[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2944 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2994
To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to
establish the Reentry Rental Assistance and Housing Services Grant
Program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 28, 2023
Ms. Barragan (for herself, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Bowman, Ms. Tlaib,
Ms. Norton, Ms. Kamlager-Dove, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mrs.
Peltola, and Mrs. Hayes) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the
Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to
establish the Reentry Rental Assistance and Housing Services Grant
Program, 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 ``Returning Home Act''.
SEC. 2. REENTRY RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND HOUSING SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM.
SEC.
Section 2976 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe
Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10631) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by striking ``offender'';
(2) in subsection (a), by striking ``offender'';
(3) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the heading, by striking ``Offender'';
(B) by striking ``offender'';
(C) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``offenders'' and inserting
``individuals''; and
(ii) by striking ``or juvenile facilities''
and inserting ``juvenile facilities, or halfway
houses'';
(D) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by striking ``prison, jail, or a
juvenile facility'' and inserting ``a prison,
jail, juvenile facility, or halfway house'';
and
(ii) by striking ``offenders'' and
inserting ``individuals'';
(E) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking ``offenders''
and inserting ``individuals who are incarcerated or who
were incarcerated'';
(F) in paragraph (5)--
(i) by striking ``or juvenile facility''
and inserting ``juvenile facility, or halfway
house''; and
(ii) by striking ``offenders while in
custody'' and inserting ``such individuals
during incarceration'';
(G) in paragraph (6)--
(i) by striking ``by offenders to victims''
and inserting ``by individuals who committed
crimes to victims of such crimes''; and
(ii) by striking ``of offenders'' and
inserting ``of such individuals from a prison,
jail, juvenile facility, or halfway house'';
and
(H) in paragraph (7), by striking ``dangerous
offenders'' and inserting ``individuals who are
incarcerated and dangerous'';
(4) in subsection (c)--
(A) in the heading, by striking ``Offender''; and
(B) by striking ``offender'';
(5) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``for a planning
grant under subsection (e) and an implementation grant
under subsection (f)'' and inserting ``when applying
simultaneously for two or more of the grants
established under subsections (e), (f), and (o)''; and
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by striking ``under subsections (e) and
(f)'' and inserting ``under subsections (e),
(f), and (o)''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking
``offender'';
(6) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ``offender'';
(7) in subsection (f)--
(A) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ``offender'';
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (B), by striking
``offenders'' and inserting ``individuals who
are incarcerated''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (D), by striking
``offenders'' and inserting ``individuals who
are incarcerated''; and
(C) in paragraph (3)--
(i) in subparagraph (A)--
(I) by striking ``and juvenile
facilities'' and inserting ``juvenile
facilities, and halfway houses''; and
(II) by striking ``offenders'' and
inserting ``individuals'';
(ii) in subparagraph (B)--
(I) in clause (ii), by striking
``offenders'' and inserting
``individuals'';
(II) in clause (ii), by striking
``prisons, jails, and juvenile
facilities'' and inserting ``a prison,
jail, juvenile facility, or halfway
house''; and
(III) in clause (iii), by striking
``offenders'' and inserting
``individuals who are incarcerated or
who were incarcerated'';
(iii) in subparagraph (C)(ii)--
(I) by striking ``an offender'' and
inserting ``an incarcerated
individual''; and
(II) by striking ``that offenders''
and inserting ``that such
individuals'';
(iv) in subparagraph (F), by striking
``offenders'' and inserting ``individuals who
are incarcerated''; and
(v) in subparagraph (G)--
(I) by striking ``offenders with
histories'' and inserting ``individuals
who are incarcerated or who were
incarcerated and who have a history'';
and
(II) by striking ``offender'' in
each place it occurs and inserting
``individual'';
(8) in subsection (h)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``offenders'' and inserting
``individuals'';
(ii) by striking ``subsection (f)'' each
place such term appears and inserting
``subsection (f) or (o)''; and
(iii) by striking ``prison, jail or a
juvenile facility'' and inserting ``a prison,
jail, juvenile facility, or halfway house'';
and
