Housing our Military Veterans Effectively Act of 2023

To make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to homelessness, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Housing our Military Veterans Effectively Act of 2023 HOME Act of 2023 2. Per diem payments provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for services furnished to homeless veterans Section 2012 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in paragraph (2)(B)— (i) in clause (i)(II)(aa)(BB), by striking 115 percent 133 percent (ii) by adding at the end the following: (iii) During each of fiscal years 2024 through 2026, the Secretary may waive the maximum rate for per diem payments under clause (i)(II)(aa)(BB) or (ii) and, subject to the availability of appropriations, provide such payments at a rate that does not exceed 200 percent of the rate authorized for State homes for domiciliary care under subsection (a)(1)(A) of section 1741 of this title, as the Secretary may increase from time to time under subsection (c) of that section if the Secretary notifies Congress of such waiver. (iv) The Secretary may not, pursuant to clause (iii), waive the maximum rate described in such clause for more than 50 percent of all grant recipients and eligible entities in a fiscal year. ; and (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (4) The Secretary may not provide more than 12,000 per diem payments under this section in a fiscal year. ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (f) Reports required Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of the HOME Act of 2023, and not less frequently than twice each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the rate for per diem payments under this section that includes, for each Veterans Integrated Service Network of the Department, the following data: (1) The average rate for such a payment. (2) A list of locations where the rate for such a payment is within 10 percent of the maximum rate for such a payment authorized under this section. (3) The average length of stay by a veteran participating in a program described in section 2012(a) of this title. . 3. Authorization for Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use of certain funds for improved flexibility in assistance to homeless veterans (a) Use of funds The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may use amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out section 2011, 2012, 2031, or 2061 of title 38, United States Code, to provide to a covered veteran, as the Secretary determines necessary— (1) food, shelter, clothing, blankets, and hygiene items required for the safety and survival of the veteran; (2) transportation required to support the stability and health of the veteran for appointments with service providers, the conduct of housing searches, and the obtainment of food and supplies; and (3) tablets, smartphones, disposable phones, and related service plans required to support the stability and health of the veteran through the maintenance of contact with service providers, prospective landlords, and family members. (b) Homeless veterans on Department of Veterans Affairs land (1) In general The Secretary may collaborate, to the extent practicable, with one or more organizations to manage the use of land of the Department of Veterans Affairs for homeless veterans for living and sleeping. (2) Forms of collaboration Collaboration under paragraph (1) may include the provision by either the Secretary or the head of the organization concerned of food services and security for property, buildings, and other facilities owned or controlled by the Department of Veterans Affairs. (c) Report required Not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every six months thereafter until the date specified in subsection (d), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that includes, with respect to the period covered by such report— (1) a statement, disaggregated by each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs, of the amount of funds under this section— (A) each such medical center requested from the Secretary; and (B) to which the Secretary provided each such medical center; (2) data, disaggregated by each such medical center, relating to how each such medical center used amounts provided by the Secretary under this section; (3) the number of covered veterans to which the Secretary provided assistance under this section; (4) the total amount of assistance the Secretary provided to covered veterans pursuant to subsection (a)(3) for communications equipment, broken down by the type of equipment provided; (5) the total amount of assistance the Secretary provided covered veterans pursuant to subsection (a)(2) for ridesharing; (6) the number of covered veterans who received such assistance; and (7) a description, for each rideshare used by a covered veteran with such assistance, of the reasons such covered veteran used such rideshare. (8) the number of covered veterans who lived or slept on Department land; (9) the amount of funds used to make available Department land for covered veterans to live and sleep; (10) the number of Department employees whose primary responsibilities involved providing services for covered veterans living or sleeping on Department land; (11) the average length of time a covered veteran lived or slept on Department land, and (12) the period of time the Secretary expects Department land will be made available for covered veterans to live and sleep. (d) Sunset The authority under this section shall terminate on September 30, 2024. (e) Definitions In this section, the term covered veteran (1) a homeless veteran; and (2) a veteran participating in the program carried out under section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19) 4. Modification of certain housing loan fees The loan fee table in section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking November 14, 2031 May 18, 2032 September 8, 2023 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Housing our Military Veterans Effectively Act of 2023 or the HOME Act of 2023 This bill addresses the funding and administration of certain Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs related to homeless veterans. Specifically, the bill increases the maximum rate of per diem payments provided by the VA to entities (i.e., grant recipients or authorized entities) that furnish services and transitional housing to homeless veterans. The bill also authorizes the VA to provide a maximum of 200% of the otherwise applicable maximum rate to a certain number of grant recipients and authorized entities in each fiscal year from FY2024 through FY2026. Under the bill, the VA may not provide more than 12,000 per diem payments in a fiscal year. Through FY2024, the bill authorizes the VA to use certain available funds to provide specified assistance to homeless veterans who are participating in the Department of Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. Such assistance may include food, shelter, clothing, transportation for specified purposes, and technology items such as smartphones. The bill authorizes the VA to collaborate with organizations to manage the use of VA land for homeless veterans to live and sleep. The bill also extends certain loan fee rates through May 18, 2032, under the VA's home loan program.