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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.
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