I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3743 

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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 12, 2013 

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas (for himself, Mr. STIVERS, Mr. ROSKAM, Mr. TURNER, Mr. CLAY, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. LANGEVIN, and Mr. MICHAUD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 

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. 

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. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Housing Assistance 

5 for Veterans Act of 2013’’ or the ‘‘HAVEN Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO REHABILITATE AND MODIFY 

2 HOMES OF DISABLED AND LOW-INCOME VET3 ERANS. 

4 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

5 (1) DISABLED.—The term ‘‘disabled’’ means an 

6 individual with a disability, as defined by section 

7 12102 of title 42, United States Code. 

8 (2) ELIGIBLE VETERAN.—The term ‘‘eligible 

9 veteran’’ means a disabled or low-income veteran. 

10 (3) ENERGY EFFICIENT FEATURES OR EQUIP11 MENT.—The term ‘‘energy efficient features or 

12 equipment’’ means features of, or equipment in, a 

13 primary residence that help reduce the amount of 

14 electricity used to heat, cool, or ventilate such resi15 dence, including insulation, weatherstripping, air 

16 sealing, heating system repairs, duct sealing, or 

17 other measures. 

18 (4) LOW-INCOME VETERAN.—The term ‘‘low-in19 come veteran’’ means a veteran whose income does 

20 not exceed 80 percent of the median income for an 

21 area, as determined by the Secretary. 

22 (5) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.—The term 

23 ‘‘nonprofit organization’’ means an organization that 

24 is— 


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1 (A) described in section 501(c)(3) or 

2 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code of 

3 1986; and 

4 (B) exempt from tax under section 501(a) 

5 of such Code. 

6 (6) PRIMARY RESIDENCE.— 

7 (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘primary res8 idence’’ means a single family house, a duplex, 

9 or a unit within a multiple-dwelling structure 

10 that is the principal dwelling of an eligible vet11 eran and is owned by such veteran or a family 

12 member of such veteran. 

13 (B) FAMILY MEMBER DEFINED.—For pur14 poses of this paragraph, the term ‘‘family mem15 ber’’ includes— 

16 (i) a spouse, child, grandchild, parent, 

17 or sibling; 

18 (ii) a spouse of such a child, grand19 child, parent, or sibling; or 

20 (iii) any individual related by blood or 

21 affinity whose close association with a vet22 eran is the equivalent of a family relation23 ship. 

24 (7) QUALIFIED ORGANIZATION.—The term 

25 ‘‘qualified organization’’ means a nonprofit organizaVerDate Mar 15 2010 23:41 Dec 23, 2013 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3743.IH H3743

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1 tion that provides nationwide or statewide programs 

2 that primarily serve veterans or low-income individ3 uals. 

4 (8) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

5 the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. 

6 (9) VETERAN.—The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the 

7 meaning given the term in section 101 of title 38, 

8 United States Code. 

9 (10) VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION.—The 

10 term ‘‘veterans service organization’’ means any or11 ganization recognized by the Secretary of Veterans 

12 Affairs for the representation of veterans under sec13 tion 5902 of title 38, United States Code. 

14 (b) ESTABLISHMENT OF A PILOT PROGRAM.— 

15 (1) GRANT.— 

16 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall es17 tablish a pilot program to award grants to 

18 qualified organizations to rehabilitate and mod19 ify the primary residence of eligible veterans. 

20 (B) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall 

21 work in conjunction with the Secretary of Vet22 erans Affairs to establish and oversee the pilot 

23 program and to ensure that such program 

24 meets the needs of eligible veterans. 


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1 (C) MAXIMUM GRANT.—A grant award 

2 under the pilot program to any one qualified or3 ganization shall not exceed $1,000,000 in any 

4 one fiscal year, and such an award shall remain 

5 available until expended by such organization. 

6 (2) APPLICATION.— 

7 (A) IN GENERAL.—Each qualified organi8 zation that desires a grant under the pilot pro9 gram shall submit an application to the Sec10 retary at such time, in such manner, and, in 

11 addition to the information required under sub12 paragraph (B), accompanied by such informa13 tion as the Secretary may reasonably require. 

14 (B) CONTENTS.—Each application sub15 mitted under subparagraph (A) shall include— 

16 (i) a plan of action detailing outreach 

17 initiatives; 

18 (ii) the approximate number of vet19 erans the qualified organization intends to 

20 serve using grant funds; 

21 (iii) a description of the type of work 

22 that will be conducted, such as interior 

23 home modifications, energy efficiency im24 provements, and other similar categories of 

25 work; and 


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1 (iv) a plan for working with the De2 partment of Veterans Affairs and veterans 

3 service organizations to identify veterans 

4 who are not eligible for programs under 

5 chapter 21 of title 38, United States Code, 

6 and meet their needs. 

7 (C) PREFERENCES.—In awarding grants 

8 under the pilot program, the Secretary shall 

9 give preference to a qualified organization— 

10 (i) with experience in providing hous11 ing rehabilitation and modification services 

12 for disabled veterans; or 

13 (ii) that proposes to provide housing 

14 rehabilitation and modification services for 

15 eligible veterans who live in rural, includ16 ing tribal, areas (the Secretary, through 

17 regulations, shall define the term ‘‘rural 

18 areas’’). 

19 (3) CRITERIA.—In order to receive a grant 

20 award under the pilot program, a qualified organiza21 tion shall meet the following criteria: 

22 (A) Demonstrate expertise in providing 

23 housing rehabilitation and modification services 

24 for disabled or low-income individuals for the 

25 purpose of making the homes of such individVerDate Mar 15 2010 23:41 Dec 23, 2013 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3743.IH H3743

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1 uals accessible, functional, and safe for such in2 dividuals. 

