[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1991 Introduced in Senate (IS)]








109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1991

    To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a financial 
 assistance program to facilitate the provision of supportive services 
  for very low-income veteran families in permanent housing, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 10, 2005

   Mr. Burr introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a financial 
 assistance program to facilitate the provision of supportive services 
  for very low-income veteran families in permanent housing, 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. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VERY LOW-
              INCOME VETERAN FAMILIES IN PERMANENT HOUSING.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Services To 
Prevent Veterans Homelessness Act''.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to facilitate the 
provision of supportive services for very low-income veteran families 
in permanent housing.
    (c) Authorization of Financial Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--Subchapter V of chapter 20 of title 38, 
        United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
        following new subchapter:
``Sec. 2044. Financial assistance for supportive services for very low-
              income veteran families in permanent housing
    ``(a) Distribution of Financial Assistance.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide financial 
        assistance to eligible entities approved under this section to 
        provide and coordinate the provision of supportive services 
        described in subsection (b) for very low-income veteran 
        families occupying permanent housing.
            ``(2) Per diem payments.--Financial assistance under this 
        section shall consist of per diem payments for each such family 
        for which an approved eligible entity is providing or 
        coordinating the provision of supportive services.
            ``(3) Formula.--The Secretary shall establish a formula to 
        determine the rate of per diem payments to be provided with 
        respect to very low-income veteran families provided supportive 
        services under this section. This rate shall be adjusted not 
        less than annually to reflect changes in the cost of living. In 
        calculating the per diem formula under this paragraph, the 
        Secretary may consider geographic cost of living variances, 
        family size, and the cost of services provided.
            ``(4) Preference.--In providing financial assistance under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to entities 
        providing or coordinating the provision of supportive services 
        for very low-income veteran families who are transitioning from 
        homelessness to permanent housing.
            ``(5) Geographic distribution.--The Secretary shall ensure 
        that, to the extent practicable, financial assistance under 
        this subsection is equitably distributed across geographic 
        regions, including rural communities and tribal lands.
            ``(6) Notice.--Each entity receiving financial assistance 
        under this section to provide supportive services to a very 
        low-income veteran family shall notify that family that such 
        services are being paid for, in whole or in part, by the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs.
            ``(7) Reporting requirement.--The Secretary may require 
        entities receiving financial assistance under this section to 
        submit a report to the Secretary that describes the projects 
        carried out with such financial assistance.
    ``(b) Supportive Services.--The supportive services referred to in 
subsection (a) are the following:
            ``(1) Services provided by an eligible entity or 
        subcontractors that address the needs of very low-income 
        veteran families occupying permanent housing, including--
                    ``(A) outreach services;
                    ``(B) health care services, including diagnosis, 
                treatment, and counseling for mental health and 
                substance abuse disorders and for post-traumatic stress 
                disorder, if such services are not readily available 
                through the Department of Veterans Affairs medical 
                center serving the geographic area in which the veteran 
                family is housed;
                    ``(C) habilitation and rehabilitation services;
                    ``(D) case management services;
                    ``(E) daily living services;
                    ``(F) personal financial planning;
                    ``(G) transportation services;
                    ``(H) vocational counseling;
                    ``(I) employment and training;
                    ``(J) educational services;
                    ``(K) assistance in obtaining veterans benefits and 
                other public benefits, including health care provided 
                by the Department;
                    ``(L) assistance in obtaining income support;
                    ``(M) assistance in obtaining health insurance;
                    ``(N) fiduciary and representative payee services;
                    ``(O) legal services to assist the veteran family 
                with reconsiderations or appeals of veterans and public 
                benefit claim denials and to resolve outstanding 
                warrants that interfere with the family's ability to 
                obtain or retain housing or supportive services;
                    ``(P) child care;
                    ``(Q) housing counseling;
                    ``(R) other services necessary for maintaining 
                independent living; and
                    ``(S) coordination of services under this 
                paragraph.
            ``(2) Services described in paragraph (1) that are 
        delivered to very low-income veteran families who are homeless 
        and who are scheduled to become residents of permanent housing 
        within 90 days pending the location or development of housing 
        suitable for permanent housing.
            ``(3) Services described in paragraph (1) for very low-
        income veteran families who have voluntarily chosen to seek 
        other housing after a period of tenancy in permanent housing, 
        that are provided, for a period of 90 days after such families 
        exit permanent housing or until such families commence receipt 
        of other housing services adequate to meet their current needs, 
        but only to the extent that services under this paragraph are 
        designed to support such families in their choice to transition 
        into housing that is responsive to their individual needs and 
        preferences.
    ``(c) Application for Financial Assistance.--
