[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1885 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1885

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the provision of 
   assistance and benefits to veterans who are homeless, at risk of 
   becoming homeless, or occupying temporary housing, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 29, 2015

 Mr. Blumenthal (for himself, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Brown, and Ms. Hirono) 
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 improve the provision of 
   assistance and benefits to veterans who are homeless, at risk of 
   becoming homeless, or occupying temporary 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 ``Veteran Housing Stability Act of 
2015''.

SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF DEFINITION OF HOMELESS VETERAN FOR PURPOSES OF 
              BENEFITS UNDER THE LAWS ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    Section 2002(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 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)''.

SEC. 3. PROGRAM ON PROVISION OF INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS 
              TO HOMELESS VETERANS WHO RECEIVE THE MOST HEALTH CARE 
              FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Program Required.--
            (1) In general.--Subchapter VII of chapter 20 of title 38, 
        United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
        following new section:
``Sec. 2067. Intensive case management interventions
    ``(a) Program Required.--The Secretary shall carry out a program 
under which the Secretary shall provide intensive case management 
interventions to covered veterans.
    ``(b) Covered Veterans.--For purposes of the program, a covered 
veteran is a veteran who is enrolled in--
            ``(1) the homeless registry of the Department; and
            ``(2) the system of annual patient enrollment established 
        and operated by the Secretary under section 1705(a) of this 
        title.
    ``(c) Location.--(1) The Secretary shall carry out the program at 
not fewer than six locations selected by the Secretary for purposes of 
the program as follows:
            ``(A) Not fewer than three locations in cities that have 
        the largest populations of homeless veterans in the United 
        States.
            ``(B) Not fewer than three locations in suburban or rural 
        settings.
    ``(2) In selecting locations under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
shall only select locations in areas in which the Secretary determines 
that there is a high degree of interaction and coordination between the 
Department and community organizations that provide housing and social 
services for veterans, such as outreach, employment, and financial 
assistance for homeless veterans, veterans at risk of becoming 
homeless, and low-income veterans.
    ``(d) Provision of Intensive Case Management Interventions.--(1) In 
carrying out the program at each location selected under subsection 
(c), the Secretary shall provide intensive case management 
interventions to not fewer than 20 covered veterans at each such 
location who the Secretary determines are the covered veterans at such 
location who receive the most health care and related services 
furnished by the Department.
    ``(2) The intensive case management interventions provided to 
covered veterans under paragraph (1) shall include assistance with 
gaining and maintaining access to such housing and services, including 
benefits and services to which covered veterans may be entitled or 
eligible under the laws administered by the Secretary, as may be 
necessary to improve the stability of their housing and the 
appropriateness of the health care that they receive.''.
            (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 2066 the following new item:

``2067. Intensive case management interventions.''.
    (b) Commencement.--Not later than September 1, 2016, the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs shall commence carrying out the program required by 
section 2067(a) of such title, as added by subsection (a)(1).
    (c) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than December 1, 2018, 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 carried out under 
        section 2067 of such title, as added by subsection (a)(1).
            (2) Contents.--The report submitted under paragraph (1) 
        shall include assessments of the following:
                    (A) The types and frequencies of intensive case 
                management interventions provided under the program.
                    (B) The housing status of each veteran who received 
                an intensive case management intervention under the 
                program.
                    (C) The employment status of each veteran who 
                received an intensive case management intervention 
                under the program, including a comparison of the 
                employment status of such veteran before and after 
                receiving such intervention.
                    (D) The use by veterans who received intensive case 
                management interventions under the program of health 
                care and related services furnished by the Department 
                of Veterans Affairs and the costs incurred by the 
                Department in furnishing such care and services, 
                including a comparison of the use by such veterans of 
                such care and services and the costs incurred from 
                furnishing such care and services before and after 
                receiving such interventions.
                    (E) The number of veterans who received intensive 
                case management interventions under the program, 
                disaggregated by whether the intensive case management 
                intervention was provided in a location described in 
                subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 2067(c)(1) of such 
                title, as added by subsection (a)(1).
                    (F) The costs incurred by the Department in 
                carrying out the program, disaggregated by provision of 
                intensive case management interventions in locations 
                described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of such section.
                    (G) An estimate of the costs the Department would 
                have incurred for the provision of health care and 
                associated services to covered veterans (as described 
                in subsection (b) of section 2067 of such title, as 
                added by subsection (a)(1)) but for the provision of 
                intensive case management interventions under the 
                program, disaggregated by provision of intensive case 
                management interventions in locations described in 
                subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (c) of such 
                section.