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``released
offenders'' and inserting ``individuals released from a
prison, jail, juvenile facility, or halfway house'';
(9) in subsection (i)(1)--
(A) by striking ``under subsection (f)'' and
inserting ``under subsection (f) or (o)'';
(B) by striking ``returning offenders and'' and
inserting ``individuals reentering the community after
time spent in a prison, jail, juvenile facility, or
halfway house and to'';
(C) by striking ``offenders' time in prison, jail,
or a juvenile facility'' and inserting ``such time'';
(D) by striking ``of offenders'' and inserting ``of
such individuals''; and
(E) by striking ``offender'';
(10) in subsection (j)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``an implementation'' and
inserting ``a''; and
(ii) by striking ``subsection (f)'' each
place such term appears and inserting
``subsection (f) or (o)'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``offenders
released back'' and inserting ``individuals who were
released from a prison, jail, juvenile facility, or
halfway house'';
(C) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by striking ``offenders'' and inserting
``individuals''; and
(ii) by striking ``prison, jails, or
juvenile facilities'' and inserting ``prisons,
jails, juvenile facilities, or halfway
houses''; and
(D) in paragraph (5), by striking ``subsection
(f)'' and inserting ``subsections (f) and (o)'';
(11) in subsection (k)(1), by striking ``subsection (f)''
each place such term appears and inserting ``subsections (f)
and (o)'';
(12) in subsection (m)--
(A) by striking ``Juvenile Offender'' each place
such term appears and inserting ``Juvenile'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``offender''; and
(C) in paragraph (3)--
(i) in subparagraph (B), by striking
``offender'';
(ii) in subparagraph (F)--
(I) by striking ``prison, jail, or
a juvenile facility'' and inserting ``a
prison, jail, juvenile facility, or
halfway house''; and
(II) by striking ``prisons, jails,
or juvenile facilities'' and inserting
``a prison, jail, juvenile facility, or
halfway house''; and
(iii) in subparagraph (I), by striking
``offenders'' and inserting ``individuals who
are incarcerated or who were incarcerated'';
(13) in subsection (n)(2)(A), by striking ``offenders'' and
inserting ``individuals who received assistance from such
projects and who are incarcerated or who were incarcerated'';
(14) in subsection (o)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``section'' and
inserting ``section (other than subsection (o))''; and
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking
``section'' and inserting ``section (including
amounts made available to carry out subsection
(o))''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking
``criminal offenders'' and inserting
``individuals who were incarcerated'';
(15) in subsection (p)--
(A) by striking ``offenders reentering the
community'' in each place it occurs and inserting
``individuals who are reentering the community after
incarceration''; and
(B) in paragraph (5), by striking ``offenders'' and
inserting ``individuals'';
(16) by redesignating subsections (o) and (p) as
subsections (p) and (q), respectively; and
(17) by inserting after subsection (n) the following:
``(o) Reentry Rental Assistance and Housing Services Grant
Program.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Attorney General shall, in
coordination with the Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development, establish a program to be known as the `Reentry
Rental Assistance and Housing Services Grant Program' to
provide grants as provided under this subsection.
``(2) Use of funds.--A grant under this subsection may be
used for--
``(A) providing 24 months of rental assistance to
an individual who was incarcerated for purposes of
paying housing costs at a permanent residence;
``(B) providing a stipend to a family member of an
individual who was incarcerated if the individual lives
in the family member's household; and
``(C) providing supportive services to individuals
who are incarcerated or who were incarcerated,
including--
``(i) pre-release planning;
``(ii) document collection support;
``(iii) housing counseling and location
services;
``(iv) system navigation and linkage
support to other services, including mental
health therapy, program services for victims of
domestic violence, program services for victims
of sexual assault, substance abuse treatment,
education services, and employment services;
``(v) information about home-based services
and community-based services;
``(vi) case management and addressing
criminogenic needs;
``(vii) move-in support and assistance;
``(viii) support with security deposits and
other leasing fees;
``(ix) housing placement support;
``(x) housing stabilization support for at
least 12 months to help retain housing after
placement;
``(xi) financial incentives to landlords,
including payment of holding fees, funds to
mitigate property damage, and other incentives
to accept tenants who are receiving rental
assistance; and
``(xii) other similar supportive services
as determined by the Secretary.
