[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 874 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 874

    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

                             March 14, 2007

   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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Services to Prevent Veterans 
Homelessness Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VERY LOW-
              INCOME VETERAN FAMILIES IN PERMANENT HOUSING.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to facilitate the 
provision of supportive services for very low-income veteran families 
in permanent housing.
    (b) 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 section:
``Sec. 2044. Financial assistance for supportive services for very low-
              income veteran families in permanent housing
    ``(a) Distribution of Financial Assistance.--(1) 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) 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)(A) Subject to the availability of appropriations provided for 
such purpose, the Secretary shall provide to each family for which an 
approved eligible entity is providing or coordinating the provision of 
supportive services per diem payments in the amount of the daily cost 
of care estimated by such eligible entity (as adjusted by the Secretary 
under subparagraph (C)).
    ``(B) In no case may the amount of per diem paid under this 
paragraph exceed the rate of per diem authorized for State homes for 
domiciliary care under subsection (a)(1)(A) of section 1741 of this 
title, as adjusted by the Secretary under subsection (c) of such 
section.
    ``(C)(i) The Secretary may adjust the daily cost of care estimated 
by an eligible entity for purposes of this paragraph to exclude other 
sources of income described in clause (iii) that the eligible entity 
certifies to be correct.
    ``(ii) Each eligible entity shall provide to the Secretary such 
information with respect to other sources of income as the Secretary 
may require to make the adjustment under clause (i).
    ``(iii) The other sources of income referred to in clauses (i) and 
(ii) are payments to the eligible entity for furnishing services to 
homeless veterans under programs other than under this subchapter, 
including payments and grants from other departments and agencies of 
the Federal Government, from departments or agencies of State or local 
government, and from private entities or organizations.
    ``(4) 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) 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) 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.
    ``(7) 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 a 
        subcontractor of an eligible entity 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 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) An eligible entity 
seeking financial assistance under subsection (a) shall submit to the 
Secretary an application therefor 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) 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; and
            ``(E) a description of the managerial capacity of the 
        eligible entity--
                    ``(i) to coordinate the provision of supportive 
                services with the provision of permanent housing by the 
                eligible entity or by other organizations;
                    ``(ii) to assess continuously the needs of very 
                low-income veteran families for supportive services;
                    ``(iii) to coordinate the provision of supportive 
                services with the services of the Department;
                    ``(iv) to tailor supportive services to the needs 
                of very low-income veteran families; and
                    ``(v) to seek continuously new sources of 
                assistance to ensure the long-term provision of 
                supportive services to very low-income veteran 
                families.
    ``(3) The Secretary shall establish criteria for the selection of 
eligible entities to be provided financial assistance under this 
section.
    ``(d) Technical Assistance.--(1) 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) 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.--(1) From amounts appropriated to the Department for 
Medical Care, there shall be available to carry out this section 
amounts as follows:
            ``(A) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
            ``(B) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
            ``(C) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.
    ``(2) Not more than $750,000 may be available under paragraph (1) 
in any fiscal year to provide technical assistance under subsection 
(d).
    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) 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) The term `eligible entity' means--
                    ``(A) a private nonprofit organization; or
                    ``(B) a consumer cooperative.
            ``(3) The term `homeless' has the meaning given that term 
        in section 103 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 11302).
            ``(4) The term `permanent housing' means community-based 
        housing without a designated length of stay.
            ``(5) The term `private nonprofit organization' means any 
        of the following:
                    ``(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).
                    ``(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)(A) 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 an 
        area specified by the Secretary for purposes of this section, 
        as determined by the Secretary in accordance with this 
        paragraph.
            ``(B) The Secretary shall make appropriate adjustments to 
        the income requirement under subparagraph (A) based on family 
        size.
            ``(C) 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) 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 sections at the 
        beginning of chapter 20 of such title is amended by inserting 
        after the item relating to section 2043 the following new item:

``2044. Financial assistance for supportive services for very low-
                            income veteran families in permanent 
                            housing.''.
    (c) Study of Effectiveness of Permanent Housing Program.--
            (1) In general.--For fiscal years 2008 and 2009, the 
        Secretary shall conduct a study of the effectiveness of the 
        permanent housing program under section 2044 of title 38, 
        United States Code, as added by subsection (b), in meeting the 
        needs of very low-income veteran families, as that term is 
        defined in that section.
            (2) Comparison.--In the study required by paragraph (1), 
        the Secretary shall compare the results of the program referred 
        to in that subsection with other programs of the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs dedicated to the delivery of housing and 
        services to veterans.
            (3) Criteria.--In making the comparison required in 
        paragraph (2), the Secretary shall examine the following:
                    (A) The satisfaction of veterans targeted by the 
                programs described in paragraph (2).
                    (B) The health status of such veterans.
                    (C) The housing provided such veterans under such 
                programs.
                    (D) The degree to which such veterans are 
                encouraged to productive activity by such programs.
            (4) Report.--Not later than March 31, 2010, 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 results of the study required 
        by paragraph (1).
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