I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1133 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans 

Affairs to enter into agreements with States and nonprofit organizations 

to collaborate in the provision of case management services associated 

with certain supported housing programs for veterans, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 16, 2011 

Mr. FILNER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, 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, to authorize the 

Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into agreements 

with States and nonprofit organizations to collaborate 

in the provision of case management services associated 

with certain supported housing programs for veterans, 

and for other purposes. 

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


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Helping Our Homeless 

3 Veterans Act of 2011’’. 

4 SEC. 2. COLLABORATION IN PROVISION OF CASE MANAGE5 MENT SERVICES TO VETERANS IN SUP6 PORTED HOUSING PROGRAM. 

7 (a) COLLABORATION AUTHORIZED.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter V of chapter 20 

9 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by add10 ing at the end the following new section: 

11 ‘‘§ 2045. Collaboration in provision of case manage12 ment services to veterans in supported 

13 housing program 

14 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may enter into 

15 agreements with eligible entities to collaborate in the pro16 vision of case management services as part of the sup17 ported housing program carried out under section 

18 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 

19 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) to expand and improve the provision 

20 of supported housing services and related outreach to vet21 erans, including veterans who live in rural areas or under22 served veterans who live in metropolitan areas or on In23 dian lands. 

24 ‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—For purposes of this sec25 tion, an eligible entity is any entity that— 

26 ‘‘(1) is— 


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1 ‘‘(A) a State or local government agency; 

2 ‘‘(B) a tribal organization (as such term is 

3 defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Deter4 mination and Education Assistance Act (25 

5 U.S.C. 450b)); or 

6 ‘‘(C) a nonprofit organization; 

7 ‘‘(2) has the capacity (as determined by the 

8 Secretary) to collaborate in the provision of case 

9 management services as described in subsection (a); 

10 and 

11 ‘‘(3) agrees— 

12 ‘‘(A) to ensure access to case management 

13 services to veterans described in subsection (a) 

14 on an as-needed basis; 

15 ‘‘(B) to maintain referral networks for 

16 homeless veterans for purposes of assisting such 

17 veterans in demonstrating eligibility for assist18 ance and additional services under entitlement 

19 and assistance programs available for such vet20 erans, and to otherwise aid such veterans in ob21 taining such assistance and services; 

22 ‘‘(C) to ensure the confidentiality of 

23 records maintained by the entity on veterans re24 ceiving services through the supported housing 

25 program described in subsection (a); 


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1 ‘‘(D) to establish such procedures for fiscal 

2 control and fund accounting as the Secretary 

3 considers appropriate to ensure proper dis4 bursement and accounting of funds under the 

5 agreement entered into by the entity under this 

6 section; 

7 ‘‘(E) to submit to the Secretary each year, 

8 in such form and such manner as the Secretary 

9 may require, a report on the collaboration un10 dertaken by the entity under this section, in11 cluding a description of— 

12 ‘‘(i) the services and assistance pro13 vided to veterans as part of such collabora14 tion; and 

15 ‘‘(ii) the specific goals set by the enti16 ty for the provision of such services and 

17 assistance and whether the entity achieved 

18 such goals; and 

19 ‘‘(F) to meet such other requirements as 

20 the Secretary considers appropriate for pur21 poses of this section. 

22 ‘‘(c) SELECTION OF ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—(1) Not 

23 later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 

24 section, the Secretary shall establish a process for the re25 ceipt and consideration of proposals submitted under 


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1 paragraph (2), including the appropriate form, manner, 

2 and time for submittal of such proposals. 

3 ‘‘(2) An eligible entity seeking to enter into an agree4 ment under this section shall submit to the Secretary a 

5 proposal therefor in accordance with the process estab6 lished by the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1). 

7 ‘‘(3) Each proposal submitted under paragraph (2) 

8 shall set forth a description of the collaboration proposed 

9 to be undertaken by the entity concerned, including the 

10 following: 

11 ‘‘(A) A description of the region in which the 

12 entity proposes to collaborate in the provision of case 

13 management services described in subsection (a), in14 cluding a description of resources and services al15 ready available to veterans described in such sub16 section in such region and a description of any gaps 

17 in such resources and services available to veterans 

18 in such region. 

19 ‘‘(B) A description of the veterans described in 

20 subsection (a) in the region described in subpara21 graph (A) and the needs of such veterans for sup22 ported housing services. 

23 ‘‘(C) A description of the capacity of the entity 

24 to provide services to veterans described in subparaVerDate Mar 15 2010 06:27 Mar 17, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1133.IH H1133

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1 graph (B) to meet their needs for the services de2 scribed in such subparagraph. 

3 ‘‘(D) Plans, specifications, and a schedule for 

4 the provision of case management services under 

5 subsection (a). 

6 ‘‘(d) CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.—For purposes 

7 of this section, case management services include the fol8 lowing: 

9 ‘‘(1) Personal health and development assist10 ance, including such assistance relating to the fol11 lowing: 

12 ‘‘(A) Health care and referrals for health 

13 care. 

