Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act of 2019

To provide Federal housing assistance on behalf of youths who are aging out of foster care, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act of 2019 2. Definition of family Subparagraph (A) of section 3(b)(3) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(3)(A) (1) in the first sentence— (A) by striking (v) (vi) (B) by inserting after tenant family, (v) a youth described in section 8(x)(2)(B), (2) in the second sentence, by inserting or (vi) clause (v) 3. Housing choice vouchers for fostering stable housing opportunities (a) Assistance for youth aging out of foster care Section 8(x) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f(x) (1) in paragraph (2), by inserting subject to paragraph (5), (B) (2) in paragraph (3)— (A) by striking (3) Allocation (3) Allocation (A) In general The ; and (B) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (B) Assistance for youth aging out of foster care Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall, subject only to the availability of funds, allocate such assistance to any public housing agencies that (i) administer assistance pursuant to paragraph (2)(B), or seek to administer such assistance, consistent with procedures established by the Secretary, (ii) have requested such assistance so that they may provide timely assistance to eligible youth, and (iii) have submitted to the Secretary a statement describing how the agency will connect assisted youths with local community resources and self-sufficiency services, to the extent they are available, and obtain referrals from public child welfare agencies regarding youths in foster care who become eligible for such assistance. ; (3) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and (4) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new paragraph: (5) Requirements for assistance for youth aging out of foster care Assistance provided under this subsection for an eligible youth pursuant to paragraph (2)(B) shall be subject to the following requirements: (A) Requirements to extend assistance (i) Participation in family self-sufficiency In the case of a public housing agency that is providing such assistance under this subsection on behalf of an eligible youth and that is carrying out a family self-sufficiency program under section 23, the agency shall, subject only to the availability of such assistance, extend the provision of such assistance for up to 24 months beyond the period referred to in paragraph (2)(B), but only during such period that the youth is in compliance with the terms and conditions applicable under section 23 and the regulations implementing such section to a person participating in a family self-sufficiency program. (ii) Education, workforce development, or employment In the case of a public housing agency that is providing such assistance under this subsection on behalf of an eligible youth and that is not carrying out a family self-sufficiency program under section 23, or is carrying out such a program in which the youth has been unable to enroll, the agency shall, subject only to the availability of such assistance, extend the provision of such assistance for two successive 12-month periods, after the period referred to in paragraph (2)(B), but only if for not less than 9 months of the 12-month period preceding each such extension the youth was— (I) engaged in obtaining a recognized postsecondary credential or a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent; (II) enrolled in an institution of higher education, as such term is defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001(a) 20 U.S.C. 1002(a)(1) (III) participating in a career pathway, as such term is defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ( 29 U.S.C. 3102 Notwithstanding any other provision of this clause, a public housing agency shall consider employment as satisfying the requirements under this subparagraph. (iii) Exceptions Notwithstanding clauses (i) and (ii), a public housing agency that is providing such assistance under this subsection on behalf of an eligible youth shall extend the provision of such assistance for up to 24 months beyond the period referred to in paragraph (2)(B), and clauses (i) and (ii) of this subparagraph shall not apply, if the eligible youth certifies that he or she is— (I) a parent or other household member responsible for the care of a dependent child under the age of 6 or for the care of an incapacitated person; (II) a person who is regularly and actively participating in a drug addiction or alcohol treatment and rehabilitation program; or (III) a person who is incapable of complying with the requirement under clause (i) or (ii), as applicable, due to a documented medical condition. (iv) Verification of compliance The Secretary shall require the public housing agency to verify compliance with the requirements under this subparagraph by each eligible youth on whose behalf the agency provides such assistance under this subsection on an annual basis in conjunction with reviews of income for purposes of determining income eligibility for such assistance. (B) Supportive services (i) Eligibility Each eligible youth on whose behalf such assistance under this subsection is provided shall be eligible for any supportive services (as such term is defined in section 103 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ( 29 U.S.C. 3102 (ii) Information Upon the initial provision of such