I 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Homes for Young Adults Act of 2024’’. 

6 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 

7 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. Congressional findings. 

Sec. 3. Definitions. 


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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. 

1 SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS. 

2 The Congress finds that— 

3 (1) each year an estimated 4.2 million youth 

4 and young adults experience homelessness in the 

5 United States; 

6 (2) homelessness amongst youth and young 

7 adults is disproportionately represented among 

8 Black, Indigenous, other youth of color, and 

9 LGBTQ+ communities; 

10 (3) while there are effective programs that as11 sist homeless youth and young adults, access to cur12 rent resources are restricted due to a variety of sys13 temic obstacles for homeless youth and young adults, 

14 forcing this population into congregate shelters, fur15 ther perpetuating cycles of poverty and instability; 

16 (4) adequately removing barriers to housing as17 sistance can— 

18 (A) reduce crowding, housing instability, 

19 and homelessness; 

20 (B) reduce poverty; 

21 (C) improve outcomes for children; 


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1 (D) improve overall adult well-being, re2 ducing healthcare costs; and 

3 (E) contribute to the prevention of home4 lessness; 

5 (5) the housing choice voucher (HCV) program 

6 only reaches about a quarter of eligible households 

7 due to limited funding, yet extensive and inhibitive 

8 eligibility requirements presently make HCVs inac9 cessible to youth and young adults; 

10 (6) the average wait time for youth and young 

11 adults from a coordinated entry assessment to being 

12 housed is between 132 and 140 days, depending on 

13 the program; and 

14 (7) Federal agencies, particularly the Depart15 ment of Housing and Urban Development, the De16 partment of Education, and the Department of 

17 Health and Human Services, should cooperate more 

18 fully to address the prevention and end of youth 

19 homelessness. 

20 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

21 For purposes of this Act, the following definitions 

22 shall apply: 

23 (1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

24 the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. 


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1 (2) YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS.—The term 

2 ‘‘youths and young adults’’ means individuals who 

3 are— 

4 (A) 18 years old or older but are not older 

5 than 30 years old; or 

6 (B) emancipated minors under applicable 

7 State law. 

8 SEC. 4. ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM FOR HOUSING CHOICE 

9 VOUCHERS FOR YOUTH. 

10 (a) ENTITLEMENT.—During fiscal year 2026 and 

11 each fiscal year thereafter, any household that consists of 

12 or includes any youth or young adult and that is otherwise 

13 eligible for tenant-based rental assistance under section 

14 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 

15 1437f(o)) shall be entitled to such rental assistance in ac16 cordance with this section during such period the family 

17 remains so eligible. 

18 (b) FUNDING.—For fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal 

19 year thereafter, there is appropriated out of any money 

20 in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated the amount 

21 necessary— 

22 (1) to provide assistance under section 8(o) of 

23 the United States Housing Act of 1937 in accord24 ance with the entitlement under subsection (a) of 


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1 this section for each qualified household in the 

2 amount determined under subsection 8(o); and 

3 (2) to provide administrative fees under sec4 tions 8(q) and 23(h)(1) of such Act, as modified 

5 pursuant to this Act, in connection with each vouch6 er for assistance provided pursuant to subsection (a) 

7 of this section. 

8 (c) ADMINISTERING AGENCIES.— 

9 (1) REGIONAL CONSORTIA.—The Secretary 

10 shall encourage and provide for public housing agen11 cies to form regional consortia to administer the pro12 gram for rental assistance under this section with 

13 respect to geographical areas. 

14 (2) PHA DESIGNATION.—The Secretary shall 

15 designate a public housing agency to administer as16 sistance under this section in any area where no ex17 isting public housing agency has jurisdiction or 

18 where no agency with jurisdiction is adequately ad19 ministering such assistance, subject to public com20 ment and after consultation with States, public 

21 housing agencies, local government, Indian tribes, 

22 and tribally designated housing agencies. 

23 (d) SUPPORT SERVICES.— 


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1 (1) REQUIREMENTS.—Each public housing 

2 agency administering rental assistance provided pur3 suant to this section shall ensure that— 

4 (A) support services described in para5 graph (2) are made available to each youth and 

6 young adult provided such rental assistance by 

7 the administering agency, which may be 

8 accessed by such youth or young adult at any 

9 time; and 

10 (B) each such youth and young adult is 

11 provided clear information on how to access 

12 such services and the purposes, benefits, and 

13 any limitations involved with accessing such 

14 services. 

15 (2) INCLUDED SERVICES.—The support services 

16 described in this paragraph are as follows: 

17 (A) Any services otherwise made available 

18 by the public housing agency to families pro19 vided rental assistance under section 8(o) of the 

20 United States Housing Act of 1937. 

21 (B) Services as the Secretary shall provide 

22 relating to housing navigation, job-skill train23 ing, assistance for pursuing higher education, 

24 relevant legal and tenant protection services, as25 sistance in applying for other federally funded 


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1 programs, and safety planning and services ap2 propriate to address potential vulnerabilities 

3 and safety concerns of youths and young adults, 

4 including migrant youths and young adults. 

