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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8722 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8722
To amend the United States Housing Act of 1937 to provide housing
assistance for youth and young adults who are unstably housed.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 12, 2024
Mrs. Watson Coleman (for herself, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Johnson of
Georgia, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Carson, Mrs. Ramirez, and Ms.
Plaskett) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Financial Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the United States Housing Act of 1937 to provide housing
assistance for youth and young adults who are unstably housed.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Homes for Young
Adults Act of 2024''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Congressional findings.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. Entitlement program for housing choice vouchers for youth.
Sec. 5. Promoting self-sufficiency.
Sec. 6. Enforcement of housing quality standards.
Sec. 7. Screening of applicants.
Sec. 8. Access to HUD programs for persons with limited English
proficiency.
Sec. 9. Authorization of appropriations.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that--
(1) each year an estimated 4.2 million youth and young
adults experience homelessness in the United States;
(2) homelessness amongst youth and young adults is
disproportionately represented among Black, Indigenous, other
youth of color, and LGBTQ+ communities;
(3) while there are effective programs that assist homeless
youth and young adults, access to current resources are
restricted due to a variety of systemic obstacles for homeless
youth and young adults, forcing this population into congregate
shelters, further perpetuating cycles of poverty and
instability;
(4) adequately removing barriers to housing assistance
can--
(A) reduce crowding, housing instability, and
homelessness;
(B) reduce poverty;
(C) improve outcomes for children;
(D) improve overall adult well-being, reducing
healthcare costs; and
(E) contribute to the prevention of homelessness;
(5) the housing choice voucher (HCV) program only reaches
about a quarter of eligible households due to limited funding,
yet extensive and inhibitive eligibility requirements presently
make HCVs inaccessible to youth and young adults;
(6) the average wait time for youth and young adults from a
coordinated entry assessment to being housed is between 132 and
140 days, depending on the program; and
(7) Federal agencies, particularly the Department of
Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Education, and
the Department of Health and Human Services, should cooperate
more fully to address the prevention and end of youth
homelessness.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act, the following definitions shall apply:
(1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development.
(2) Youth and young adults.--The term ``youths and young
adults'' means individuals who are--
(A) 18 years old or older but are not older than 30
years old; or
(B) emancipated minors under applicable State law.
SEC. 4. ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM FOR HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS FOR YOUTH.
(a) Entitlement.--During fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year
thereafter, any household that consists of or includes any youth or
young adult and that is otherwise eligible for tenant-based rental
assistance under section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937
(42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)) shall be entitled to such rental assistance in
accordance with this section during such period the family remains so
eligible.
(b) Funding.--For fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter,
there is appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated the amount necessary--
(1) to provide assistance under section 8(o) of the United
States Housing Act of 1937 in accordance with the entitlement
under subsection (a) of this section for each qualified
household in the amount determined under subsection 8(o); and
(2) to provide administrative fees under sections 8(q) and
23(h)(1) of such Act, as modified pursuant to this Act, in
connection with each voucher for assistance provided pursuant
to subsection (a) of this section.
(c) Administering Agencies.--
(1) Regional consortia.--The Secretary shall encourage and
provide for public housing agencies to form regional consortia
to administer the program for rental assistance under this
section with respect to geographical areas.
(2) PHA designation.--The Secretary shall designate a
public housing agency to administer assistance under this
section in any area where no existing public housing agency has
jurisdiction or where no agency with jurisdiction is adequately
administering such assistance, subject to public comment and
after consultation with States, public housing agencies, local
government, Indian tribes, and tribally designated housing
agencies.
(d) Support Services.--
(1) Requirements.--Each public housing agency administering
rental assistance provided pursuant to this section shall
ensure that--
(A) support services described in paragraph (2) are
made available to each youth and young adult provided
such rental assistance by the administering agency,
which may be accessed by such youth or young adult at
any time; and
(B) each such youth and young adult is provided
clear information on how to access such services and
the purposes, benefits, and any limitations involved
with accessing such services.
