Tribal HUD–VASH Act of 2023

To provide for rental assistance for homeless or at-risk Indian veterans, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Tribal HUD–VASH Act of 2023 2. Rental assistance for homeless or at-risk Indian veterans Section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19) (1) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (E); and (2) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new subparagraph (D): (D) Indian veterans housing rental assistance program (i) Definitions In this subparagraph: (I) Eligible indian veteran The term eligible Indian veteran (aa) homeless or at risk of homelessness; and (bb) living— (AA) on or near a reservation; or (BB) in or near any other Indian area. (II) Eligible recipient The term eligible recipient 25 U.S.C. 4111 (III) Indian; indian area The terms Indian Indian area 25 U.S.C. 4103 (IV) Indian veteran The term Indian veteran (V) Program The term Program (VI) Tribal organization The term tribal organization 25 U.S.C. 5304 (ii) Program specifications The Secretary may use up to 5 percent of the amounts made available for rental assistance under this paragraph to carry out a rental assistance and supported housing program, to be known as the Tribal HUD–VASH program (iii) Model (I) In general Except as provided in subclause (II), the Secretary shall model the Program on the rental assistance and supported housing program authorized under subparagraph (A) and applicable appropriations Acts, including administration in conjunction with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. (II) Exceptions (aa) Secretary of housing and urban development After consultation with Indian tribes, eligible recipients, and any other appropriate tribal organizations, the Secretary may make necessary and appropriate modifications to facilitate the use of the Program by eligible recipients to serve eligible Indian veterans. (bb) Secretary of veterans affairs After consultation with Indian tribes, eligible recipients, and any other appropriate tribal organizations, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may make necessary and appropriate modifications to facilitate the use of the Program by eligible recipients to serve eligible Indian veterans. (iv) Eligible recipients The Secretary shall make amounts for rental assistance and associated administrative costs under the Program available in the form of grants to eligible recipients. (v) Funding criteria The Secretary shall award grants under the Program based on— (I) need; (II) administrative capacity; and (III) any other funding criteria established by the Secretary in a notice published in the Federal Register after consulting with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. (vi) Administration Grants awarded under the Program shall be administered in accordance with the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 ( 25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq. (I) submit to the Secretary, in a manner prescribed by the Secretary, reports on the utilization of rental assistance provided under the Program; and (II) provide to the Secretary information specified by the Secretary to assess the effectiveness of the Program in serving eligible Indian veterans. (vii) Consultation (I) Grant recipients; tribal organizations The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall consult with eligible recipients and any other appropriate tribal organization on the design of the Program to ensure the effective delivery of rental assistance and supportive services to eligible Indian veterans under the Program. (II) Indian health service The Director of the Indian Health Service shall provide any assistance requested by the Secretary or the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in carrying out the Program. (viii) Waiver (I) In general Except as provided in subclause (II), the Secretary may waive or specify alternative requirements for any provision of law (including regulations) that the Secretary administers in connection with the use of rental assistance made available under the Program if the Secretary finds that the waiver or alternative requirement is necessary for the effective delivery and administration of rental assistance under the Program to eligible Indian veterans. (II) Exception The Secretary may not waive or specify alternative requirements under subclause (I) for any provision of law (including regulations) relating to labor standards or the environment. (ix) Renewal grants The Secretary may— (I) set aside, from amounts made available for tenant-based rental assistance under this subsection and without regard to the amounts used for new grants under clause (ii), such amounts as may be necessary to award renewal grants to eligible recipients that received a grant under the Program in a previous year; and (II) specify criteria that an eligible recipient must satisfy to receive a renewal grant under subclause (I), including providing data on how the eligible recipient used the amounts of any grant previously received under the Program. (x) Reporting Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this subparagraph, and every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Director of the Indian Health Service, shall— (I) conduct a review of the implementation of the Program, including any factors that may have limited its success; and (II) submit a report describing the results of the review under subclause (II) to— (aa) the Committee on Indian Affairs, the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and (bb) the Subcommittee for Indian and Insular Affairs of the Committee on Natural Resources, the Committee on Financial Services, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. (xi) Impact on formula current assisted stock For a given fiscal year’s allocation formula of the Native American Housing Block Grants program, as authorized under title I of NAHASDA ( 25 U.S.C. 4111 et seq. 25 U.S.C. 4152(b)(1) .

Summary: Tribal HUD-VASH Act of 2023 This bill provides statutory authority for the Tribal HUD-VASH program, which provides rental assistance and supportive services to Indian veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and living in or near an area where a tribe or tribally designated housing entity provides assistance for affordable housing. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) may use up to 5% of rental assistance amounts under the HUD-VASH program, which provides housing assistance to homeless veterans, for the Tribal HUD-VASH program. The Tribal HUD-VASH program must be carried out by HUD in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Under the program, grants must be made to entities eligible for housing assistance block grants. HUD may make renewal grants to entities that have received prior program grants.