[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8560 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8560

 To amend title 38, United States Code, and the United States Housing 
  Act of 1937, to make certain improvements to the supported housing 
          program for veterans commonly known as ``HUD-VASH''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 23, 2024

  Mr. Takano (for himself, Ms. Waters, and Mr. Levin) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial 
Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, and the United States Housing 
  Act of 1937, to make certain improvements to the supported housing 
          program for veterans commonly known as ``HUD-VASH''.

    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 ``End Veteran Homelessness Act of 
2024''.

SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF STAFFING NEEDS FOR CASE MANAGERS OF THE 
              VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION WITH REGARDS TO HOMELESS 
              VETERANS AND VETERANS AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.

    (a) In General.--Section 2003(b) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The Secretary'';
            (2) by inserting ``, and who is determined to require case 
        management,'' before ``is assigned''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(2) In assigning case managers and providing services under this 
subsection, the Secretary shall prioritize vulnerable homeless 
veterans, including veterans who are homeless and who have disabilities 
(including chronic mental illness, chronic substance abuse disorders, 
or chronic physical disabilities).''.
    (b) Annual Report.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in 
coordination with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, shall 
submit to Congress an annual report on the program under section 
8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
1437f(o)(19)), as amended by section 3 of this Act and commonly known 
as the ``HUD-VASH program'', which shall include, for the year covered 
by the report, each of the following, disaggregated by locality and by 
demographics (if the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines it 
appropriate):
            (1) An identification of the number and demographic 
        characteristics of veterans served by the HUD-VASH program.
            (2) The number, qualifications, and demographics of case 
        managers described in section 2003(b) of title 38, United 
        States Code, as amended by subsection (a).
            (3) An assessment of the standard and scope of care 
        provided by such case managers to such veterans, including 
        factors such as--
                    (A) staffing ratios;
                    (B) practices used in case management;
                    (C) frequency with which a case manager contacts a 
                veteran;
                    (D) whether a case manager successfully connects a 
                veteran to a requested resource or support; and
                    (E) professional licenses or certifications 
                possessed by case managers.
            (4) An assessment of the types of services provided by such 
        case managers to such veterans.
            (5) With regard to vouchers made available under the HUD-
        VASH program--
                    (A) the number requested;
                    (B) the number allocated;
                    (C) the number used;
                    (D) the number assigned but unused; and
                    (E) the average time between such assignation and 
                such use.
            (6) The percentage of such veterans who used such a voucher 
        and received case management from such a case manager.
            (7) An identification of barriers that prevented the use of 
        such vouchers by such veterans.

SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO HUD-VASH PROGRAM.

    Section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A)--
                    (A) in the first sentence--
                            (i) by striking ``subparagraph (C)'' and 
                        inserting ``subparagraph (B)''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``the amounts specified in 
                        subparagraph (B)'' and inserting ``amounts'';
                    (B) by striking the second sentence and inserting 
                ``In the course of administering such program--''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new clauses:
                            ``(i) the Secretary shall provide rental 
                        assistance on behalf of a veteran who is--
                                    ``(I) homeless;
                                    ``(II) at risk of homelessness; or
                                    ``(III) receiving assistance under 
                                another housing assistance program if 
                                the Secretary determines a voucher 
                                under this paragraph is a more 
                                appropriate form of assistance for such 
                                veteran;
                            ``(ii) subject to subparagraph (D), the 
                        Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall furnish 
                        case management to a veteran described in 
                        clause (i) whom such Secretary (acting through 
                        an appropriately licensed or otherwise 
                        qualified employee of the Department of 
                        Veterans Affairs or an entity that participates 
                        in a centralized or coordinated entry system 
                        (as defined in section 578.3 of title 24, Code 
                        of Federal Regulations, or successor 
                        regulation) of the Department of Housing and 
                        Urban Development) determines requires case 
                        management;
                            ``(iii) in the case of a veteran described 
                        in clause (ii) who refuses case management--
                                    ``(I) the Secretary of Veterans 
                                Affairs shall--
                                            ``(aa) make recurring 
                                        attempts to engage and build a 
                                        relationship with the veteran, 
                                        in order to provide such case 
                                        management to the veteran, 
                                        solicit feedback from the 
                                        veteran, and promote the 
                                        veteran's housing stability and 
                                        opportunities to access health 
                                        care and other benefits under 
                                        laws administered by the 
                                        Secretary; and
                                            ``(bb) provide case 
                                        management to such veteran if 
                                        the veteran subsequently 
                                        requests case management;
                                    ``(II) the Secretary of Housing and 
                                Urban Development may not revoke such 
                                rental assistance on behalf of the 
                                veteran solely on the basis of such 
                                refusal;
                                    ``(III) a public housing authority 
                                may not revoke rental assistance 
                                provided by such authority on behalf of 
                                the veteran solely on the basis of such 
                                refusal; and
                                    ``(IV) the owner may not evict or 
                                otherwise penalize the veteran solely 
                                on the basis of such refusal; and
                            ``(iv) in the case of a veteran described 
                        in clause (ii) whose case management is 
                        suspended for the health and safety of the 
                        veteran or the case manager, the owner may not 
                        evict or otherwise penalize the veteran solely 
                        on the basis of such suspension.'';
            (2) by striking subparagraph (B);
            (3) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as 
        subparagraphs (B) and (E), respectively;
            (4) by inserting after subparagraph (B), as redesignated 
        the following new subparagraphs:
                    ``(C) Veterans who do not require case 
                management.--A voucher made available under this 
                paragraph may be used for a homeless veteran, or a 
                veteran at risk of homelessness, whom the Secretary of 
                Veterans Affairs determines does not require case 
                management if such use is included in the notice of 
                operating requirements of such program.
                    ``(D) Administrative fees.--There is authorized to 
                be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for 
                administrative fee payments to public housing agencies 
                for costs of administering vouchers under this 
                paragraph and other eligible expenses, as shall be 
                defined by notice issued by the Secretary, to 
                facilitate the leasing of the vouchers, such as 
                security deposit assistance and other costs related to 
                retention and support of participating owners.''.

SEC. 4. GAO REPORT ON HOMELESS VETERANS.

    (a) Report Required.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report 
containing the following, disaggregated by demographics (if the 
Comptroller General determines it appropriate)--
            (1) a description of the demographic characteristics of 
        veterans served by the HUD-VASH program, disaggregated by 
        whether the veteran is receiving services from a case manager 
        described in section 2003(b) of title 38, United States Code, 
        as amended by section 2 of this Act;
            (2) the number, qualifications, and demographic 
        characteristics of such case managers;
            (3) an assessment of the types and quality of case 
        management services provided to veterans by case managers 
        described in section 2003(b) of title 38, United States Code, 
        as amended by section 2, disaggregated by locality;
            (4) an assessment of recruitment and retention of such case 
        managers, disaggregated by locality and demographic 
        characteristics; and
            (5) metrics regarding housing stability and retention for 
        veterans participating in Federal housing assistance programs, 
        including veterans who have participated in more than one such 
        program and reasons why veterans ceased to so participate.
    (b) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the following:
            (1) The Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (2) The Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate.
            (3) The Committee on Financial Services of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (4) The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of 
        the Senate.
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