assistance under this subsection on behalf of any eligible youth, the public housing agency shall inform such eligible youth of the existence of any programs or services referred to in clause (i) and of their eligibility for such programs and services. (C) Applicability to Moving to Work agencies Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the requirements of this paragraph shall apply to assistance under this subsection pursuant to paragraph (2)(B) made available by each public housing agency participating in the Moving to Work Program under section 204 of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f (D) Termination of vouchers upon turn-over A public housing agency shall not reissue any such assistance made available from appropriated funds when assistance for the youth initially assisted is terminated, unless specifically authorized by the Secretary. (E) Reports (i) In general The Secretary shall require each public housing agency that provides such assistance under this subsection in any fiscal year to submit a report to the Secretary for such fiscal year that— (I) specifies the number of persons on whose behalf such assistance under this subsection was provided during such fiscal year; (II) specifies the number of persons who applied during such fiscal year for such assistance under this subsection, but were not provided such assistance, and provides a brief identification in each instance of the reason why the public housing agency was unable to award such assistance; and (III) describes how the public housing agency communicated or collaborated with public child welfare agencies to collect such data. (ii) Information collections The Secretary shall, to the greatest extent possible, utilize existing information collections, including the Voucher Management System (VMS), the Inventory Management System/PIH Information Center (IMS/PIC), or the successors of those systems, to collect information required under this subparagraph. (F) Consultation The Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide such information and guidance to the Secretary of Health and Human Services as may be necessary to facilitate such Secretary in informing States and public child welfare agencies on how to correctly and efficiently implement and comply with the requirements of this subsection relating to assistance provided pursuant to paragraph (2)(B). . (b) Coordination between PHAs and public child welfare agencies (1) Applicability to Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Program Subparagraph (A) of section 8(x)(4) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f(x)(4)(A) and establishing a point of contact at public housing agencies to ensure that public housing agencies receive appropriate referrals regarding eligible recipients (c) PHA administrative fees Subsection (q) of section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f(q) (5) Supplements for administering assistance for youth aging out of foster care The Secretary may provide supplemental fees under this subsection to the public housing agency for the cost of administering any assistance for foster youth under subsection (x)(2)(B), in an amount determined by the Secretary, but only if the agency waives for such eligible youth receiving assistance any residency requirement that it has otherwise established pursuant to subsection (r)(1)(B)(i). . 4. Exceptions to limitations for project-based voucher assistance (a) Percentage limitation The first sentence of clause (ii) of section 8(o)(13)(B) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(13)(B)(ii) or that that house eligible youths receiving assistance pursuant to subsection (x)(2)(B), (b) Income-Mixing requirement Subclause (I) of section 8(o)(13)(D)(ii) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(13)(D)(ii)(I) elderly families , to eligible youths receiving assistance pursuant to subsection (x)(2)(B), 5. Applicability The amendments made by this Act shall not apply to housing choice voucher assistance made available pursuant to section 8(x) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f(x)

Summary: Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act of 2019 This bill requires public housing agencies (PHAs) that administer housing choice voucher programs to, in coordination with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, extend tenant-based assistance for youth aging out of foster care under specified circumstances. Under current law, public housing assistance is available for up to 36 months for low-income youth who are 18 to 24 years old, left foster care at age 16 or older (or will soon leave foster care), and are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The bill requires PHAs to extend such housing assistance for up to 24 months (subject to available funds) for youth who are (1) employed; (2) enrolled in a workforce development program; (3) pursuing postsecondary education, high school diploma, or equivalent; or (4) participating in a family self-sufficiency program. Youth who are (1) parents (or have a dependent under age 6), (2) participating in an addiction recovery program, or (3) unable to comply due to a medical condition must receive extended housing assistance without meeting these requirements. Further, youth receiving extended housing assistance are eligible for available supportive services. PHAs also must coordinate with local child welfare agencies to receive referrals for the housing assistance program.