(2) Included services.--The support services described in
this paragraph are as follows:
(A) Any services otherwise made available by the
public housing agency to families provided rental
assistance under section 8(o) of the United States
Housing Act of 1937.
(B) Services as the Secretary shall provide
relating to housing navigation, job-skill training,
assistance for pursuing higher education, relevant
legal and tenant protection services, assistance in
applying for other federally funded programs, and
safety planning and services appropriate to address
potential vulnerabilities and safety concerns of youths
and young adults, including migrant youths and young
adults.
(3) Availability.--This subsection may not be construed to
require any youth or young adult provided rental assistance
under this section to access or use such services.
(e) Housing Choice.--The Secretary shall take such actions as
necessary to ensure that the choice of a dwelling unit to be rented
using assistance provided pursuant to this section shall be at the sole
discretion of the assisted household and may be based upon such
standards and factors as such household considers appropriate,
including--
(1) geographical considerations, including those affected
by family or cultural factors;
(2) cost of living;
(3) access to grocery stores, healthcare, transportation,
or any need;
(4) preference for individual or shared housing; and
(5) any other considerations of importance to the
household.
(f) Mediation; Appeal.--The Secretary shall require each public
housing agency administering rental assistance made available pursuant
to this section to make available to households assisted under this
section--
(1) an ombudsman to mediate any issues, including claims of
discrimination, arising between the assisted household and the
landlord of the dwelling unit rented by such household using
such assistance; and
(2) an appeal process for such assisted households to
challenge any adverse decisions under the mediation process
under paragraph (1).
(g) Immigration Status.--Eligibility for assistance made available
pursuant to this section may not be limited based on citizenship,
immigration, or migratory status in any manner that is inconsistent
with eligibility requirements otherwise applicable to assistance under
section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437f(o)) for households who are not youths or young adults.
(h) Privacy.--The Secretary shall take such actions as may be
necessary to protect the privacy and confidentiality of households
assisted pursuant to this section.
(i) Studies and Reports.--In conducting any study or issuing any
report relating to carrying out this Act, including the studies and
reports under subsections (a)(4)(D) and (b), the Secretary shall ensure
the appointment or inclusion of homeless youth and young adults.
SEC. 5. PROMOTING SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
For fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year there after, the
Secretary may--
(1) increase the amount provided as administrative fees
under section 23(h)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937
(42 U.S.C. 1437u(h)(1)) for any public housing agency that
meets such standards as the Secretary shall establish to assist
and encourage--
(A) coordinating the use of assistance under
section 8(o) of such Act, including assistance pursuant
to section 4 of this Act, for participation of youths
and young adults, including youths and young adults who
are single, parenting, or aging out of foster care or
other youth-serving systems, in the family self-
sufficiency program under such section 23; and
(B) voluntary participation of landlords in such
self-sufficiency program to house youths and young
adults holding vouchers for assistance under section
8(o) without discrimination based on credit history,
income, criminal or legal history, or migratory status;
and
(2) provide incentive awards under section 23(i) for public
housing agencies who willingly participate in coordinating the
use of assistance under section 8(o) for participation of
youths and young adults in the family self-sufficiency program.
SEC. 6. ENFORCEMENT OF HOUSING QUALITY STANDARDS.
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall issue any
regulations necessary to carry out subparagraph (G) of section 8(o)(8)
of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(8)(G)) not
later than the expiration of the 12-month period beginning upon the
date of the enactment of this Act. Such regulations shall take effect
not later than the expiration of the 90-day period beginning upon such
issuance.
SEC. 7. SCREENING OF APPLICANTS.
