvenile
justice systems, with their parents or guardians.
`(b) Eligibility for Funds for Prevention Activities- To be eligible to receive
grant funds under section 422 to carry out the prevention activities described
in subsection (a)(8), an applicant shall submit an application to the Secretary
under section 422 that shall include a certification in which--
`(1) the relevant public entities in the geographic area involved certify
compliance with subsection (c); and
`(2) the publicly funded institutions, facilities, and systems of care in
the geographic area certify that the institutions, facilities, and systems
of care will take, and fund directly, all reasonable measures to ensure
that the institutions, facilities, and systems of care do not discharge
individuals into homelessness.
`(c) Supplement, Not Supplant- Funds appropriated under section 407 and made
available for prevention activities described in subsection (a)(8) shall be
used to supplement and not supplant other Federal, State, and local public
funds used for homelessness prevention.
`(1) ACQUISITION, REHABILITATION, AND NEW CONSTRUCTION- A project that consists
of activities described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) shall
be operated for the purpose specified in the application submitted for the
project under section 422 for not less than 15 years.
`(2) OTHER ACTIVITIES- A project that consists of activities described in
any of paragraphs (3) through (8) of subsection (a) shall be operated for
the purpose specified in the application submitted for the project under
section 422 for the duration of the grant period involved.
`(3) CONVERSION- If the recipient or project sponsor carrying out a project
that provides transitional or permanent housing submits a request to the
collaborative applicant involved to carry out instead a project for the
direct benefit of low-income persons, and the collaborative applicant determines
that the initial project is no longer needed to provide transitional or
permanent housing, the collaborative applicant may recommend that the Secretary
approve the project described in the request and authorize the recipient
or project sponsor to carry out that project. If the collaborative applicant
is the recipient or project sponsor, it shall submit such a request directly
to the Secretary who shall determine if the conversion of the project is
appropriate.
`(e) Incentives To Create New Permanent Housing Stock-
`(A) IN GENERAL- In making grants to collaborative applicants under section
422, the Secretary shall make awards that provide the incentives described
in paragraph (2) to promote the creation of new permanent housing units
through the construction, or acquisition and rehabilitation, of permanent
housing units, that are owned by a project sponsor or other independent
entity who entered into a contract with a recipient or project sponsor,
for--
`(i) chronically homeless individuals and chronically homeless families;
and
`(ii) nondisabled homeless families.
`(B) LIMITATION- In awarding funds under this subsection, the Secretary
shall not award more than 10 percent of the funds for project sponsors
or independent entities that propose to serve nondisabled homeless families.
`(A) INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES- A collaborative applicant that receives
assistance under section 422 to implement a project that involves the
construction, or acquisition and rehabilitation, of new permanent housing
units described in paragraph (1), for individuals and families described
in paragraph (1)(A)(i), shall also receive, as part of the grant, incentives
consisting of--
`(i) funds sufficient to provide not more than 10 years of rental assistance,
renewable in accordance with section 428;
`(ii) a bonus in an amount to be determined by the Secretary to carry
out activities described in this section; and
`(iii) the technical assistance needed to ensure the financial viability
and programmatic effectiveness of the project.
`(B) NONDISABLED HOMELESS FAMILIES- A collaborative applicant that receives
assistance under section 422 to implement a project that involves the
construction, or acquisition and rehabilitation, of new permanent housing
units described in paragraph (1), for nondisabled homeless families, shall
also receive incentives consisting of--
`(i) a bonus in an amount to be determined by the Secretary to carry
out activities described in this section; and
`(ii) the technical assistance needed to ensure the financial viability
and programmatic effectiveness of the project.
`(3) ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS- To be eligible to receive a grant under this subtitle
to carry out activities to create new permanent housing stock for individuals
and families described in paragraph (1), an applicant shall be a collaborative
applicant as described in this subtitle, a private nonprofit or for profit
organization, a public-private partnership, a public housing agency, or
an instrumentality of a State or local government.
`(4) LOCATION- To the extent practicable, a collaborative applicant that
receives a grant under this subtitle to create new permanent housing stock
shall ensure that the housing is located in a mixed-income environment.
`(5) DEFINITION- In this subsection, the term `nondisabled homeless family'
means a homeless family that does not have an adult head of household with
a disabling condition, as defined in section 401(1)(B).
