118 HR 3847 IH: Securing Unhoused Peoples’ Program for Outreach Resources and Transportation For SNAP Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2023-06-06
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I
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3847
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 6, 2023
Ms. Bonamici (for herself, Ms. Norton, Ms. Brown, and Ms. Tlaib) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
A BILL
To improve nutrition assistance for people experiencing homelessness, and for other purposes.
1.

Short title
This bill may be cited as the “Securing Unhoused Peoples’ Program for Outreach Resources and Transportation For SNAP Act” or the “SUPPORT For SNAP Act”.
2.

Pilot program to connect people experiencing homelessness with snap resources
The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“31.

Enrollment and outreach pilot program for people experiencing homelessness
(a)

Definitions
In this section:
(1)

Eligible entity
The term “eligible entity” means—
(A)
a State or local government agency;
(B)
an Indian tribe or Tribal organization;
(C)
a nonprofit organization, including a public or nonprofit provider of services;
(D)
a community-based organization;
(E)
a continuum of care;
(F)
a community action agency;
(G)
a public housing agency; or
(H)
a consortia of 2 or more entities under this paragraph.
(2)

Public housing agency
The term “public housing agency” has the meaning given such term in section 3(b)(6) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(6)).
(3)

Community action agency
The term “community action agency” means an eligible entity (which meets the requirements of paragraph (1) or (2), as appropriate, of section 680(c)) of subtitle B of title VI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 9901 et seq.) that delivers multiple programs, projects, and services to a variety of low-income individuals and families.
(4)

Continuum of care
The term “continuum of care” means a collaborative applicant established and operating for a geographic area for purposes of the Continuum of Care Program under subtitle C of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11381 et seq.).
(5)

Pilot program
The term “pilot program” means the pilot program established under subsection (b).
(b)

Establishment
Not later than 180 days after the effective date of this section, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, shall establish a pilot program, to be known as the “Enrollment and Outreach Pilot Program for People Experience Homelessness”, under which the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities—
(1)
to raise awareness among homeless individuals of the availability, eligibility requirements, application procedures, and benefits of the supplemental nutrition assistance program, including the excess shelter expense deduction and the deduction for homeless households referenced in Section 5(e)(6);
(2)
to support homeless individuals in enrolling in that program; and
(3)
to train outreach workers, caseworkers, and any other appropriate employees in supporting homeless individuals, the requirements of and application for the supplemental nutrition assistance program, and other relevant matter as determined appropriate by the Secretary.
(c)

Priority
In awarding grants under the pilot program, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that—
(1)
provide services to homeless individuals;
(2)
are located in jurisdictions that assume costs are being incurred and do not require documentation in the case record in affirming a standard homeless shelter deduction is being allowed when implementing the standard homeless household deduction under section 5(e)(6);
(3)
have experience implementing grants under the Continuum of Care program under subtitle C of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11381 et seq.) or grants under the Emergency Solutions Grant program under subtitle B of title IV of such Act (42 U.S.C. 11371 et seq.);
(4)
have experience implementing programs administered by the Food and Nutrition Service; or
(5)
receive, plan to receive, or demonstrate an ability to partner with a program that receives funding under the Continuum of Care program under subtitle C of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11381 et seq.), grants under the Emergency Solutions Grant program under subtitle B of title IV of such Act (42 U.S.C. 11371 et seq.), or nutrition programs administered by the Secretary.
(d)

Eligible activities
An eligible entity receiving a grant under the pilot program shall use the grant to carry out 1 or more of the following activities:
(1)
Application assistance, including—
(A)
eligibility prescreening;
(B)
assistance completing an application for the supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits;
(C)
assistance obtaining application verification documents;
(D)
excess shelter expense deduction and the deduction for homeless households deduction counseling;
(E)
translation of materials and bilingual accommodation; and
(F)
improving State agency applications and screening for the supplemental nutrition assistance program to better capture potential eligibility of homeless individuals.
(2)
Tailored information dissemination about the supplemental nutrition assistance program, including through—
(A)
community-based outreach workshops and events;
(B)
street outreach activities;
(C)
a toll-free hotline to provide information about Federal, State, and local food resources;
(D)
informational websites and other social media sites; and
(E)
printed or digital informational content.
(3)
Transportation, including—
(A)
transportation to or from a local office of the supplemental nutrition assistance program; and
(B)
administration of vouchers or similar items for the transportation described in subparagraph (A).
(4)
Identification, implementation, analysis, and dissemination of replicable and scalable models for increasing enrollment in the supplemental nutrition assistance program among households with homeless individuals.
(5)
Training for staff on supplemental nutrition assistance program requirements and best practices for outreach to homeless individuals.
(e)

Grants
(1)

Maximum amount
A grant awarded under the pilot program to an eligible entity for a fiscal year shall be not less than $50,000, but not more than $500,000.
(2)

Duration
An eligible entity may be awarded a grant under the pilot program for not more than 5 years.
(f)

Report to Congress
Not later than 2 years after the effective date of this section, and annually thereafter for the duration of the pilot program, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate regarding the implementation of the pilot program, including—
(1)
an evaluation of the pilot program;
(2)
the number of awards made under the program;
(3)
description of projects conducted with funding under the pilot program;
(4)
demographic information of homeless individuals contacted or served with pilot programs funds; and
(5)
number of homeless individuals served by the supplemental nutrition assistance program.
(g)

Funding
(1)

Authorization
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $12,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2024 through 2029.
(2)

Administrative costs
Of the amounts made available under paragraph (1), not more than 3 percent may be used by the Secretary for administrative costs.
(3)

Technical assistance
The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, shall provide technical assistance and publish best practices to carry out this section and may use no more than 2 percent of the amounts made available under paragraph (1) to do so.
(4)

Supplement not supplant
As a condition of receiving funds under this section, an eligible entity shall use funds received under this section only to supplement the level of State or local funds that would, in the absence of the receipt of funds under this section, be available.”.