Housing Assistance for Veterans Act of 2013 or HAVEN Act - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish a pilot program to award grants to nonprofit organizations that primarily serve veterans or low-income individuals. Requires such grants to be used to rehabilitate and modify the primary residence of disabled or low-income veterans (at a specified limited or no cost to such veterans). Limits grant amounts to $1 million per organization. Requires the Secretary to direct the oversight of grant fund use. Requires a minimum of 50% matching funds by participating organizations.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1387 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1387
To establish a pilot program to authorize the Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development to make grants to nonprofit organizations to
rehabilitate and modify homes of disabled and low-income veterans.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 30, 2013
Mr. Reed (for himself and Mr. Johanns) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing,
and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a pilot program to authorize the Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development to make grants to nonprofit organizations to
rehabilitate and modify homes of disabled and low-income veterans.
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 ``Housing Assistance for Veterans Act
of 2013'' or the ``HAVEN Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Disabled.--The term ``disabled'' means an individual
with a disability, as defined by section 12102 of title 42,
United States Code.
(2) Eligible veteran.--The term ``eligible veteran'' means
a disabled or low-income veteran.
(3) Energy efficient features or equipment.--The term
``energy efficient features or equipment'' means features of,
or equipment in, a primary residence that help reduce the
amount of electricity used to heat, cool, or ventilate such
residence, including insulation, weatherstripping, air sealing,
heating system repairs, duct sealing, or other measures.
(4) Low-income veteran.--The term ``low-income veteran''
means a veteran whose income does not exceed 80 percent of the
median income for an area, as determined by the Secretary.
(5) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit
organization'' means an organization that is--
(A) described in section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
(B) exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such
Code.
(6) Primary residence.--
(A) In general.--The term ``primary residence''
means a single family house, a duplex, or a unit within
a multiple-dwelling structure that is an eligible
veteran's principal dwelling and is owned by such
veteran or a family member of such veteran.
(B) Family member defined.--For purposes of this
paragraph, the term ``family member'' includes--
(i) a spouse, child, grandchild, parent, or
sibling;
(ii) a spouse of such a child, grandchild,
parent, or sibling; or
(iii) any individual related by blood or
affinity whose close association with a veteran
is the equivalent of a family relationship.
(7) Qualified organization.--The term ``qualified
organization'' means a nonprofit organization that provides
nationwide or statewide programs that primarily serve veterans
or low-income individuals.
(8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development.
(9) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the same meaning as
given such term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
(10) Veterans service organization.--The term ``veterans
service organization'' means any organization recognized by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the representation of
veterans under section 5902 of title 38, United States Code.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF A PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) Grant.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a pilot
program to award grants to qualified organizations to
rehabilitate and modify the primary residence of eligible
veterans.
(2) Coordination.--The Secretary shall work in conjunction
with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish and oversee
the pilot program and to ensure that such program meets the
needs of eligible veterans.
(3) Maximum grant.--A grant award under the pilot program
to any one qualified organization shall not exceed $1,000,000
in any one fiscal year, and such an award shall remain
available until expended by such organization.
(b) Application.--
(1) In general.--Each qualified organization that desires a
grant under the pilot program shall submit an application to
the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and, in addition to
the information required under paragraph (2), accompanied by
such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
(2) Contents.--Each application submitted under paragraph
(1) shall include--
(A) a plan of action detailing outreach
initiatives;
(B) the approximate number of veterans the
qualified organization intends to serve using grant
funds;
(C) a description of the type of work that will be
conducted, such as interior home modifications, energy
efficiency improvements, and other similar categories
of work; and
(D) a plan for working with the Department of
Veterans Affairs and veterans service organizations to
identify veterans who are not eligible for programs
under chapter 21 of title 38, United States Code, and
meet their needs.
(3) Preferences.--In awarding grants under the pilot
program, the Secretary shall give preference to a qualified
organization--
(A) with experience in providing housing
rehabilitation and modification services for disabled
veterans; or
(B) that proposes to provide housing rehabilitation
and modification services for eligible veterans who
live in rural areas (the Secretary, through
regulations, shall define the term ``rural areas'').
