Emergency Housing Voucher Act of 2020

To authorize emergency housing voucher assistance, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Emergency Housing Voucher Act of 2020 2. Emergency housing voucher program (a) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (in this section referred to as the Secretary (1) 200,000 incremental emergency housing vouchers under subsection (b); (2) renewals of emergency housing vouchers under subsection (b); and (3) fees for the costs of administering emergency housing vouchers under subsection (b). (b) Emergency housing vouchers (1) In general The Secretary shall provide emergency housing vouchers under this subsection, which shall be tenant-based rental assistance under section 8(o) the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f(o) (2) Selection of families (A) Preferences for emergency housing vouchers Each public housing agency administering assistance under this section shall provide preference for such assistance to eligible families that are— (i) homeless (as such term is defined in section 103(a) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 11302(a) (ii) at risk of homelessness (as such term is defined in section 401 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 11360 (iii) fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. (B) Allocation In allocating amounts made available under this section, the Secretary shall— (i) not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, allocate at least 50 percent of such amounts to public housing agencies in accordance with a formula that considers— (I) the capability of public housing agencies to promptly use emergency housing vouchers provided under this section; and (II) the need for emergency housing vouchers provided under this section in the geographical area, based on factors determined by the Secretary, including risk of transmission of Coronavirus (COVID–19), high numbers or rates of sheltered and unsheltered homelessness, and economic and housing market conditions; (ii) allocate remaining amounts in accordance with a formula that considers— (I) the criteria under clause (i) and the success of a public housing agency in promptly utilizing emergency housing vouchers awarded under clause (i); and (II) the capability of the public housing agency to create and manage structured partnerships with service providers for the delivery of appropriate community-based services; and (iii) designate the number of emergency housing vouchers under this section that each public housing agency that is awarded funds under this section is authorized to administer. (C) Election not to administer If a public housing agency elects not to administer amounts under this section, the Secretary shall award such amounts to other public housing agencies according to the criteria in subparagraph (B). (D) Failure to use vouchers promptly If a public housing agency fails to issue all of its authorized emergency housing vouchers under this section on behalf of eligible families within a reasonable period of time as determined by the Secretary, the Secretary shall reallocate any unissued emergency housing vouchers and associated funds to others public housing agencies according to the criteria under subparagraph (B)(ii). (3) Waivers and alternative requirements Any waiver or alternative requirement that the Secretary makes available to all public housing agencies in connection with assistance made available under the heading Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Public Law 116–136 (4) Termination of vouchers upon turnover (A) In general A public housing agency may not reissue any emergency housing vouchers made available under this section when assistance for the family initially assisted is terminated. (B) Reallocation Upon termination of assistance for one or more families assisted by a public housing agency under this section, the Secretary shall reallocate amounts that are no longer needed by such public housing agency for assistance under this section to another public housing agency for the renewal of emergency housing vouchers previously authorized under this section. (c) Definition In this section, the term public housing agency 42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(6)

Summary: Emergency Housing Voucher Act of 2020 This bill authorizes the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide emergency rental assistance vouchers to public housing agencies (PHAs) to administer to eligible low-income families. In administering such vouchers, PHAs must give preference to families that are (1) homeless; (2) at risk of homelessness; or (3) fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.