US Codex
Pub. L.
Notes

Title VII — Homelessness Matters

114th Congress · Approved Dec 16, 2016 · 130 Stat. 1536

TITLE VII Homelessness Matters

Subtitle A Access of Homeless Veterans to Benefits

SEC. 701. Expansion of Definition of Homeless Veteran for Purposes of Benefits under the Laws Administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Section 2002 is amended—
(1)
by striking “ In this chapter” and inserting “ (a) In General.—In this chapter”;
(2)
by striking “ in section 103(a) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11302(a))” and inserting “ in subsection (a) or (b) of section 103 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11302)”; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:

“(b) Veteran Defined.—

(1) Notwithstanding section 101(2) of this title and except as provided in paragraph (2), for purposes of sections 2011, 2012, 2013, 2044, and 2061 of this title, the term ‘veteran’ means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, regardless of length of service, and who was discharged or released therefrom.

“(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the term ‘veteran’ excludes a person who—

“(A) received a dishonorable discharge from the Armed Forces; or

“(B) was discharged or dismissed from the Armed Forces by reason of the sentence of a general court-martial.”

SEC. 702. Authorization to Furnish Certain Benefits to Homeless Veterans with Discharges or Releases under Other Than Honorable Conditions.

Section 5303(d) is amended—
(1)
by striking “ not apply to any war-risk insurance, Government (converted) or National Service Life Insurance policy.” and inserting the following:

“(1) Any war-risk insurance, Government (converted) or National Service Life Insurance policy.”

; and

(2)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

“(2) Benefits under section 2011, 2012, 2013, 2044, or 2061 of this title (except for benefits for individuals discharged or dismissed from the Armed Forces by reason of the sentence of a general court-martial).”

SEC. 703. Waiver of Minimum Period of Continuous Active Duty in Armed Forces for Certain Benefits for Homeless Veterans.

Section 5303A(b)(3) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subparagraphs (F) and (G) as subparagraphs (G) and (H), respectively; and
(2)
by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following new subparagraph (F):

“(F) to benefits under section 2011, 2012, 2013, 2044, or 2061 of this title;”

SEC. 704. Training of Personnel of the Department of Veterans Affairs and Grant Recipients.

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a program of training and education to ensure that the following persons are aware of and implement this title and the amendments made by this subtitle:
(1)
Personnel of the Department of Veterans Affairs who are supporting or administering a program under chapter 20 of title 38, United States Code.
(2)
Recipients of grants or other amounts for purposes of carrying out such a program.

SEC. 705. Regulations.

Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe regulations, including such modifications to section 3.12 of title 38, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation), as the Secretary considers appropriate, to ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs is in full compliance with this title and the amendments made by this subtitle.

SEC. 706. Effective Date.

This subtitle and the amendments made by this subtitle shall apply to individuals seeking benefits under chapter 20 of title 38, United States Code, before, on, and after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Subtitle B Other Homelessness Matters

SEC. 711. Increased per Diem Payments for Transitional Housing Assistance That Becomes Permanent Housing for Homeless Veterans.

Section 2012(a)(2) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through (D) as subparagraphs (C) through (E), respectively;
(2)
in subparagraph (C), as redesignated, by striking “ in subparagraph (D)” and inserting “ in subparagraph (E)”;
(3)
in subparagraph (D), as redesignated, by striking “ under subparagraph (B)” and inserting “ under subparagraph (C)”;
(4)
in subparagraph (E), as redesignated, by striking “ in subparagraphs (B) and (C)” and inserting “ in subparagraphs (C) and (D)”;
(5)
in subparagraph (A)—
(A)
by striking “ The rate” and inserting “ Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (B), the rate”; and
(B)
by striking “ under subparagraph (B)” and all that follows and inserting “ under subparagraph (C).”; and
(6)
by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph (B):

“(B)

(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), in no case may the rate determined under this paragraph exceed the rate authorized for State homes for domiciliary care under subsection (a)(1)(A) of section 1741 of this title, as the Secretary may increase from time to time under subsection (c) of that section.

“(ii) In the case of services furnished to a homeless veteran who is placed in housing that will become permanent housing for the veteran upon termination of the furnishing of such services to such veteran, the maximum rate of per diem authorized under this section is 150 percent of the rate authorized for State homes for domiciliary care under subsection (a)(1)(A) of section 1741 of this title, as the Secretary may increase from time to time under subsection (c) of that section.”

SEC. 712. Program to Improve Retention of Housing by Formerly Homeless Veterans and Veterans at Risk of Becoming Homeless.

(a)
Program Required.—
(1)
In general.— Subchapter II of chapter 20 is amended—
(A)
by redesignating section 2013 as section 2014; and
(B)
by inserting after section 2012 the following new section 2013:

Ҥ 2013. Program to improve retention of housing by formerly homeless veterans and veterans at risk of becoming homeless

“(a) Program Required.—The Secretary shall carry out a program under which the Secretary shall provide case management services to improve the retention of housing by veterans who were previously homeless and are transitioning to permanent housing and veterans who are at risk of becoming homeless.

“(b) Grants.—

(1) The Secretary shall carry out the program through the award of grants.

“(2)

(A) In awarding grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give priority to organizations that demonstrate a capability to provide case management services as described in subsection (a), particularly organizations that are successfully providing or have successfully provided transitional housing services using amounts provided by the Secretary under sections 2012 and 2061 of this title.