5 (3) AVAILABILITY.—This subsection may not be 

6 construed to require any youth or young adult pro7 vided rental assistance under this section to access 

8 or use such services. 

9 (e) HOUSING CHOICE.—The Secretary shall take 

10 such actions as necessary to ensure that the choice of a 

11 dwelling unit to be rented using assistance provided pursu12 ant to this section shall be at the sole discretion of the 

13 assisted household and may be based upon such standards 

14 and factors as such household considers appropriate, in15 cluding— 

16 (1) geographical considerations, including those 

17 affected by family or cultural factors; 

18 (2) cost of living; 

19 (3) access to grocery stores, healthcare, trans20 portation, or any need; 

21 (4) preference for individual or shared housing; 

22 and 

23 (5) any other considerations of importance to 

24 the household. 


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1 (f) MEDIATION; APPEAL.—The Secretary shall re2 quire each public housing agency administering rental as3 sistance made available pursuant to this section to make 

4 available to households assisted under this section— 

5 (1) an ombudsman to mediate any issues, in6 cluding claims of discrimination, arising between the 

7 assisted household and the landlord of the dwelling 

8 unit rented by such household using such assistance; 

9 and 

10 (2) an appeal process for such assisted house11 holds to challenge any adverse decisions under the 

12 mediation process under paragraph (1). 

13 (g) IMMIGRATION STATUS.—Eligibility for assistance 

14 made available pursuant to this section may not be limited 

15 based on citizenship, immigration, or migratory status in 

16 any manner that is inconsistent with eligibility require17 ments otherwise applicable to assistance under section 

18 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 

19 1437f(o)) for households who are not youths or young 

20 adults. 

21 (h) PRIVACY.—The Secretary shall take such actions 

22 as may be necessary to protect the privacy and confiden23 tiality of households assisted pursuant to this section. 

24 (i) STUDIES AND REPORTS.—In conducting any 

25 study or issuing any report relating to carrying out this 


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1 Act, including the studies and reports under subsections 

2 (a)(4)(D) and (b), the Secretary shall ensure the appoint3 ment or inclusion of homeless youth and young adults. 

4 SEC. 5. PROMOTING SELF-SUFFICIENCY. 

5 For fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year there after, 

6 the Secretary may— 

7 (1) increase the amount provided as administra8 tive fees under section 23(h)(1) of the United States 

9 Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437u(h)(1)) for 

10 any public housing agency that meets such stand11 ards as the Secretary shall establish to assist and 

12 encourage— 

13 (A) coordinating the use of assistance 

14 under section 8(o) of such Act, including assist15 ance pursuant to section 4 of this Act, for par16 ticipation of youths and young adults, including 

17 youths and young adults who are single, par18 enting, or aging out of foster care or other 

19 youth-serving systems, in the family self-suffi20 ciency program under such section 23; and 

21 (B) voluntary participation of landlords in 

22 such self-sufficiency program to house youths 

23 and young adults holding vouchers for assist24 ance under section 8(o) without discrimination 


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1 based on credit history, income, criminal or 

2 legal history, or migratory status; and 

3 (2) provide incentive awards under section 23(i) 

4 for public housing agencies who willingly participate 

5 in coordinating the use of assistance under section 

6 8(o) for participation of youths and young adults in 

7 the family self-sufficiency program. 

8 SEC. 6. ENFORCEMENT OF HOUSING QUALITY STANDARDS. 

9 The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 

10 shall issue any regulations necessary to carry out subpara11 graph (G) of section 8(o)(8) of the United States Housing 

12 Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(8)(G)) not later than 

13 the expiration of the 12-month period beginning upon the 

14 date of the enactment of this Act. Such regulations shall 

15 take effect not later than the expiration of the 90-day pe16 riod beginning upon such issuance. 

17 SEC. 7. SCREENING OF APPLICANTS. 

18 Subparagraph (B) of section 8(o)(6) of the United 

19 States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(6)(B)) 

20 is amended by inserting after the period at the end of the 

21 second sentence the following: ‘‘A public housing agency’s 

22 elective screening shall be limited to criteria that are di23 rectly related to an applicant’s ability to fulfill the obliga24 tions of an assisted lease and shall consider mitigating cir25 cumstances related to such applicant, including discrimiVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:34 Aug 15, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8722.IH H8722

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1 nations against income, credit history, parental status, 

2 marital status, migratory status, or age. Any applicant or 

3 participant determined to be ineligible for admission or 

4 continued participation to the program shall be notified 

5 of the basis for such determination and provide, within 

6 a reasonable time after the determination, an opportunity 

7 for an informal hearing on such determination at which 

8 mitigating circumstances, including remedial conduct sub9 sequent to the notice, shall be considered.’’. 