SEC. 4. 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 of title 38, 
        United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) by redesignating section 2013 as section 2014; 
                and
                    (B) by inserting after section 2012 the following 
                new section 2013:
``Sec. 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 non-compliance with the terms of such 
grant by reason of such conversion.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of chapter 20 of such title 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 one 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, 2019, 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 pilot 
                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. 5. EXPANSION OF HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Section 2041 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by adding at the end the 
        following: ``, veterans in temporary housing, and very low-
        income veteran families''; and
            (2) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), in the matter before 
                subparagraph (A), by striking ``To assist homeless 
                veterans and their families in acquiring shelter'' and 
                inserting ``To assist homeless veterans and their 
                families, veterans and their families who are at risk 
                of becoming homeless, and very low-income veteran 
                families (as defined in section 2044(f) of this title) 
                in acquiring shelter, in acquiring and transitioning to 
                permanent housing, and in maintaining occupancy in 
                permanent housing'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``homeless 
                veterans'' and inserting ``veterans and families 
                described in paragraph (1)''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (3)(B)--
                            (i) in clause (i), by striking ``solely as 
                        a shelter primarily for homeless veterans and 
                        their families'' and inserting ``to provide 
                        permanent or transitional housing for veterans 
                        and families described in paragraph (1)'';
                            (ii) in clause (iii), by striking ``and'' 
                        at the end;
                            (iii) by redesignating clause (iv) as 
                        clause (v);
                            (iv) by inserting after clause (iii) the 
                        following new clause (iv):
                    ``(iv) ensure that veterans who receive housing at 
                the property also receive referrals for the benefits 
                and services to which they may be entitled or eligible 
                under this title, and''; and
                            (v) in clause (v), as redesignated by 
                        clause (iii) of this subparagraph, by striking 
                        ``homeless veterans'' and inserting ``veterans 
                        and families described in paragraph (1)''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 20 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to 
section 2041 and inserting the following new item:

``2041. Housing assistance for homeless veterans, veterans in temporary 
                            housing, and very low-income veteran 
                            families.''.

SEC. 6. OUTREACH RELATING TO INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF HOUSING AVAILABLE 
              TO VETERANS.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, in collaboration with the 
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, public housing authorities, 
tribally designated housing entities, realtors, landlords, property 
management companies, developers, and such other persons as the 
Secretary considers appropriate, conduct outreach 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.

SEC. 7. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL CENTER ON HOMELESSNESS AMONG 
              VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter VII of chapter 20 of title 38, United 
States Code, as amended by section 3(a)(1), is further amended by 
adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 2068. 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 establish 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 
chapter 20 of such title, as amended by section 3(a)(2), is further 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2067 the 
following new item:

``2068. National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans.''.

SEC. 8. ADMINISTRATIVE IMPROVEMENTS TO GRANT AND PER DIEM PROGRAMS OF 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    Section 2012 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1), in the matter before subparagraph 
        (A), by inserting ``and except as otherwise provided in this 
        section'' after ``such purpose''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(e) Review and Conditional Renewal.--(1) Each year, the Secretary 
shall review each grant recipient and eligible entity that received a 
per diem payment under this section for a service furnished to a 
veteran during the one-year period preceding the review to evaluate the 
performance of the grant recipient or eligible entity during that 
period with respect to--
            ``(A) the success of the grant recipient or eligible entity 
        in assisting veterans obtain, transition into, and retain 
        permanent housing; and
            ``(B) increasing the income of veterans, whether by helping 
        veterans obtain employment or by helping veterans obtain 
        income-related benefits to which such veterans may be eligible 
        or entitled.
    ``(2) For any grant recipient or eligible entity whose performance 
was evaluated for a year under paragraph (1), the Secretary may only 
provide per diem under this section to that grant recipient or eligible 
entity in the following year if the Secretary determines that such 
performance merits continued receipt of per diem under this section.
    ``(3) The Secretary shall establish uniform performance targets 
throughout the United States for all grant recipients and eligible 
entities that receive per diem payments under this section for purposes 
of evaluating the performance of each such grant recipient and eligible 
entity under this subsection.''.
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