I 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4057 
To establish a grant program administered under an agreement among the 
Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human 
Services, and Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the U.S. Interagency 
Council on Homelessness, to address the goal of ending chronic homeless-
ness through coordinated provision of housing, health care, mental health 
and substance abuse treatment, supportive and other services, including 
assistance in accessing non-homeless specific benefits and services, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 30, 2004 
Mr. RENZI (for himself, Mrs. NORTHUP, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. NEY, Mr. SIMMONS, 
Mr. PICKERING, Mr. TIBERI, Ms. PRYCE of Ohio, Mr. MATHESON, Mrs. 
JOHNSON of Connecticut, Mr. CAPUANO, and Mr. REYNOLDS) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Serv-
ices 
A BILL 
To establish a grant program administered under an agree-
ment among the Secretaries of Housing and Urban De-
velopment, Health and Human Services, and Veterans 
Affairs, in consultation with the U.S. Interagency Coun-
cil on Homelessness, to address the goal of ending chron-
ic homelessness through coordinated provision of housing, 
health care, mental health and substance abuse treat-
ment, supportive and other services, including assistance 
in accessing non-homeless specific benefits and services, 
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Samaritan Initiative 
Act of 2004’’. 
SEC. 2. SAMARITAN INITIATIVE. 
Title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 11136 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following new subtitle: 
‘‘Subtitle H—Samaritan Initiative 
‘‘SEC. 495. PURPOSE. 
‘‘The purpose of the Samaritan Initiative is to au-
thorize competitive grants for coordinated comprehensive 
housing, treatment, and support services to chronically 
homeless persons to accomplish the following objectives: 
‘‘(1) To reduce the prevalence of chronic home-
lessness. 
‘‘(2) To support promising strategies to move 
chronically homeless persons in urban and rural 
communities from the streets to safe, permanent 
housing. 
‘‘(3) To provide for integrated systems of serv-
ices to improve the effectiveness of programs serving 
chronically homeless persons.
‘‘(4) To promote self-sufficiency and recovery 
among chronically homeless persons. 
‘‘(5) To encourage programs serving chronically 
homeless persons to promote access to Federal, 
State, and local non-homeless specific programs of 
assistance for which such persons are eligible. 
‘‘SEC. 495A. GRANT AUTHORITY AND ADMINISTRATION. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The participating Federal agen-
cies shall enter into an agreement among the agencies to 
make and administer competitive grants to eligible enti-
ties, including faith-based and community-based organiza-
tions, in accordance with the provisions of this subtitle for 
the purpose of providing treatment and support services 
that are coordinated with housing for chronically homeless 
persons. 
‘‘(b) ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The agreement authorized 
under subsection (a) shall designate the Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Development as the admin-
istering Secretary. 
‘‘(2) DELEGATIONS.—No provision of this sub-
title shall be construed as limiting the ability of the 
participating Federal agencies to delegate, assign, or 
share administrative responsibilities as the partici-
pating Federal agencies may determine to be nec-
essary or appropriate. 
‘‘(c) COORDINATION AMONG PARTICIPATING FED-
ERAL AGENCIES.—The administering Secretary shall co-
ordinate with other participating Federal agencies to im-
plement and administer the grant program established 
under this subtitle. 
‘‘(d) INTERAGENCY IMPLEMENTATION
AND MONI-
TORING TEAM.—The participating Federal agencies shall 
establish an interagency implementation and monitoring 
team to review and conduct oversight of program grantees 
under this subtitle. Each participating Federal agency 
shall appoint appropriate designees to serve on the imple-
mentation and monitoring team. 
‘‘(e) COORDINATION REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the grant 
program under this subtitle, the interagency imple-
mentation and monitoring team shall establish uni-
form or coordinated requirements, standards, proce-
dures, and timetables to the maximum extent fea-
sible and appropriate. 
‘‘(2) APPLICABILITY.—The general principle set 
forth in paragraph (1) shall be implemented by the 
interagency implementation and monitoring team 
with respect to—
‘‘(A) application procedures and grant re-
quirements, including those providing for— 
‘‘(i) a single consolidated application 
form; and 
‘‘(ii) a single timetable, location, and 
procedure for filing of a consolidated appli-
cation; 
‘‘(B) criteria for award of grants; 
‘‘(C) a coordinated process for review and 
approval or denial of the consolidated applica-
tion; 
‘‘(D) establishment of performance stand-
ards and measures of performance outcomes, 
including— 
‘‘(i) the requirement that the Sec-
retary of Housing and Urban Development 
attempt to quantify the reduction in chron-
ic homelessness; and 
‘‘(ii) the requirement that, where ap-
plicable, the grantees utilize a Homeless 
Management Information System; 
‘‘(E) oversight, including monitoring, au-
dits, and evaluations of grantees, and require-
ments for annual reports by grantees; and
‘‘(F) other factors that the interagency im-
plementation and monitoring team determines 
are necessary or appropriate. 