`(f) Repayment of Assistance and Prevention of Undue Benefits-
`(1) REPAYMENT- If a recipient (or a project sponsor receiving funds from
the recipient) receives assistance under section 422 to carry out a project
that consists of activities described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection
(a) and the project ceases to provide transitional or permanent housing--
`(A) earlier than 10 years after operation of the project begins, the
Secretary shall require the recipient (or the project sponsor receiving
funds from the recipient) to repay 100 percent of the assistance; or
`(B) not earlier than 10 years, but earlier than 15 years, after operation
of the project begins, the Secretary shall require the recipient (or the
project sponsor receiving funds from the recipient) to repay 20 percent
of the assistance for each of the years in the 15-year period for which
the project fails to provide that housing.
`(2) PREVENTION OF UNDUE BENEFITS- Except as provided in paragraph (3),
if any property is used for a project that receives assistance under subsection
(a) and consists of activities described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection
(a), and the sale or other disposition of the property occurs before the
expiration of the 15-year period beginning on the date that operation of
the project begins, the recipient (or the project sponsor receiving funds
from the recipient) who received the assistance shall comply with such terms
and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe to prevent the recipient (or
a project sponsor receiving funds from the recipient) from unduly benefitting
from such sale or disposition.
`(3) EXCEPTION- A recipient (or a project sponsor receiving funds from the
recipient) shall not be required to make the repayments, and comply with
the terms and conditions, required under paragraph (1) or (2) if--
`(A) the sale or disposition of the property used for the project results
in the use of the property for the direct benefit of very low-income persons;
or
`(B) all of the proceeds of the sale or disposition are used to provide
transitional or permanent housing meeting the requirements of this subtitle.';
(3) in section 425 (42 U.S.C. 11385), by striking subsection (c) and inserting
the following:
`(c) Services- Subject to section 423(a)(6), supportive services may include
such services as--
`(1) establishing and operating a child care services program for families
experiencing homelessness;
`(2) establishing and operating an employment assistance program, including
providing job training;
`(3) providing outpatient health services, food, and case management;
`(4) providing assistance in obtaining permanent housing, employment counseling,
and nutritional counseling;
`(5) providing outreach services, life skills training, and housing search
and counseling services;
`(6) providing assistance in obtaining other Federal, State, and local assistance
available for residents of supportive housing (including mental health benefits,
employment counseling, and medical assistance, but not including major medical
equipment);
`(7) providing legal services for purposes including requesting reconsiderations
and appeals of veterans and public benefit claim denials and resolving outstanding
warrants that interfere with an individual's ability to obtain and retain
housing;
`(A) transportation services that facilitate an individual's ability to
obtain and maintain employment;
`(D) other supportive services necessary to obtain and maintain housing;
and
`(9) providing other services determined by the Secretary (either at the
Secretary's initiative or on the basis of adequate justification by an applicant)
to be directly relevant to allowing persons experiencing homelessness to
access and retain housing.';
(4) in section 426 (42 U.S.C. 11386)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking `Applications' and all that follows
through `shall' and inserting `Applications for assistance under section
422 shall';
(I) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the following:
`(B) a description of the size and characteristics of the population that
would occupy housing units or receive supportive services assisted under
this subtitle;'; and
(II) in subparagraph (E), by striking `in the case of projects assisted
under this title that do not receive assistance under such sections,';
and
(iii) in paragraph (3), in the last sentence, by striking `recipient'
and inserting `recipient (or a project sponsor receiving funds from
the recipient)';
(B) by striking subsections (b) and (c) and inserting:
`(b) Selection Criteria- The Secretary shall award funds to collaborative
applicants, and other eligible applicants that have been approved by the Secretary,
by a national competition based on criteria established by the Secretary,
which shall include--
`(1) the capacity of the applicant based on the past performance and management
of the applicant;
`(2) if applicable, previous performance regarding homelessness prevention,
housing, and services programs funded in any fiscal year prior to the date
of submission of the application;
`(A) access to appropriate permanent housing will be secured if the proposed
project does not include permanent housing; and
`(B) access to outcome-effective supportive services will be secured for
residents or consumers involved in the project who are willing to use
the services;
`(4) if applicable, the extent to which an evaluation for the project will--
`(A) use periodically collected information and analysis to determine
whether the project has resulted in enhanced stability and well-being
of the residents or consumers served by the project;
`(B) include evaluations obtained directly from the individuals or families
served by the project; and
`(C) be submitted by the project sponsors for the grant, to the collaborative
applicant, for review and use in assessments, conducted by the collaborative
applicant, consistent with the duty of the collaborative applicant to
ensure effective outcomes that contribute to the goal of preventing and
ending homelessness in the geographic area served by the collaborative
applicant;
`(5) the need for the type of project proposed in the geographic area to
be served and the extent to which prioritized programs meet unmet needs;
`(6) the extent to which the amount of assistance to be provided under this
subtitle will be supplemented with resources from other public and private
sources, including mainstream programs identified by the Government Accountability
Office in the 2 reports described in section 102(a)(5)(B);
`(7) demonstrated coordination with the other Federal, State, local, private,
and other entities serving individuals experiencing homelessness in the
planning and operation of projects, to the extent practicable;
`(8) the extent to which the membership of the collaborative applicant involved
represents the composition described in section 402(b) and the extent of
membership involvement in the application process; and
`(9) such other factors as the Secretary determines to be appropriate to
carry out this subtitle in an effective and efficient manner.
