[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3083 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3083
To authorize a new type of housing choice voucher to help achieve the
goals of ending homelessness among families with children, increasing
housing opportunities, and improving life outcomes of poor children.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 18, 2019
Mr. Young (for himself and Mr. Van Hollen) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking,
Housing, and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize a new type of housing choice voucher to help achieve the
goals of ending homelessness among families with children, increasing
housing opportunities, and improving life outcomes of poor children.
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 ``Family Stability and Opportunity
Vouchers Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. FAMILY STABILITY AND OPPORTUNITY VOUCHERS.
Section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437f(o)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(21) Family stability and opportunity vouchers.--
``(A) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
``(i) The term `area of concentrated
poverty' means a census tract in which the
poverty rate is not less than 30 percent, as
most recently determined by the Bureau of the
Census.
``(ii) The term `eligible family' means a
family that--
``(I) includes a pregnant woman or
a child under the age of 6;
``(II) meets all applicable
eligibility requirements under this
subsection; and
``(III) is--
``(aa) homeless;
``(bb) unstably housed;
``(cc) living in an area of
concentrated poverty; or
``(dd) at risk of
displacement from an
opportunity area for children
or an area rapidly
transitioning to become an
opportunity area for children.
``(iii) The term `homeless', with respect
to a family, means the family would satisfy the
definition of `homeless children and youths'
(as defined in section 725 of the McKinney-
Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
11434a)) but for the requirement to be a child
or youth.
``(iv) The term `opportunity area for
children' shall have the meaning given the term
by the Secretary, using the best available,
outcomes-based evidence.
``(v) The term `unstably housed', with
respect to a family, means a family who--
``(I) is at risk of losing
temporary or permanent housing;
``(II) has moved not less than
twice during the 12-month period ending
on the date on which a public housing
agency selects the family from a
waiting list to receive assistance
under this paragraph;
``(III) is living in a unit not
accessible to a disabled family member;
``(IV) is fleeing, or attempting to
flee, domestic violence, dating
violence, sexual assault, or stalking;
or
``(V) is living in housing
conditions that are dangerous or life-
threatening.
``(B) Competitive award.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall
provide assistance to public housing agencies
on a competitive basis to be used for--
``(I) incremental vouchers for
eligible families; and
``(II) one-time additional fees for
the cost to the public housing agencies
of providing mobility-related services
to eligible families.
``(ii) Selection.--For the second fiscal
year in which the Secretary provides assistance
under this paragraph, and each fiscal year
thereafter, in selecting public housing
agencies to receive assistance under this
paragraph, the Secretary shall--
``(I) consider the performance of
public housing agencies in implementing
this paragraph; and
``(II) give preference to public
housing agencies that partner with
organizations that provide home
visiting services, such as the services
authorized under section 511 of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 711) or
locally funded initiatives, if those
services are available in the service
area of the public housing agency.
``(C) Services required to be offered to families
receiving vouchers.--
``(i) In general.--A public housing agency
that receives assistance under this paragraph--
``(I) shall offer, to each eligible
family that the agency selects to
receive a voucher, mobility-related
services to help the family move to an
opportunity area for children with
access to a high-performing school;
``(II) may not require an eligible
family to participate in the mobility-
related services described in subclause
(I) as a condition of receipt of a
voucher; and
``(III) shall adopt mobility-
related policies, to be specified by
the Secretary.
``(ii) Minimum assortment of services and
policies.--The Secretary shall establish a
minimum assortment of types of mobility-related
services that a public housing agency shall
offer, and mobility-related policies that a
public housing agency shall adopt, under clause
(i) based on promising practices and evidence
of the effectiveness of the services and
policies.
``(iii) Specific services.--The types of
mobility-related services required to be
offered under clause (i)--
``(I) shall include a customized
approach to enable a successful
transition to opportunity areas for
children; and
``(II) may include counseling and
continued support for families.
``(iv) Opportunity areas for children;
high-performing schools.--The Secretary shall
establish criteria for areas and schools to
qualify as opportunity areas for children and
high-performing schools, respectively.
``(v) Manner of providing services.--A
public housing agency may provide mobility-
related services as required under clause (i)
directly or through a local partnership or
contract.
``(D) Other requirements.--
``(i) Turnover.--Upon turnover of a voucher
issued by a public housing agency using
assistance received under this paragraph, the
public housing agency shall issue the voucher
to another eligible family under this
paragraph.
``(ii) Relation to other laws.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
with respect to a voucher authorized under this
paragraph--
``(I) the Secretary may not waive
any provision of this paragraph or
subsection (r); and
``(II) subsection (b) of section 16
shall apply, except as provided under
subsection (d) of that section.
``(E) Implementation.--
``(i) Definitions.--Not later than 180 days
after the date of enactment of this paragraph,
the Secretary shall publish a notice for public
comment in the Federal Register that includes
any definitions or other specifications
required or authorized under this paragraph.
``(ii) Allocation of funding.--
``(I) Initial year.--For the first
fiscal year for which amounts are
appropriated to be provided to public
housing agencies for incremental
vouchers under this paragraph, the
Secretary shall allocate the amounts to
public housing agencies not later than
1 year after the date on which the
amounts are appropriated.
``(II) Subsequent years.--For any
fiscal year after the fiscal year
described in subclause (I), the
Secretary shall allocate amounts to
public housing agencies for incremental
vouchers under this paragraph not later
than 180 days after the date on which
the amounts are appropriated.
``(F) Authorization of appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for each
of fiscal years 2020 through 2024 such sums as may be
necessary to provide assistance to public housing
agencies under this paragraph to be used for--
``(i) 100,000 incremental vouchers, as
described in subparagraph (B)(i)(I);
``(ii) fees for the cost of administering
the incremental vouchers described in
subparagraph (B)(i)(I); and
``(iii) one-time additional fees for
mobility-related services, as described in
subparagraph (B)(i)(II).''.
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