I

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 4132

To require that a portion of the amounts made available for housing programs

for the homeless be used for housing for homeless veterans.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SEPTEMBER 23, 1996

Mr. METCALF introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Banking and Financial Services

A BILL

To require that a portion of the amounts made available

for housing programs for the homeless be used for housing for homeless 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 ‘‘Robert Stodola Home5 less Veterans Assistance Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITION.

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle A of title IV of the Stew8 art B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.

9 11361 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the follow10 ing new section:
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1 ‘‘SEC. 402. DEFINITION OF VETERAN.

2 ‘‘For purposes of this title, the term ‘veteran’ has the

3 meaning given such term in section 101 of title 38, United

4 States Code.’’.

5 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents

6 in section 101(b) of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless

7 Assistance Act is amended by inserting after the item re8 lating to section 401 the following new item:

‘‘Sec. 402. Definition of veteran.’’.

9 SEC. 3. EMERGENCY SHELTER GRANTS PROGRAM.

10 Section 413 of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless

11 Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11373) is amended by adding

12 at the end the following new subsection:

13 ‘‘(f) VETERANS’ SHARE.—

14 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each metropolitan city,

15 urban county, State, and Indian tribe for which as16 sistance under this subtitle is provided shall ensure

17 that not less than 20 percent of the total amount re18 ceived by the city, county, State, or tribe in each fis19 cal year shall be used for eligible activities benefiting

20 homeless persons who are veterans.

21 ‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—Upon the request of a met22 ropolitan city, urban county, State, or Indian tribe,

23 the Secretary may, with respect to a fiscal year,

24 waive the requirement under paragraph (1) or re25 duce the percentage under such paragraph for the
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1 city, county, State, or tribe if the city, county, State,

2 or tribe demonstrates to the Secretary that, but for

3 such waiver or reduction, amounts of assistance

4 under this subtitle for the city, county, State, or

5 tribe will remain unused for an unreasonable period

6 of time.’’.

7 SEC. 4. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM.

8 (a) SELECTION CRITERIA.—Section 426(b) of the

9 Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.

10 11386(b)) is amended—

11 (1) in paragraph (6) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the

12 end;

13 (2) by redesignating paragraph (7) as para14 graph (8); and

15 (3) by inserting after paragraph (6) the follow16 ing new paragraph:

17 ‘‘(7) such factors as the Secretary considers

18 necessary to ensure compliance with the require19 ments under section 429(b)(4); and’’.

20 (b) VETERANS’ SHARE.—Section 429(b) of the Stew21 art B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.

22 11389(b)) is amended—

23 (1) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the

24 end;
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1 (2) in paragraph (3) by striking the period at

2 the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and

3 (3) by adding at the end the following new

4 paragraph:

5 ‘‘(4) not less than 20 percent shall be allocated

6 for use only for projects and supportive services ben7 efiting homeless persons who are veterans; except

8 that the Secretary may, with respect to a fiscal year,

9 waive the requirement under this paragraph or re10 duce the percentage if the Secretary determines

11 (based on approvable applications submitted for as12 sistance under this subtitle) that, but for such waiv13 er or reduction, amounts appropriated for such fiscal

14 year to carry out this subtitle will remain unused for

15 an unreasonable period of time.’’.

16 SEC. 5. SAFE HAVENS FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS DEM17 ONSTRATION PROGRAM.

18 (a) SELECTION CRITERIA.—Section 434(c) of the

19 Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.

20 11394(c)) is amended—

21 (1) in paragraph (6) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the

22 end;

23 (2) by redesignating paragraph (7) as para24 graph (8); and
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1 (3) by inserting after paragraph (6) the follow2 ing new paragraph:

3 ‘‘(7) such factors as the Secretary considers

4 necessary to ensure compliance with the require5 ments under subsection (e); and’’.

6 (b) VETERANS’ SHARE.—Section 434 of the Stewart

7 B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act is amended by add8 ing at the end the following new subsection:

9 ‘‘(e) VETERANS’ SHARE.—

10 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In making grants to appli11 cants under this subtitle, the Secretary shall ensure

12 that not less than 20 percent of the amount made

13 available for each fiscal year to carry out this sub14 title is used for eligible activities benefiting homeless

15 persons who are veterans.

16 ‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary may, with re17 spect to a fiscal year, waive the requirement under

18 paragraph (1) or reduce the percentage under such

19 paragraph if the Secretary determines (based on ap20 provable applications submitted for assistance under

21 this subtitle) that, but for such waiver or reduction,

22 amounts made available for such fiscal year to carry

23 out this subtitle will remain unused for an unreason24 able period of time.’’.
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1 SEC. 6. SECTION 8 PROGRAM FOR SINGLE ROOM OCCU2 PANCY DWELLINGS.

3 (a) SELECTION CRITERIA.—The first sentence of sec4 tion 441(c) of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assist5 ance Act (42 U.S.C. 11401(c)) is amended by inserting

6 before the period the following: ‘‘, while ensuring compli7 ance with the requirements under subsection (k)’’.

8 (b) VETERANS’ SHARE.—Section 441 of the Stewart

9 B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act is amended by add10 ing at the end the following new subsection:

11 ‘‘(k) VETERANS’ SHARE.—

12 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In allocating amounts to

13 applicants under this section, the Secretary shall en14 sure that not less than 20 percent of the amounts

15 made available for each fiscal year to carry out this

16 section are used for assistance benefiting homeless

17 persons who are veterans.