(c) Criteria.--In order to receive a grant award under the pilot
program, a qualified organization shall meet the following criteria:
(1) Demonstrate expertise in providing housing
rehabilitation and modification services for disabled or low-
income individuals for the purpose of making the homes of such
individuals accessible, functional, and safe for such
individuals.
(2) Have established outreach initiatives that--
(A) would engage eligible veterans and veterans
service organizations in projects utilizing grant funds
under the pilot program;
(B) ensure veterans who are disabled receive
preference in selection for assistance under this
program; and
(C) identify eligible veterans and their families
and enlist veterans involved in skilled trades, such as
carpentry, roofing, plumbing, or HVAC work.
(3) Have an established nationwide or statewide network of
affiliates that are--
(A) nonprofit organizations; and
(B) able to provide housing rehabilitation and
modification services for eligible veterans.
(4) Have experience in successfully carrying out the
accountability and reporting requirements involved in the
proper administration of grant funds, including funds provided
by private entities or Federal, State, or local government
entities.
(d) Use of Funds.--A grant award under the pilot program shall be
used--
(1) to modify and rehabilitate the primary residence of an
eligible veteran, and may include--
(A) installing wheelchair ramps, widening exterior
and interior doors, reconfigurating and re-equipping
bathrooms (which includes installing new fixtures and
grab bars), removing doorway thresholds, installing
special lighting, adding additional electrical outlets
and electrical service, and installing appropriate
floor coverings to--
(i) accommodate the functional limitations
that result from having a disability; or
(ii) if such residence does not have
modifications necessary to reduce the chances
that an elderly, but not disabled person, will
fall in their home, reduce the risks of such an
elderly person from falling;
(B) rehabilitating such residence that is in a
state of interior or exterior disrepair; and
(C) installing energy efficient features or
equipment if--
(i) an eligible veteran's monthly utility
costs for such residence is more than 5 percent
of such veteran's monthly income; and
(ii) an energy audit of such residence
indicates that the installation of energy
efficient features or equipment will reduce
such costs by 10 percent or more;
(2) in connection with modification and rehabilitation
services provided under the pilot program, to provide
technical, administrative, and training support to an affiliate
of a qualified organization receiving a grant under such pilot
program; and
(3) for other purposes as the Secretary may prescribe
through regulations.
(e) Oversight.--The Secretary shall direct the oversight of the
grant funds for the pilot program so that such funds are used
efficiently until expended to fulfill the purpose of addressing the
adaptive housing needs of eligible veterans.
(f) Matching Funds.--
(1) In general.--A qualified organization receiving a grant
under the pilot program shall contribute towards the housing
modification and rehabilitation services provided to eligible
veterans an amount equal to not less than 50 percent of the
grant award received by such organization.
(2) In-kind contributions.--In order to meet the
requirement under paragraph (1), such organization may arrange
for in-kind contributions.
(g) Limitation Cost to the Veterans.--A qualified organization
receiving a grant under the pilot program shall modify or rehabilitate
the primary residence of an eligible veteran at no cost to such veteran
(including application fees) or at a cost such that such veteran pays
no more than 30 percent of his or her income in housing costs during
any month.
(h) Reports.--
(1) Annual report.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress,
on an annual basis, a report that provides, with respect to the
year for which such report is written--
(A) the number of eligible veterans provided
assistance under the pilot program;
(B) the socioeconomic characteristics of such
veterans, including their gender, age, race, and
ethnicity;
(C) the total number, types, and locations of
entities contracted under such program to administer
the grant funding;
(D) the amount of matching funds and in-kind
contributions raised with each grant;
(E) a description of the housing rehabilitation and
modification services provided, costs saved, and
actions taken under such program;
(F) a description of the outreach initiatives
implemented by the Secretary to educate the general
public and eligible entities about such program;
(G) a description of the outreach initiatives
instituted by grant recipients to engage eligible
veterans and veteran service organizations in projects
utilizing grant funds under such program;
(H) a description of the outreach initiatives
instituted by grant recipients to identify eligible
veterans and their families; and
(I) any other information that the Secretary
considers relevant in assessing such program.
(2) Final report.--Not later than 6 months after the
completion of the pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress a report that provides such information that the
Secretary considers relevant in assessing the pilot program.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated for carrying out this Act $4,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2014 through 2018.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6073-6074)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
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