3 (B) Have established outreach initiatives 

4 that— 

5 (i) would engage eligible veterans and 

6 veterans service organizations in projects 

7 utilizing grant funds under the pilot pro8 gram; 

9 (ii) ensure veterans who are disabled 

10 receive preference in selection for assist11 ance under this program; and 

12 (iii) identify eligible veterans and their 

13 families and enlist veterans involved in 

14 skilled trades, such as carpentry, roofing, 

15 plumbing, or HVAC work. 

16 (C) Have an established nationwide or 

17 statewide network of affiliates that are— 

18 (i) nonprofit organizations; and 

19 (ii) able to provide housing rehabilita20 tion and modification services for eligible 

21 veterans. 

22 (D) Have experience in successfully car23 rying out the accountability and reporting re24 quirements involved in the proper administra25 tion of grant funds, including funds provided by 


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1 private entities or Federal, State, or local gov2 ernment entities. 

3 (4) USE OF FUNDS.—A grant award under the 

4 pilot program shall be used— 

5 (A) to modify and rehabilitate the primary 

6 residence of an eligible veteran, and may in7 clude— 

8 (i) installing wheelchair ramps, wid9 ening exterior and interior doors, 

10 reconfigurating and re-equipping bath11 rooms (which includes installing new fix12 tures and grab bars), removing doorway 

13 thresholds, installing special lighting, add14 ing additional electrical outlets and elec15 trical service, and installing appropriate 

16 floor coverings to— 

17 (I) accommodate the functional 

18 limitations that result from having a 

19 disability; or 

20 (II) if such residence does not 

21 have modifications necessary to reduce 

22 the chances that an elderly, but not 

23 disabled person, will fall in their 

24 home, reduce the risks of such an el25 derly person from falling; 


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1 (ii) rehabilitating such residence that 

2 is in a state of interior or exterior dis3 repair; and 

4 (iii) installing energy efficient features 

5 or equipment if— 

6 (I) an eligible veteran’s monthly 

7 utility costs for such residence is more 

8 than 5 percent of such veteran’s 

9 monthly income; and 

10 (II) an energy audit of such resi11 dence indicates that the installation of 

12 energy efficient features or equipment 

13 will reduce such costs by 10 percent 

14 or more; and 

15 (B) in connection with modification and re16 habilitation services provided under the pilot 

17 program, to provide technical, administrative, 

18 and training support to an affiliate of a quali19 fied organization receiving a grant under such 

20 pilot program. 

21 (5) OVERSIGHT.—The Secretary shall direct the 

22 oversight of the grant funds for the pilot program so 

23 that such funds are used efficiently until expended 

24 to fulfill the purpose of addressing the adaptive 

25 housing needs of eligible veterans. 


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1 (6) MATCHING FUNDS.— 

2 (A) IN GENERAL.—A qualified organiza3 tion receiving a grant under the pilot program 

4 shall contribute towards the housing modifica5 tion and rehabilitation services provided to eligi6 ble veterans an amount equal to not less than 

7 50 percent of the grant award received by such 

8 organization. 

9 (B) IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS.—In order to 

10 meet the requirement under subparagraph (A), 

11 such organization may arrange for in-kind con12 tributions. 

13 (7) LIMITATION COST TO THE VETERANS.—A 

14 qualified organization receiving a grant under the 

15 pilot program shall modify or rehabilitate the pri16 mary residence of an eligible veteran at no cost to 

17 such veteran (including application fees) or at a cost 

18 such that such veteran pays no more than 30 per19 cent of his or her income in housing costs during 

20 any month. 

21 (8) REPORTS.— 

22 (A) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Secretary 

23 shall submit to Congress, on an annual basis, a 

24 report that provides, with respect to the year 

25 for which such report is written— 


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1 (i) the number of eligible veterans 

2 provided assistance under the pilot pro3 gram; 

4 (ii) the socioeconomic characteristics 

5 of such veterans, including their gender, 

6 age, race, and ethnicity; 

7 (iii) the total number, types, and loca8 tions of entities contracted under such pro9 gram to administer the grant funding; 

10 (iv) the amount of matching funds 

11 and in-kind contributions raised with each 

12 grant; 

13 (v) a description of the housing reha14 bilitation and modification services pro15 vided, costs saved, and actions taken under 

16 such program; 

17 (vi) a description of the outreach ini18 tiatives implemented by the Secretary to 

19 educate the general public and eligible en20 tities about such program; 

21 (vii) a description of the outreach ini22 tiatives instituted by grant recipients to 

23 engage eligible veterans and veteran service 

24 organizations in projects utilizing grant 

25 funds under such program; 


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1 (viii) a description of the outreach ini2 tiatives instituted by grant recipients to 

3 identify eligible veterans and their families; 

4 and 

5 (ix) any other information that the 

6 Secretary considers relevant in assessing 

7 such program. 

8 (B) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 6 

9 months after the completion of the pilot pro10 gram, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 

11 report that provides such information that the 

12 Secretary considers relevant in assessing the 

13 pilot program. 

14 (C) INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT.—Not 

15 later than March 31, 2019, the Inspector Gen16 eral of the Department of Housing and Urban 

17 Development shall submit to the Chairmen and 

18 Ranking Members of the Committee on Bank19 ing, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate 

20 and the Committee on Financial Services of the 

21 House of Representatives a report containing a 

22 review of— 

23 (i) the use of appropriated funds by 

24 the Secretary and by grantees under the 

25 pilot program; and 


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1 (ii) oversight and accountability of 

2 grantees under the pilot program. 

3 (9) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

4 There are authorized to be appropriated for carrying 

5 out this section $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

6 2015 through 2019. 

Æ 


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