[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1642 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1642

  To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that, to the 
 extent possible, an enhanced-use lease for a homeless housing project 
 at the Department of Veterans Affairs facility known as the Sepulveda 
   Ambulatory Care Center, located in North Hills, California, shall 
provide that such housing project shall be maintained as a sober living 
          facility for veterans only, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 22, 2007

Mr. Sherman (for himself and Mr. Filner) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that, to the 
 extent possible, an enhanced-use lease for a homeless housing project 
 at the Department of Veterans Affairs facility known as the Sepulveda 
   Ambulatory Care Center, located in North Hills, California, shall 
provide that such housing project shall be maintained as a sober living 
          facility for veterans only, 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 ``Homeless Veterans Housing at 
Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center Promotion Act''.

SEC. 2. ENHANCED USE LEASE FOR SEPULVEDA AMBULATORY CARE CENTER, 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Requirements for Lease.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
enter into an enhanced-use lease under section 8162 of title 38, United 
States Code, at the Department facility known as the Sepulveda 
Ambulatory Care Center (in this Act referred to as the ``Center''), for 
a homeless housing project, only to the extent, subject to the 
exceptions provided in subsection (d), that any such lease contains 
legally enforceable provisions that the tenant under the lease shall 
comply with the following terms and conditions:
            (1) That the housing project located at the Center shall 
        provide housing exclusively for veterans, as defined in section 
        101 of title 38, United States Code.
            (2) That such housing project shall be maintained, for the 
        duration of the lease, as a sober living facility.
            (3) That the housing project shall be adequately staffed 
        with health care, counseling, and security personnel, taking 
        into account the ratio of such staff to residents, in order to 
        protect residents of the housing project and of the community, 
        and that the minimum staffing ratios shall be specified in an 
        enforceable provision of the lease.
            (4) That the housing project shall provide housing to not 
        fewer than 150 and not more than 225 residents.
    (b) Consideration of Qualified Organizations.--The Secretary shall 
consider proposals for the enhanced-use lease under subsection (a) from 
all organizations determined by the Secretary to be qualified, and 
which are capable and willing to comply with the terms and conditions 
described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (a).
    (c) Selection of Organization.--In the event that there are more 
than one qualified organizations described in subsection (b) which 
submit a proposal, the Secretary shall enter into the enhanced-use 
lease under subsection (a) with the organization that the Secretary 
determines shall offer the best treatment services, security staffing, 
and supervision with respect to residents of the housing project. The 
Secretary shall give preference to entering into such a lease with a 
qualified organization which has the most experience nationwide in 
providing housing and treatment for homeless veterans.
    (d) Exceptions.--If the Secretary, after a diligent search, is 
unable to enter into an enhanced-use lease with a qualified 
organization containing all of the terms and conditions specified in 
subsection (a) on or before a date that is 12 months after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary--
            (1) may enter into such a lease with a qualified 
        organization providing that the housing project shall be 
        exclusively for veterans during the duration of the lease, with 
        preference given to an organization which housing project shall 
        provide housing to the highest number of residents not 
        exceeding 225; and
            (2) if, after a diligent search, the Secretary is unable to 
        enter into such a lease with a qualified organization that 
        provides that the housing project shall be exclusively for 
        veterans during the duration of the lease, may enter into such 
        a lease with an organization providing that not less than 80 
        percent of the residents of the housing project shall be 
        veterans throughout the duration of the lease.
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