14 ‘‘(B) Mental health. 

15 ‘‘(C) Substance abuse. 

16 ‘‘(D) Counseling. 

17 ‘‘(E) Family support. 

18 ‘‘(F) Benefits and employment counseling. 

19 ‘‘(G) Job training and placement. 

20 ‘‘(H) Education on personal finance. 

21 ‘‘(I) Hygiene facilities. 

22 ‘‘(J) Meals. 

23 ‘‘(K) Transportation. 

24 ‘‘(2) Housing assistance for veterans, including: 


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1 ‘‘(A) Assistance locating affordable hous2 ing, assistance with scheduling appointments to 

3 view available housing, accompanying veterans 

4 when viewing available housing, assistance with 

5 negotiating leases, and assistance with review6 ing tenant leases. 

7 ‘‘(B) Rental and rent subsidies. 

8 ‘‘(C) Assistance in working with public 

9 housing agencies. 

10 ‘‘(D) Assistance in understanding lease 

11 terms and landlord and tenant laws. 

12 ‘‘(E) Assistance in understanding fair 

13 housing laws. 

14 ‘‘(F) Assistance in the resolution or pre15 vention of mortgage delinquency, including as16 sistance with matters relating to default, fore17 closure, loss mitigation, budgeting, and credit. 

18 ‘‘(G) Assistance with home maintenance 

19 and financial management. 

20 ‘‘(H) Such other assistance in connection 

21 with locating housing and maintaining housing 

22 stability as the Secretary considers appropriate. 

23 ‘‘(3) Such other case management services, out24 reach, and other services as the Secretary considers 

25 appropriate.’’. 


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1 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec2 tions at the beginning of chapter 20 of such title is 

3 amended by inserting after the item relating to sec4 tion 2044 the following new item: 

‘‘2045. Collaboration in provision of case management services to veterans in 

supported housing program.’’. 

5 (b) REPORT.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than two years 

7 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec8 retary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress 

9 a report on the collaboration of the Secretary in the 

10 provision of case management services under section 

11 2045 of title 38, United States Code (as added by 

12 subsection (a)). 

13 (2) ELEMENTS.—The report under paragraph 

14 (1) shall include the following: 

15 (A) The number of eligible entities with 

16 whom the Secretary has entered into an agree17 ment under section 2045 of title 38, United 

18 States Code (as so added). 

19 (B) A description of the geographic regions 

20 in which such eligible entities provide services 

21 under such section. 

22 (C) The number of veterans who received 

23 case management services from eligible entities 

24 under such section, disaggregated by— 


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1 (i) underserved veterans in metropoli2 tan areas; 

3 (ii) underserved veterans who live on 

4 Indian lands; and 

5 (iii) veterans in rural areas. 

6 (D) An assessment of the feasibility and 

7 advisability of entering into agreements with el8 igible entities under such section. 

9 (E) Such recommendations for legislative 

10 or administrative action as the Secretary con11 siders appropriate for the improvement of the 

12 authorities on collaboration in the provision of 

13 case management services under such section. 

14 SEC. 3. DISTRIBUTION OF RENTAL VOUCHERS TO VET15 ERANS IN RURAL AREAS AND UNDERSERVED 

16 VETERANS IN METROPOLITAN AREAS. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter V of chapter 20 of 

18 title 38, United States Code, as amended by section 

19 2(a)(1), is further amended by adding at the end the fol20 lowing new section: 

21 ‘‘§ 2046. Distribution of rental vouchers to veterans in 

22 rural areas and underserved veterans in 

23 metropolitan areas 

24 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, in consulta25 tion with the Secretary of Housing and Urban DevelopVerDate Mar 15 2010 06:27 Mar 17, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1133.IH H1133

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1 ment, ensure that the distribution of vouchers to veterans 

2 under the supported housing program carried out under 

3 section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 

4 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) meets the needs of veterans in 

5 rural areas and underserved veterans in metropolitan 

6 areas or on Indian lands in each region of the United 

7 States by using— 

8 ‘‘(1) statistical data and analysis; 

9 ‘‘(2) recommendations from any recipients of 

10 grants under the Continuum of Care Program set 

11 forth under subtitle C of title IV of the McKinney12 Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11381 et 

13 seq.); or 

14 ‘‘(3) such other means as Secretary considers 

15 appropriate. 

16 ‘‘(b) AGREEMENTS WITH NONPROFIT AND STATE

17 AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.—The Secretary 

18 shall consider how agreements under section 2045(a) of 

19 this title can be used to ensure the distribution of vouchers 

20 as described in subsection (a) of this section.’’. 

21 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

22 at the beginning of chapter 20 of such title is amended 

23 by inserting after the item relating to section 2045, as 

24 added by section 2(a)(2), the following new item: 


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‘‘2046. Distribution of rental vouchers to veterans in rural areas and underserved veterans in metropolitan areas.’’. 

Æ 


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