``(3) Allocation for rental assistance.--A grantee shall
use--
``(A) not less than 60 percent of the grant funding
for rental assistance described under paragraph (2)(A);
and
``(B) not more than 25 percent of grant funding for
financial incentives to landlords described under
paragraph (2)(C)(x).
``(4) Application requirements.--
``(A) Application.--
``(i) In general.--An eligible applicant
seeking a grant under this subsection shall
submit to the Attorney General an application
that meets the requirements of paragraphs (1)
and (2) in subsection (f) and includes a
proposed program under subparagraph (B).
``(ii) Eligible applicant.--For purposes of
this subparagraph, an eligible applicant is--
``(I) an eligible entity;
``(II) a nonprofit organization or
service provider in partnership with an
eligible entity; or
``(III) a nonprofit organization or
service provider in partnership with--
``(aa) a collaborative
applicant or other entity
funded under the Continuum of
Care program under subtitle IV
of the McKinney-Vento Homeless
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11381
et seq.);
``(bb) a protection and
advocacy system (as defined in
section 102 of the
Developmental Disabilities
Assistance and Bill of Rights
Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15002));
``(cc) a client assistance
program (as described in
section 112 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29
U.S.C. 732)); or
``(dd) a center for
independent living (as defined
in section 702 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29
U.S.C. 796a)).
``(iii) Nonprofit organizations and service
providers.--In the case that the eligible
applicant that applies for the grant is a
nonprofit organization or service provider,
paragraphs (1) and (2) in subsection (f) shall
apply in the case of that applicant.
``(B) Program proposal.--The Attorney General may
make a grant under this subsection to an applicant only
if the applicant submits a proposed program that will
benefit--
``(i) individuals who are incarcerated in a
prison, jail, juvenile facility, or halfway
house who are not more than 365 days from their
release date and are at risk of becoming
homeless or exiting into housing insecurity;
``(ii) individuals experiencing
homelessness while under parole or supervised
release from a prison, jail, juvenile facility,
or halfway house; or
``(iii) individuals experiencing
homelessness or housing insecurity and who were
discharged from a prison, jail, juvenile
facility, or halfway house.
``(C) Priority considerations.--The Attorney
General shall prioritize grants--
``(i) to an applicant as described in
subsection (f)(3);
``(ii) to an applicant that implements a
housing first approach program which includes
low-barrier screening criteria for determining
which individuals receive assistance under the
program; and
``(iii) to an applicant that implements a
program to serve a population that, when
compared to the general population, is at a
disproportionate risk of incarceration and that
experiences a disproportionate rate of
homelessness.
``(D) Prohibition on grants to law enforcement.--
The Attorney General may not provide a grant under this
subsection to a law enforcement entity, including an
entity that employs probation officers.
``(5) Denial notification requirements.--
``(A) In general.--A grantee under this subsection
shall notify individuals who apply for and are denied
support from programs funded with such grants about--
``(i) the denial;
``(ii) the reason for the denial; and
``(iii) supportive services (including
housing counseling) and free legal resources.
``(B) Timing.--Such notifications shall be sent to
the individual within 15 days after denial.
``(6) Accessibility requirements.--A grantee under this
subsection shall ensure that information regarding the programs
and support services that the grantee offers and that are
funded with such grants is made available--
``(A) in a manner that uses simple, plain language
and is reader-friendly; and
``(B) in a form that is accessible to individuals
with disabilities.
``(7) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated $100,000,000 for each fiscal year to carry
out this subsection.
``(8) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Disability.--The term `disability' has the
meaning given to such term in section 3 of the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
12102).
``(B) Housing costs.--The term `housing costs'
includes rent, utilities, security deposits,
application fees, and other similar expenses as
determined by the Attorney General, in consultation
with the Secretary.
``(C) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.''.
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