Local Solutions to End Homelessness Act of 2019

To modify the minimum allocation requirement for the emergency solutions grants program. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Local Solutions to End Homelessness Act of 2019 2. Minimum allocation requirement for emergency solutions grants program Section 414(b) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 11373(b) (b) Minimum allocation requirement (1) In general If, under the allocation provisions applicable under this subtitle, a metropolitan city or an urban county would receive a grant of less than .05 percent of the amounts appropriated under section 408 and made available to carry out this subtitle for any fiscal year, such amount shall be reallocated to the State in which the metropolitan city or urban county, as applicable, is located, except that— (A) in the case of the metropolitan city, such amount shall be reallocated to the urban county in which the metropolitan city is located, if the urban county— (i) has previously received and administered assistance under this section; and (ii) agrees to receive such amount; and (B) in the case of the urban county, such amount shall be provided to the urban county if the urban county has previously received and administered assistance under this section. (2) Exception Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a metropolitan city shall receive the grant amount described such paragraph if the metropolitan city— (A) is located in a State that does not have counties as local governments; (B) has a population greater than 40,000 but less than 50,000 as used in determining the fiscal year 1987 community development block grant program allocation; and (C) was allocated in excess of $1,000,000 in community development block grant funds in fiscal year 1987. (3) Amounts reallocated to urban counties An urban county that receives amounts reallocated under paragraph (1)(A) shall expend those amounts for the benefit of metropolitan cities located in the urban county. .

Summary: Local Solutions to End Homelessness Act of 2019 This bill reallocates to urban counties, under certain circumstances, Emergency Solutions Grant funds to help individuals and families regain permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis or homelessness. Currently, if such funds going to a metropolitan city or an urban county are less than a specified amount, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) typically reallocates the funds to the state in which the city or county is located. The bill generally maintains this reallocation arrangement but also establishes certain circumstances when such funds shall go directly to the recipient or be reallocated elsewhere. Generally, under the bill, if such aid going to a metropolitan city is less than a specified amount, HUD must reallocate the funds to the urban county in which the city is located if the county elects to receive, and has previously administered, such aid. However, the bill maintains an existing provision whereby a metropolitan city shall receive the funds directly if (1) the state does not have counties as local governments, (2) the city has a specified population, and (3) the city has previously received a certain amount of such funds. Similarly, HUD must distribute these funds directly to an urban county receiving less than a specified amount if the county has previously received and administered such funds. An urban county receiving reallocated funds must spend such funds for the benefit of the metropolitan cities located within the county.