18 ‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary may, with re19 spect to a fiscal year, waive the requirement under

20 paragraph (1) or reduce the percentage under such

21 paragraph if the Secretary determines (based on ap22 provable applications submitted for assistance under

23 this section) that, but for such waiver or reduction,

24 amounts made available for such fiscal year to carry

25 out this section will remain unused for an unreason26 able period of time.’’.
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1 SEC. 7. SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAM.

2 (a) SELECTION CRITERIA.—Section 455(a) of the

3 Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.

4 11403d(a)) is amended—

5 (1) in paragraph (8) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the

6 end;

7 (2) by redesignating paragraph (9) as para8 graph (10); and

9 (3) by inserting after paragraph (8) the follow10 ing new paragraph:

11 ‘‘(9) such factors as the Secretary considers

12 necessary to ensure compliance with the require13 ments under subsection (d); and’’.

14 (b) VETERANS’ SHARE.—Section 455 of the Stewart

15 B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act is amended by add16 ing at the end the following new subsection:

17 ‘‘(d) VETERANS’ SHARE.—

18 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In providing assistance to

19 applicants under this subtitle, the Secretary shall en20 sure that not less than 20 percent of the amount

21 made available for each fiscal year to carry out this

22 subtitle is used for rental assistance benefiting

23 homeless persons who are veterans.

24 ‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary may, with re25 spect to a fiscal year, waive the requirement under

26 paragraph (1) or reduce the percentage under such
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1 paragraph if the Secretary determines (based on ap2 provable applications submitted for assistance under

3 this subtitle) that, but for such waiver or reduction,

4 amounts made available for such fiscal year to carry

5 out this subtitle will remain unused for an unreason6 able period of time.’’.

7 SEC. 8. RURAL HOMELESSNESS GRANT PROGRAM.

8 Section 491(c) of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless

9 Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11408(c)) is amended by add10 ing at the end the following new paragraph:

11 ‘‘(4) VETERANS’ SHARE.—

12 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In awarding grants

13 under subsection (a) for a fiscal year, the Sec14 retary shall ensure that not less than 20 per15 cent of the amount made available for the fiscal

16 year for such grants is used for eligible activi17 ties under subsection (b) benefiting homeless

18 persons who are veterans.

19 ‘‘(B) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary may,

20 with respect to a fiscal year, waive the require21 ment under subparagraph (A) or reduce the

22 percentage under such subparagraph if the Sec23 retary determines (based on approvable applica24 tions submitted for grants under this section)

25 that, but for such waiver or reduction, amounts
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1 made available for such fiscal year to carry out

2 this section will remain unused for an unrea3 sonable period of time.’’.

4 SEC. 9. INNOVATIVE HOMELESS INITIATIVES DEMONSTRA5 TION PROGRAM.

6 (a) COMPREHENSIVE HOMELESS INITIATIVE.—Sec7 tion 2(c)(5) of the HUD Demonstration Act of 1993 (42

8 U.S.C. 11301 note) is amended—

9 (1) in subparagraph (E) by striking ‘‘and’’ at

10 the end;

11 (2) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as sub12 paragraph (G); and

13 (3) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the fol14 lowing new subparagraph:

15 ‘‘(F) provides that not less than 20 percent

16 of the total amount received by the recipient

17 shall be used for projects and activities benefit18 ing homeless persons who are veterans; except

19 that, upon the request of a jurisdiction, the

20 Secretary may, with respect to a fiscal year,

21 waive the requirement under this subparagraph

22 or reduce the percentage for such recipient ju23 risdiction if the recipient demonstrates to the

24 Secretary that, but for such waiver or reduc25 tion, assistance amounts under this subsection
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1 for the recipient for such fiscal year will remain

2 unused for an unreasonable period of time.’’.

3 (b) INNOVATIVE PROJECT FUNDING.—

4 (1) SELECTION CRITERIA.—Section 2(d)(3) of

5 the HUD Demonstration Act of 1993 is amended—

6 (A) in subparagraph (D) by striking ‘‘and’’

7 at the end;

8 (B) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as

9 subparagraph (F); and

10 (C) by inserting after subparagraph (D)

11 the following new subparagraph:

12 ‘‘(E) such factors as the Secretary consid13 ers necessary to ensure compliance with the re14 quirements under paragraph (4); and’’.

15 (2) VETERANS’ SHARE.—Section 2(d) of the

16 HUD Demonstration Act of 1993 is amended by

17 adding at the end the following new paragraph:

18 ‘‘(4) VETERANS’ SHARE.—

19 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In awarding assist20 ance under this subsection for a fiscal year, the

21 Secretary shall ensure that not less than 20

22 percent of the amount made available for the

23 fiscal year for such assistance is used for

24 projects and activities benefiting homeless per25 sons who are veterans.
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1 ‘‘(B) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary may,

2 with respect to a fiscal year, waive the require3 ment under subparagraph (A) or reduce the

4 percentage under such subparagraph if the Sec5 retary determines (based on approvable applica6 tions submitted for assistance under this sub7 section) that, but for such waiver or reduction,

8 amounts made available for such fiscal year to

9 carry out this subsection will remain unused for

10 an unreasonable period of time.’’.

11 (c) DEFINITION.—Section 2(b) of the HUD Dem12 onstration Act of 1993 is amended by adding at the end

13 the following new paragraph:

14 ‘‘(7) For purposes of this title, the term ‘vet15 eran’ has the meaning given such term in section

16 101 of title 38, United States Code.’’.

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