10 SEC. 8. ACCESS TO HUD PROGRAMS FOR PERSONS WITH 

11 LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY. 

12 (a) HUD RESPONSIBILITIES.—To allow the Depart13 ment of Housing and Urban Development to better serve 

14 persons with limited proficiency in the English language 

15 by providing technical assistance to recipients of Federal 

16 funds, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 

17 shall take the following actions: 

18 (1) TASK FORCE.—Within 90 days after the en19 actment of this Act, convene a task force comprised 

20 of appropriate industry groups, recipients of funds 

21 from the Department of Housing and Urban Devel22 opment (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Depart23 ment’’), community-based organizations that serve 

24 individuals with limited English proficiency, civil 

25 rights groups, and stakeholders, which shall identify 


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1 a list of vital documents, including Department and 

2 certain property and other documents, to be com3 petently translated to improve access to federally 

4 conducted and federally assisted programs and ac5 tivities for individuals with limited English pro6 ficiency. The task force shall meet not less fre7 quently than twice per year. 

8 (2) TRANSLATIONS.—Within 6 months after 

9 identification of documents pursuant to paragraph 

10 (1), produce translations of the documents identified 

11 in all necessary languages and make such trans12 lations available as part of the library of forms avail13 able on the website of the Department and as part 

14 of the clearinghouse developed pursuant to para15 graph (4). 

16 (3) PLAN.—Develop and carry out a plan that 

17 includes providing resources of the Department to 

18 assist recipients of the Federal funds to improve ac19 cess to programs and activities for individuals with 

20 limited English proficiency, which plan shall include 

21 the elements described in paragraph (4). 

22 (4) HOUSING INFORMATION RESOURCE CEN23 TER.—Develop and maintain a housing information 

24 resource center to facilitate the provision of lan25 guage services by providers of housing services to inVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:34 Aug 15, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8722.IH H8722

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1 dividuals with limited English proficiency. Informa2 tion provided by such center shall be made available 

3 in printed form and through the Internet. The re4 sources provided by the center shall include the fol5 lowing: 

6 (A) TRANSLATION OF WRITTEN MATE7 RIALS.—The center may provide, directly or 

8 through contract, vital documents from com9 petent translation services for providers of 

10 housing services. 

11 (B) TOLL-FREE CUSTOMER SERVICE TELE12 PHONE NUMBER.—The center shall provide a 

13 24-hour toll-free interpretation service tele14 phone line, by which recipients of funds of the 

15 Department and individuals with limited 

16 English proficiency may— 

17 (i) obtain information about federally 

18 conducted or federally assisted housing 

19 programs of the Department; 

20 (ii) obtain assistance with applying for 

21 or accessing such housing programs and 

22 understanding Federal notices written in 

23 English; and 


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1 (iii) communicate with housing pro2 viders and learn how to access additional 

3 language services. 

4 The toll-free telephone service provided pursu5 ant to this subparagraph shall supplement re6 sources in the community identified by the plan 

7 developed pursuant to paragraph (3). 

8 (C) DOCUMENT CLEARINGHOUSE.—The 

9 center shall collect and evaluate for accuracy or 

10 develop, and make available, templates and doc11 uments that are necessary for consumers, rel12 evant industry representatives, and other stake13 holders of the Department, to access, make 

14 educated decisions, and communicate effectively 

15 about their housing, including— 

16 (i) administrative and property docu17 ments; 

18 (ii) legally binding documents; 

19 (iii) consumer education and outreach 

20 materials; 

21 (iv) documents regarding rights and 

22 responsibilities of any party; and 

23 (v) remedies available to consumers. 

24 (D) STUDY OF LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE

25 PROGRAMS.—The center shall conduct a study 


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1 that evaluates best-practice models for all pro2 grams of the Department that promote lan3 guage assistance and strategies to improve lan4 guage services for individuals with limited 

5 English proficiency. Not later than 18 months 

6 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

7 center shall submit a report to the Committee 

8 on Financial Services of the House of Rep9 resentatives and the Committee on Banking, 

10 Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate, 

11 which shall provide recommendations for imple12 mentation, specific to programs of the Depart13 ment, and information and templates that could 

14 be made available to all recipients of grants 

15 from the Department. 

16 (E) CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC COM17 PETENCE MATERIALS.—The center shall pro18 vide information relating to culturally and lin19 guistically competent housing services for popu20 lations with limited English proficiency. 

21 (b) REPORT.—Not later than the expiration of the 

22 6-month period beginning on the date of the enactment 

23 of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of 

24 Housing and Urban Development shall submit a report 

25 regarding its compliance with the requirements under subVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:34 Aug 15, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8722.IH H8722

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1 section (a) to the Committee on Financial Services of the 

2 House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, 

3 Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate. 

4 SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

5 There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 

6 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter such sums as may 

7 be necessary to carry out this Act. 

Æ 


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