Emergency Homelessness Assistance Act of 2021

To provide emergency homelessness assistance to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Emergency Homelessness Assistance Act of 2021 2. Homelessness assistance and supportive services program (a) Appropriation In addition to amounts otherwise made available, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated for fiscal year 2021, $5,000,000,000, as authorized under title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act, as amended ( 42 U.S.C. 12721 (1) Tenant-based rental assistance. (2) The development and support of affordable housing pursuant to section 212(a) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act ( 42 U.S.C. 12742(a) (3) Supportive services to qualifying individuals or families not already receiving such supportive services, including— (A) activities listed in section 401(29) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 11360(29) (B) housing counseling; and (C) homeless prevention services. (4) The acquisition and development of non-congregate shelter units, all or a portion of which may— (A) be converted to permanent affordable housing; (B) be used as emergency shelter under subtitle B of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 11371–11378 (C) be converted to permanent housing under subtitle C of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 11381–11389 (D) remain as non-congregate shelter units. (b) Qualifying individuals or families defined For the purposes of this section, qualifying individuals or families are those who are— (1) homeless, as defined in section 103(a) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 11302(a) (2) at-risk of homelessness, as defined in section 401(1) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 11360(1) (3) fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking; (4) in other populations where providing supportive services or assistance under section 212(a) of the Act ( 42 U.S.C. 12742(a) (5) veterans and families that include a veteran family member that meet one of the preceding criteria. (c) Terms and conditions (1) Funding restrictions The cost limits in section 212(e) ( 42 U.S.C. 12742(e) 42 U.S.C. 12749(g) 42 U.S.C. 12750 42 U.S.C. 12771 (2) Administrative costs Notwithstanding sections 212(c) and (d)(1) of the Act ( 42 U.S.C. 12742(c) (3) Operating expenses Notwithstanding sections 212(a) and (g) of the Act ( 42 U.S.C. 12742(a) (A) such funds are used to develop the capacity of the community housing development organization or nonprofit organization in the jurisdiction or insular area to carry out activities authorized under this section; and (B) the community housing development organization or nonprofit organization complies with the limitation on assistance in section 234(b) of the Act ( 42 U.S.C. 12774(b) (d) Allocation (1) Formula assistance Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), amounts made available under this section shall be allocated pursuant to section 217 of the Act ( 42 U.S.C. 12746 (2) Technical assistance Up to $25,000,000 of the amounts made available under this section shall be used, without competition, to make new awards or increase prior awards to existing technical assistance providers to provide an immediate increase in capacity building and technical assistance available to any grantees implementing activities or projects consistent with this section. (3) Other costs Up to $50,000,000 of the amounts made available under this section shall be used for the administrative costs to oversee and administer implementation of this section and the HOME program generally, including information technology, financial reporting, and other costs. (4) Waivers Any provision of any statute or regulation used to administer the amounts made available under this section (except for requirements related to fair housing, nondiscrimination, labor standards, and the environment), may be waived upon a finding that any such waivers or alternative requirements are necessary to expedite or facilitate the use of amounts made available in this section.

Summary: Emergency Homelessness Assistance Act of 2021 This bill provides additional FY2021 funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development's HOME Investment Partnerships Program. Funding is provided for tenant-based rental assistance, development and support of affordable housing, supportive housing services, and the acquisition of non-congregate shelter units. These units may remain non-congregate shelter units, be converted into permanent affordable housing, or be used as emergency shelter. Individuals qualifying for such assistance include at-risk veterans and individuals who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence or other dangerous situations.