`(c) Required Agreements- The Secretary may not provide assistance for a proposed
project under this subtitle unless the collaborative applicant involved agrees--
`(1) to ensure the operation of the project in accordance with the provisions
of this subtitle;
`(2) to conduct an ongoing assessment of access to mainstream programs referred
to in subsection (b)(4);
`(3) to monitor and report to the Secretary the progress of the project;
`(4) to develop and implement procedures to ensure--
`(A) the confidentiality of records pertaining to any individual provided
family violence prevention or treatment services through the project;
and
`(B) that the address or location of any family violence shelter project
assisted under this subtitle will not be made public, except with written
authorization of the person responsible for the operation of such project;
`(5) to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that individuals and
families experiencing homelessness are involved, through employment, provision
of volunteer services, or otherwise, in constructing, rehabilitating, maintaining,
and operating facilities for the project and in providing supportive services
for the project;
`(6) if a collaborative applicant receives funds under subtitle C to carry
out the payment of administrative costs described in section 423(a)(7),
to establish such fiscal control and fund accounting procedures as may be
necessary to assure the proper disbursal of, and accounting for, such funds
in order to ensure that all financial transactions carried out with such
funds are conducted, and records maintained, in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles; and
`(7) to comply with such other terms and conditions as the Secretary may
establish to carry out this subtitle in an effective and efficient manner.';
(C) in subsection (d), in the first sentence, by striking `recipient'
and inserting `recipient or project sponsor';
(D) by striking subsection (e);
(E) by redesignating subsections (f), (g), and (h), as subsections (e),
(f), and (g), respectively;
(F) in subsection (f) (as redesignated in subparagraph (E)), in the first
sentence, by striking `recipient' each place it appears and inserting
`recipient or project sponsor';
(G) by striking subsection (i); and
(H) by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (h);
(5)(A) by repealing section 429 (42 U.S.C. 11389); and
(B) by redesignating sections 427 and 428 (42 U.S.C. 11387, 11388) as sections
431 and 432, respectively; and
(6) by inserting after section 426 the following:
`SEC. 427. ALLOCATION AMOUNTS AND INCENTIVES FOR SPECIFIC ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.
`(a) Purpose- The Secretary shall promote--
`(1) permanent housing development activities for--
`(A) homeless individuals with disabilities and homeless families that
include such an individual; and
`(B) nondisabled homeless families; and
`(2) prevention activities described in section 423(a)(8).
`(b) Definition- In this section, the term `nondisabled homeless family' means
a homeless family that does not include a homeless individual with a disability.
`(c) Annual Portion of Appropriated Amount Available-
`(1) DISABLED HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES-
`(A) IN GENERAL- From the amount made available to carry out this subtitle
for a fiscal year, a portion equal to not less than 30 percent of the
sums made available to carry out subtitle B and this subtitle for that
fiscal year shall be used for activities to develop new permanent housing,
in order to help create affordable permanent housing for homeless individuals
with disabilities and homeless families that include such an individual
who is an adult.
`(B) CALCULATION- In calculating the portion of the amount described in
subparagraph (A) that is used for activities described in subparagraph
(A), the Secretary shall not count funds made available to renew contracts
for existing projects (in existence as of the date of the renewal) under
section 428.
`(2) PREVENTION ACTIVITIES- From the amount made available to carry out
this subtitle for a fiscal year, a portion equal to not more than 5 percent
of the sums described in paragraph (1) shall be used for prevention activities
described in section 423(a)(8).
`(d) Funding for Acquisition, Construction, and Rehabilitation of Perman