Subparagraph (B) of section 8(o)(6) of the United States Housing
Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(6)(B)) is amended by inserting after
the period at the end of the second sentence the following: ``A public
housing agency's elective screening shall be limited to criteria that
are directly related to an applicant's ability to fulfill the
obligations of an assisted lease and shall consider mitigating
circumstances related to such applicant, including discriminations
against income, credit history, parental status, marital status,
migratory status, or age. Any applicant or participant determined to be
ineligible for admission or continued participation to the program
shall be notified of the basis for such determination and provide,
within a reasonable time after the determination, an opportunity for an
informal hearing on such determination at which mitigating
circumstances, including remedial conduct subsequent to the notice,
shall be considered.''.
SEC. 8. ACCESS TO HUD PROGRAMS FOR PERSONS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH
PROFICIENCY.
(a) HUD Responsibilities.--To allow the Department of Housing and
Urban Development to better serve persons with limited proficiency in
the English language by providing technical assistance to recipients of
Federal funds, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall
take the following actions:
(1) Task force.--Within 90 days after the enactment of this
Act, convene a task force comprised of appropriate industry
groups, recipients of funds from the Department of Housing and
Urban Development (in this section referred to as the
``Department''), community-based organizations that serve
individuals with limited English proficiency, civil rights
groups, and stakeholders, which shall identify a list of vital
documents, including Department and certain property and other
documents, to be competently translated to improve access to
federally conducted and federally assisted programs and
activities for individuals with limited English proficiency.
The task force shall meet not less frequently than twice per
year.
(2) Translations.--Within 6 months after identification of
documents pursuant to paragraph (1), produce translations of
the documents identified in all necessary languages and make
such translations available as part of the library of forms
available on the website of the Department and as part of the
clearinghouse developed pursuant to paragraph (4).
(3) Plan.--Develop and carry out a plan that includes
providing resources of the Department to assist recipients of
the Federal funds to improve access to programs and activities
for individuals with limited English proficiency, which plan
shall include the elements described in paragraph (4).
(4) Housing information resource center.--Develop and
maintain a housing information resource center to facilitate
the provision of language services by providers of housing
services to individuals with limited English proficiency.
Information provided by such center shall be made available in
printed form and through the Internet. The resources provided
by the center shall include the following:
(A) Translation of written materials.--The center
may provide, directly or through contract, vital
documents from competent translation services for
providers of housing services.
(B) Toll-free customer service telephone number.--
The center shall provide a 24-hour toll-free
interpretation service telephone line, by which
recipients of funds of the Department and individuals
with limited English proficiency may--
(i) obtain information about federally
conducted or federally assisted housing
programs of the Department;
(ii) obtain assistance with applying for or
accessing such housing programs and
understanding Federal notices written in
English; and
(iii) communicate with housing providers
and learn how to access additional language
services.
The toll-free telephone service provided pursuant to
this subparagraph shall supplement resources in the
community identified by the plan developed pursuant to
paragraph (3).
(C) Document clearinghouse.--The center shall
collect and evaluate for accuracy or develop, and make
available, templates and documents that are necessary
for consumers, relevant industry representatives, and
other stakeholders of the Department, to access, make
educated decisions, and communicate effectively about
their housing, including--
(i) administrative and property documents;
(ii) legally binding documents;
(iii) consumer education and outreach
materials;
(iv) documents regarding rights and
responsibilities of any party; and
(v) remedies available to consumers.
(D) Study of language assistance programs.--The
center shall conduct a study that evaluates best-
practice models for all programs of the Department that
promote language assistance and strategies to improve
language services for individuals with limited English
proficiency. Not later than 18 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the center shall submit a
report to the Committee on Financial Services of the
House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking,
Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate, which shall
provide recommendations for implementation, specific to
programs of the Department, and information and
templates that could be made available to all
recipients of grants from the Department.
(E) Cultural and linguistic competence materials.--
The center shall provide information relating to
culturally and linguistically competent housing
services for populations with limited English
proficiency.
(b) Report.--Not later than the expiration of the 6-month period
beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually
thereafter, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall submit
a report regarding its compliance with the requirements under
subsection (a) to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban
Affairs of the Senate.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2026 and
each fiscal year thereafter such sums as may be necessary to carry out
this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
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