            ``(1) In general.--An eligible entity seeking financial 
        assistance under subsection (a) shall submit an application to 
        the Secretary in such form, in such manner, and containing such 
        commitments and information as the Secretary determines to be 
        necessary to carry out this section.
            ``(2) Contents.--Each application submitted by an eligible 
        entity under paragraph (1) shall contain--
                    ``(A) a description of the supportive services 
                proposed to be provided by the eligible entity;
                    ``(B) a description of the types of very low-income 
                veteran families proposed to be provided such services;
                    ``(C) an estimate of the number of very low-income 
                veteran families proposed to be provided such services;
                    ``(D) evidence of the experience of the eligible 
                entity in providing supportive services to very low-
                income veteran families;
                    ``(E) a description of the managerial capacity of 
                the eligible entity to--
                            ``(i) coordinate the provision of 
                        supportive services with the provision of 
                        permanent housing, by the eligible entity or by 
                        other organizations;
                            ``(ii) continuously assess the needs of 
                        very low-income veteran families for supportive 
                        services;
                            ``(iii) coordinate the provision of 
                        supportive services with the services of the 
                        Department;
                            ``(iv) tailor supportive services to the 
                        needs of very low-income veteran families; and
                            ``(v) continuously seek new sources of 
                        assistance to ensure the long-term provision of 
                        supportive services to very low-income veteran 
                        families.
            ``(3) Selection criteria.--The Secretary shall establish 
        criteria for the selection of eligible entities to be provided 
        financial assistance under this section.
    ``(d) Technical Assistance.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide training and 
        technical assistance to participating eligible entities 
        regarding the planning, development, and provision of 
        supportive services to very low-income veteran families 
        occupying permanent housing.
            ``(2) Contracts.--The Secretary may provide the training 
        described in paragraph (1) directly or through grants or 
        contracts with appropriate public or nonprofit private 
        entities.
    ``(e) Funding.--Of the amounts available each fiscal year to the 
Department for Medical Care for veterans, $25,000,000 shall be 
available in each such fiscal year to carry out the provisions of this 
section, of which not more than $750,000 may be used to provide 
technical assistance under subsection (d).
    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Consumer cooperative.--The term `consumer 
        cooperative' has the meaning given such term in section 202 of 
        the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q).
            ``(2) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
                    ``(A) a private nonprofit organization; or
                    ``(B) a consumer cooperative.
            ``(3) Homeless.--The term `homeless' has the meaning given 
        the term in section 103 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
        Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11302)).
            ``(4) Permanent housing.--The term `permanent housing' 
        means community-based housing without a designated length of 
        stay.
            ``(5) Private nonprofit organization.--The term `private 
        nonprofit organization' means--
                    ``(A) any incorporated private institution or 
                foundation--
                            ``(i) no part of the net earnings of which 
                        inures to the benefit of any member, founder, 
                        contributor, or individual;
                            ``(ii) which has a governing board that is 
                        responsible for the operation of the supportive 
                        services provided under this section; and
                            ``(iii) which is approved by the Secretary 
                        as to financial responsibility;
                    ``(B) a for-profit limited partnership, the sole 
                general partner of which is an organization meeting the 
                requirements of clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of 
                subparagraph (A);
                    ``(C) a corporation wholly owned and controlled by 
                an organization meeting the requirements of clauses 
                (i), (ii), and (iii) of subparagraph (A); and
                    ``(D) a tribally designated housing entity (as 
                defined in section 4 of the Native American Housing 
                Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 
                U.S.C. 4103)).
            ``(6) Very low-income veteran family.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraphs (B) and 
                (C), 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 in accordance with this paragraph.
                    ``(B) Adjustments for family size.--The Secretary 
                shall make appropriate adjustments to the income 
                requirement under subparagraph (A) based on family 
                size.
                    ``(C) Adjustments for housing costs.--The Secretary 
                may establish an income ceiling higher or lower than 50 
                percent of the median income for an area if the 
                Secretary determines that such variations are necessary 
                because the area has unusually high or low construction 
                costs, fair market rents (as determined under section 8 
                of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
                1437f)), or family incomes.
            ``(7) Veteran family.--The term `veteran family' includes a 
        veteran who is a single person and a family in which the head 
        of household or the spouse of the head of household is a 
        veteran.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of section at the 
        beginning of chapter 20 of title 38, United States Code, is 
        amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2043 
        the following:

``2044. Financial assistance for supportive services for very low-
                            income veteran families in permanent 
                            housing.''.
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