“(B) In giving priority under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall give extra priority to an organization described in such subparagraph that—

“(i) voluntarily stops receiving amounts provided by the Secretary under sections 2012 and 2061 of this title; and

“(ii) converts a facility that the organization used to provide transitional housing services into a facility that the organization uses to provide permanent housing that meets housing quality standards established under section 8(o)(8)(B) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(8)(B)).

“(C) In any case in which a facility, with respect to which a person received a grant for construction, rehabilitation, or acquisition under section 2011 of this title, is converted as described in subparagraph (B)(ii), such conversion shall be considered to have been carried out pursuant to the needs of the Department and such person shall not be considered in noncompliance with the terms of such grant by reason of such conversion.”

(2)
Clerical amendment.— The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by striking the item relating to section 2013 and inserting the following new items:

“2013. Program to improve retention of housing by formerly homeless veterans and veterans at risk of becoming homeless.

“2014. Authorization of appropriations.”.

(b)
Regulations.— Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe regulations to carry out section 2013 of such title, as added by subsection (a)(1)(B).
(c)
Report.—
(1)
In general.— Not later than June 1, 2020, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the program required by section 2013 of such title, as added by subsection (a)(1)(B).
(2)
Contents.— The report submitted under paragraph (1) shall include assessments of the following:
(A)
The percentage of veterans who received case management services under the program who were able to retain permanent housing by the end of the program, disaggregated by each recipient of a grant under such section.
(B)
The percentage of veterans who received case management services under the program who were not in permanent housing at the end of the program, disaggregated by housing status and reason for failing to retain permanent housing under the program.
(C)
The use by veterans, who received case management services under the program, of housing assistance furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs, including a comparison of the use of such assistance by such veterans before and after receiving such services.
(D)
An assessment of the employment status of veterans who received case management services under the program, including a comparison of the employment status of such veterans before and after receiving such services.

SEC. 713. Establishment of National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans.

(a)
In General.— Subchapter VII of chapter 20 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

Ҥ 2067. National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans

“(a) In General.—

(1) The Secretary shall establish and operate a center to carry out the functions described in subsection (b).

“(2) The center established under paragraph (1) shall be known as the ‘National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans’.

“(3) To the degree practicable, the Secretary shall operate the center established under paragraph (1) independently of the other programs of the Department that address homelessness among veterans.

“(b) Functions.—The functions described in this subsection are as follows:

“(1) To carry out and promote research into the causes and contributing factors to veteran homelessness.

“(2) To assess the effectiveness of programs of the Department to meet the needs of homeless veterans.

“(3) To identify and disseminate best practices with regard to housing stabilization, income support, employment assistance, community partnerships, and such other matters as the Secretary considers appropriate with respect to addressing veteran homelessness.

“(4) To integrate evidence-based and best practices, policies, and programs into programs of the Department for homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness and to ensure that the staff of the Department and community partners can implement such practices, policies, and programs.

“(5) To serve as a resource center for, and promote and seek to coordinate the exchange of information regarding, all research and training activities carried out by the Department and by other Federal and non-Federal entities with respect to veteran homelessness.”

(b)
Clerical Amendment.— The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter 20 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2066 the following new item:

“2067. National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans.”.

SEC. 714. Requirement for Department of Veterans Affairs to Assess Comprehensive Service Programs for Homeless Veterans.

(a)
In General.— Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall—
(1)
assess and measure the capacity of programs for which entities receive grants under section 2011 of title 38, United States Code, or per diem payments under section 2012 or 2061 of such title; and
(2)
assess such programs with respect to—
(A)
how well they achieve their stated goals at a national level;
(B)
placements in permanent housing;
(C)
placements in employment; and
(D)
increases in the regular income of participants in the programs.
(b)
Assessment at National and Local Levels.— In assessing and measuring under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall develop and use tools to examine the capacity of programs described in such subsection at both the national and local level in order to assess the following:
(1)
Whether sufficient capacity exists to meet the needs of homeless veterans in each geographic area.
(2)
Whether existing capacity meets the needs of the subpopulations of homeless veterans located in each geographic area.
(3)
The amount of capacity that recipients of grants under sections 2011 and 2061 and per diem payments under section 2012 of such title have to provide services for which the recipients are eligible to receive per diem under section 2012(a)(2)(B)(ii) of title 38, United States Code, as added by section 711(6).
(c)
Consideration of Other Resources.— In assessing and measuring programs under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall consider the availability to such programs of resources made available to such programs and to homeless veterans, including resources provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs and by entities other than the Department.
(d)
Use of Information.— The Secretary shall use the information collected under this section as follows:
(1)
To set specific goals to ensure that programs described in subsection (a) are effectively serving the needs of homeless veterans.
(2)
To assess whether programs described in subsection (a) are meeting goals set under paragraph (1).
(3)
To inform funding allocations for programs described in subsection (a).
(4)
To improve the referral of homeless veterans to programs described in subsection (a).
(e)
Report.— Not later than 180 days after the date on which the assessment required by subsection (a) is completed, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on such assessment and such recommendations for legislative and administrative action as the Secretary may have to improve the programs and per diem payments described in subsection (a).

SEC. 715. Report on Outreach Relating to Increasing the Amount of Housing Available to Veterans.

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report describing and assessing the outreach conducted by the Secretary to realtors, landlords, property management companies, and developers to educate them about the housing needs of veterans and the benefits of having veterans as tenants.