[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3970 Introduced in House (IH)]
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114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3970
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a pilot grant
program to acquire and renovate abandoned homes for homeless veterans.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 5, 2015
Mr. Israel (for himself and Mr. Rooney of Florida) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a pilot grant
program to acquire and renovate abandoned homes for homeless veterans.
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 ``Housing Our Heroes Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PILOT GRANT PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS VETERANS.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall commence
a pilot grant program to assess the feasibility and advisability of
awarding grants to eligible entities to purchase and renovate abandoned
homes for homeless veterans.
(b) Grants.--
(1) Award.--In carrying out the pilot program under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall award grants to eligible
entities to purchase and renovate abandoned homes for homeless
veterans.
(2) Maximum amount.--The amount of a single grant awarded
under paragraph (1) shall not exceed $1,000,000.
(3) Number.--The Secretary may award to an eligible entity
more than one grant under paragraph (1).
(c) Eligible Entities.--The Secretary may award a grant under
subsection (b)(1) to any of the following:
(1) A veterans service agency.
(2) A veterans service organization.
(3) Homeless organizations.
(4) Any other nongovernmental organization.
(d) Selection of Grant Recipients.--
(1) Application.--Any eligible entity seeking a grant under
subsection (b)(1) shall submit to the Secretary an application
therefore in such form and in such manner as the Secretary
considers appropriate.
(2) Selection priority.--
(A) Communities with greatest need.--Subject to
subparagraph (B), in accordance with regulations the
Secretary shall prescribe, the Secretary shall give
priority in the awarding of grants under subsection
(b)(1) to eligible entities who serve communities that
the Secretary determines have the greatest need of
homeless services.
(B) Geographic distribution.--The Secretary may
give priority in the awarding of grants under
subsection (b)(1) to achieve a fair distribution, as
determined by the Secretary, among homeless veterans in
different geographical regions.
(C) Other agreements.--In awarding a grant under
subsection (b)(1) to an eligible entity in a location
determined pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (B), the
Secretary shall give preference to eligible entities
that are entered into an agreement with the Secretary
under section 2041 of title 38, United States Code.
(e) Use of Grant Funds.--
(1) Purposes.--A grantee may use amounts of a grant awarded
to the grantee under subsection (b)(1) to purchase or renovate
abandoned homes, including homes that have been foreclosed.
(2) Maximum purchase amount.--Not more than $300,000 of the
amount of a grant awarded under subsection (b)(1) may be used
for the purchase of a single home.
(3) Payment program.--
(A) The United States shall not have any ownership
interest in a home that is purchased by a grantee using
amounts of a grant awarded under subsection (b)(1).
(B) Each grantee shall ensure that, beginning one
year after the date on which a veteran begins to reside
in a home purchased or renovated by the grantee using a
grant awarded under subsection (b)(1), the veteran
makes monthly payments to the grantee in an amount
determined appropriate by the grantee that is not less
than 85 percent of the fair market rent for such home.
(C) Each grantee shall determine whether payments
made by a veteran under subparagraph (B) shall be
treated as rent or as a mortgage for the home for which
the veteran is making such payments. The Secretary, in
coordination with the Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development, shall determine the requirements for such
payments.
(D) Each grantee shall pay to the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs not less than 80 percent of each
payment received under subparagraph (B).
(E) The Secretary may conduct an audit of any
grantee to ensure that the grantee carries out this
paragraph.
(4) Veterans homelessness grant fund.--
(A) There is established in the Treasury a fund to
be known as the ``Veterans Homelessness Grant Fund''
(in this paragraph referred to as the ``Fund'').
(B) The Secretary shall deposit into the Fund the
payments collected by the Secretary under paragraph
(3)(D).
(C) Amounts deposited into the Fund pursuant to
subparagraph (B) shall be available to the Secretary to
carry out the pilot program under subsection (a)
without further appropriation. The Secretary may not
use such amounts from the Fund for any other purpose
unless pursuant to a specific provision of law.
(f) Duration.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program
under subsection (a) during the three-year period beginning on the date
of the commencement of the pilot program.
(g) Annual Reports.--During each year in which the Secretary
carries out the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall
submit to Congress a report that details, with respect to the year
covered by the report, the number of grants awarded, the amounts so
awarded, the progress of home purchase and renovation made by eligible
entities using such grants, and the number of tenants currently paying
rent towards such homes.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary a total of $25,000,000 to carry out the
pilot program under subsection (a).
(i) Homeless Veteran Defined.--In this section, the term ``homeless
veteran'' means any of the following veterans:
(1) A veteran who is eligible to receive housing, clinical
services, and case management assistance under section 8(o)(19)
of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437f(o)(19)).
(2) A veteran who is receiving--
(A) assistance from, or is the beneficiary of a
service furnished by, a program that is in receipt of a
grant under section 2011 of title 38, United States
Code; or
(B) services for which per diem payment is received
under section 2012 of such title.
(3) A veteran who is--
(A) a beneficiary of the outreach program carried
out under section 2022(e) of such title; or
(B) in receipt of referral or counseling services
from the program carried out under section 2023 of such
title.
(4) A veteran who is receiving a service or assistance
under section 2031 of such title.
(5) A veteran who is residing in therapeutic housing
operated under section 2032 of such title.
(6) A veteran who is receiving domiciliary services under
section 2043 of such title or domiciliary care under section
1710(b) of such title.
(7) A veteran who is receiving supportive services under
2044 of such title.
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