[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 165 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 165
To require the inclusion of veterans in housing planning and an annual
report on housing assistance to veterans, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 4, 2021
Mr. Green of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Financial Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the inclusion of veterans in housing planning and an annual
report on housing assistance to veterans, 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 ``Improving Access to Homes for Heroes
Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF VETERANS IN HOUSING PLANNING.
(a) Public Housing Agency Plans.--Section 5A(d)(1) of the United
States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437c-1(d)(1)) is amended by
striking ``and disabled families'' and inserting ``, disabled families,
and veterans (as such term is defined in section 101 of title 38,
United States Code)''.
(b) Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategies.--
(1) In general.--Section 105 of the Cranston-Gonzalez
National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12705) is amended--
(A) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting ``veterans
(as such term is defined in section 101 of title 38,
United States Code),'' after ``acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome,'';
(B) in subsection (b)(20), by striking ``and
service'' and inserting ``veterans service, and other
service''; and
(C) in subsection (e)(1), by inserting ``veterans
(as such term is defined in section 101 of title 38,
United States Code),'' after ``homeless persons,''.
(2) Consolidated plans.--The Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development shall revise the regulations relating to submission
of consolidated plans (part 91 of title 24, Code of Federal
Regulations) in accordance with the amendments made by
paragraph (1) of this subsection to require inclusion of
appropriate information relating to veterans and veterans
service agencies in all such plans.
SEC. 3. ANNUAL REPORT ON HOUSING ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS.
(a) In General.--Not later than December 31 of each year, the
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall submit a report on the
activities of the Department of Housing and Urban Development relating
to veterans during such year to the following:
(1) The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of
the Senate.
(2) The Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate.
(3) The Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
(4) The Committee on Financial Services of the House of
Representatives.
(5) The Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives.
(6) The Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(7) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
(b) Contents.--Each report required under subsection (a) shall
include the following information with respect to the year for which
the report is submitted:
(1) The number of homeless veterans provided assistance
under the program of housing choice vouchers for homeless
veterans under section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing
Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)), the socioeconomic
characteristics and racial characteristics of such homeless
veterans, and the number, types, and locations of entities
contracted under such section to administer the vouchers.
(2) The number of homeless veterans provided assistance
under the Tribal HUD-VA Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH)
authorized by the Consolidated and Further Continuing
Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235; 128 Stat. 2733) the
socioeconomic characteristics and racial characteristics of
such homeless veterans, and the number, types, and locations of
entities contracted under such section to administer the
vouchers.
(3) A summary description of the special considerations
made for veterans under public housing agency plans submitted
pursuant to section 5A of the United States Housing Act of 1937
(42 U.S.C. 1437c-1) and under comprehensive housing
affordability strategies submitted pursuant to section 105 of
the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42
U.S.C. 12705).
(4) A description of the activities of the Special
Assistant for Veterans Affairs.
(5) A description of the efforts of the Department of
Housing and Urban Development to coordinate the delivery of
housing and services to veterans with other Federal departments
and agencies, including the Department of Defense, Department
of Justice, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human
Services, Department of Veterans Affairs, Interagency Council
on Homelessness, and the Social Security Administration.
(6) The cost to the Department of Housing and Urban
Development of administering the programs and activities
relating to veterans.
(7) Any other information that the Secretary considers
relevant in assessing the programs and activities of the
Department of Housing and Urban Development relating to
veterans.
(c) Assessment of Housing Needs of Very Low-Income Veteran
Families.--
(1) In general.--For the first report submitted pursuant to
subsection (a) and every fifth report thereafter, the Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development shall--
(A) conduct an assessment of the housing needs of
very low-income veteran families (as such term is
defined in paragraph 5); and
(B) shall include in each such report findings
regarding such assessment.
(2) Content.--Each assessment under this subsection shall
include--
(A) conducting a survey of, and direct interviews
with, a representative sample of very low-income
veteran families (as such term is defined in paragraph
5) to determine past and current--
(i) socioeconomic characteristics of such
veteran families;
(ii) barriers to such veteran families
obtaining safe, quality, and affordable
housing;
(iii) levels of homelessness among such
veteran families; and
(iv) levels and circumstances of, and
barriers to, receipt by such veteran families
of rental housing and homeownership assistance;
and
(B) such other information that the Secretary
determines, in consultation with the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs and national nongovernmental
organizations concerned with veterans, homelessness,
and very low-income housing, may be useful to the
assessment.
(3) Conduct.--If the Secretary contracts with an entity
other than the Department of Housing and Urban Development to
conduct the assessment under this subsection, such entity shall
be a nongovernmental organization determined by the Secretary
to have appropriate expertise in quantitative and qualitative
social science research.
(4) Funding.--Of any amounts made available pursuant to
section 501 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970
(42 U.S.C. 1701z-1) for programs of research, studies, testing,
or demonstration relating to the mission or programs of the
Department of Housing and Urban Development for any fiscal year
in which an assessment under this subsection is required
pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, $1,000,000 shall
be available until expended for costs of the assessment under
this subsection.
(5) Very low-income veteran family.--The term ``very low-
income veteran family'' means a veteran family whose income
does not exceed 50 percent of the median income for the area,
as determined by the Secretary with adjustments for smaller and
larger families, except that the Secretary may establish an
income ceiling higher or lower than 50 percent of the median
for the area on the basis of the Secretary's findings that such
variations are necessary because of prevailing levels of
construction costs or fair market rents (as determined under
section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437f)).
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