Paul Benne Specially Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2019

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for improvements to the specially adapted housing program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Paul Benne Specially Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2019 2. Priority in award of specially adapted housing grants to seriously ill veterans (a) In general Section 2101 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (d) Priority for seriously ill veterans (1) In providing assistance under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to seriously ill veterans. (2) In this section, the term seriously ill veteran . (b) Definition of seriously ill veteran (1) In general By not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall— (A) determine the meaning of the term seriously ill veteran (B) submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives the meaning of such term as so determined. (2) Applicability The definition of seriously ill veteran (c) Effective date The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2020, and apply with respect to assistance provided on or after that date. 3. Increase in amounts of assistance provided (a) Increase in number of grants per veteran Section 2102(d)(3) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking three six (b) Increase in number of applications authorized To be approved Section 2101(a)(4) of such title is amended by striking 30 applications 120 applications (c) Increase in maximum amount of assistance for adaptation to veteran’s residence Section 2102(b)(2) of such title is amended by striking $12,000 $19,733 (d) Increase in aggregate amount of assistance for acquisition of housing with special features Section 2102(d)(1) of such title is amended by striking $63,780 $98,492 (e) Increase in aggregate amount of assistance for adaptations to veterans’ residences Section 2102(d)(2) of such title is amended by striking $12,756 $19,733 (f) Effective date and application The amendments made by this section shall take effect on October 1, 2020. The amendments made by subsections (c) and (d) shall apply with respect to individuals who have not received the maximum amount of assistance under section 2101 of title 38, United States Code, before such date. 4. Provision of additional amounts of specially adapted housing assistance for certain veterans Section 2102 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (f) (1) Notwithstanding the aggregate amounts specified in subsection (d), a covered veteran may apply for and receive an additional amount of assistance under subsection (a) or (b) of section 2101 of this title in an amount that does not exceed half of the amount specified in subsection (d). (2) In this subsection, a covered veteran is a veteran who— (A) is described in section 2101(a)(2) of this title; (B) first receives assistance under this chapter on or after October 1, 2020; (C) as of the date of the veteran’s application for assistance under paragraph (1), most recently received assistance under this chapter more than ten years before such date; and (D) lives in a home that the Secretary determines does not have adaptations that are reasonably necessary because of the veteran’s disability. .

Summary: Paul Benne Specially Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2019 This bill revises the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Specially Adapted Housing Program, which provides grants to veterans and service members with certain service-connected disabilities to assist with constructing, purchasing, or remodeling homes to fit their needs. The program is comprised of two grants: the Specially Adapted Housing grant (for acquisition of housing with special features), and the Special Housing Adaptation grant (for adaptations to a veteran's residence). Specifically, the bill establishes grant priority for seriously ill veterans and directs the VA to define such term. The bill raises the cap on grants that may be issued per veteran from three to six and raises the number of applications that may be approved for the Specially Adapted Housing grant from 30 to 120. The bill increases the maximum amount of assistance available under the Special Housing Adaptation grant and also increases the aggregate amount of assistance available under both grant programs. The bill also authorizes certain veterans to apply for additional assistance under both grants, subject to specified limitations.