Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Commission on Youth Homelessness Act”.
Commission on Youth Homelessness Act
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a Commission on Youth Homelessness, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Commission on youth homelessness
In general— The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall, not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, establish a Commission on Youth Homelessness.
Membership—
Chair— The Commission established pursuant to subsection (a) shall be chaired by a person nominated by and representing the Secretary.
Members— The Commission established pursuant to subsection (a) shall be comprised of—
not less than three persons, recommended to the Secretary for appointment by one or more of the members described in subparagraphs (B) through (F), who have lived experience of homelessness, (as defined by section 103 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act), including homeless children and youths (as such terms are defined in section 725 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act);
a member representing the Department of Education, nominated by the Secretary of Education;
a member representing the Department of Health and Human Services, nominated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services;
a representative from a national nonprofit homeless youth organization;
a representative from a national nonprofit civil rights organization representing historically marginalized communities or socially disadvantaged groups; and
a national organization representing LGBTQIA+ populations.
Meetings— The Commission on Youth Homelessness shall have a meeting not less than 90 days after all of the members of such Commission have been appointed by the Secretary.
Report— The Commission on Youth Homelessness shall, not later than 1 year after the date on which all members of such Commission have been appointed by the Secretary, submit a report to the Congress and to the President that includes the following:
A description of any ways in which Federal, State, Tribal, and local laws, regulations, and policies have harmed or otherwise impacted youth and young adults who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness.
A list of Federal, State, Tribal, and local laws, regulations, and policies that unnecessarily target youth and young adults who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color, or LGBTQIA+ causing the criminalization, institutionalization, or incarceration of historically and systemically marginalized people living in poverty.
Makes legislative recommendations to achieve the following:
Non-discriminatory housing applications based on credit and income history for youth and young adults.
Employment safeguards to avoid discrimination on the absence of a permanent mailing address, housing history, or employment history.
Low- or no-barrier access to mental health and substance use services for youth and young adults.
The waiving of or assistance with moving expenses, including move-in fees and application fees for youth and young adults.
Actions that Federal agencies may take in removing barriers to prevent and end youth and young adult homelessness.
Evidence-based solutions and recommendations to prevent and end youth and young adult homelessness.
Definitions— In this Act:
Lived experience— The term lived experience means persons who have lived experience of homelessness, as defined by section 103 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11302) and includes homeless children and youths as defined in section 725 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a), or other youth-serving systems, as defined by agencies that serve children, youth, and families. Agencies may include the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education, Child Welfare, Department of Juvenile Justice, and agencies serving homeless youth.
Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Youth— The term youth means not older than 17 years old.
Young adult— The term young adult means—
18 years or older but not older than 30 years old; or
emancipated minors under applicable State law.