‘‘(3) PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT.— 
‘‘(A) Subject to paragraph (1), the inter-
agency implementation and monitoring team 
shall establish such performance standards, per-
formance measures, and annual reporting re-
quirements and make such performance reviews 
and audits as may be necessary or appropriate 
for the following purposes: 
‘‘(i) To determine whether a grantee 
has carried out its activities in a timely 
manner and in accordance with applicable 
requirements of this subtitle. 
‘‘(ii) To assess the effectiveness of a 
grantee in accomplishing the objectives of 
this subtitle. 
‘‘(iii) Other such purposes as the 
interagency implementation and moni-
toring team may deem significant with re-
spect to the performance assessment of a 
grantee. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
may provide program monitoring and evaluation
services and staff to participating Federal agen-
cies. In such cases, participating Federal agen-
cies may reimburse such Secretary, as appro-
priate. 
‘‘(f) PROVISIONS AND REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE 
TO GRANTS UNDER THIS SUBTITLE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A grantee under this sub-
title shall establish and operate a system of assist-
ance to chronically homeless persons that identifies 
such persons and provides to such persons access to 
affordable permanent housing that is coordinated 
with appropriate treatment and support. 
‘‘(2) 
REQUIRED
GRANTEE
ACTIVITIES.—A 
grantee under this subtitle shall carry out, directly 
or through arrangements with a network of other 
entities, the following: 
‘‘(A) HOUSING
ACTIVITIES.—Eligible ac-
tivities specified in section 495B(a) that ensure 
the placement of chronically homeless persons 
in safe, affordable, permanent housing. 
‘‘(B) TREATMENT AND SUPPORT ACTIVI-
TIES.—Eligible activities specified in section 
495C(a) to address the multiple physical health, 
mental health, and substance abuse treatment 
needs of chronically homeless persons who are
eligible for or residents in housing under section 
495B(a). 
‘‘(C) SERVICE COORDINATION.—Activities, 
including those coordinated with local planning 
bodies, that promote the access of eligible 
chronically homeless persons to a range of serv-
ices that contribute to self-sufficiency, recovery, 
employment, stability in housing, and access to 
health care. 
‘‘(D) 
ADMINISTRATION.—Administrative 
and planning activities, including the develop-
ment and implementation of comprehensive 
plans for housing and services at the grantee 
level with costs not to exceed 6 percent of total 
costs of carrying out the program under this 
subtitle. 
‘‘(E) OTHER
SERVICES.—Such services 
and activities as the participating Federal agen-
cies may find necessary and appropriate. 
‘‘(3) CRITERIA FOR GRANT AWARD.—The cri-
teria for the award of grants under this subtitle 
shall include the following: 
‘‘(A) The extent to which the applicant 
demonstrates an understanding of the unique 
characteristics of chronically homeless persons.
‘‘(B) The adequacy of the applicant’s ap-
proach in addressing the needs of the chron-
ically homeless. 
‘‘(C) The capacity of the applicant to carry 
out and sustain required activities. 
‘‘(D) Where services are to be provided 
through a network of entities, the adequacy of 
the qualifications of such entities and the stated 
willingness of such entities to collaborate and 
participate in carrying out proposed activities. 
‘‘(E) The extent to which the applicant has 
been involved in Federal, State, or local non- 
homeless specific programs of assistance that 
could provide additional assistance to eligible 
chronically homeless persons. 
‘‘(F) The commitment and the dem-
onstrated ability of the applicant to enumerate 
the reduction in the number of chronically 
homeless persons. 
‘‘(G) Such additional criteria as the par-
ticipating Federal agencies may deem signifi-
cant or necessary with respect to the applicant’s 
potential success in carrying out the purpose of 
this subtitle.
‘‘(4) INITIAL
TERM
OF
GRANT.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of law, each grant shall 
be for an initial term of 3 years. 
‘‘(5) 
GRANT
RENEWAL.—The 
participating 
Federal agencies may award on a competitive basis 
a renewal grant under this subtitle for additional 3- 
year terms, subject to the grantee’s continued quali-
fication for the grant as determined by the partici-
pating Federal agencies. The amount of a renewal 
grant under this paragraph may be up to 50 percent 
of the cost of the program. 
‘‘(6) FEDERAL MATCHING.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—A grant under this 
subtitle shall be available to pay the Federal 
share of the costs incurred by the grantee for 
activities under this subtitle. 
‘‘(B) FEDERAL SHARE.—For purposes of 
subparagraph (A), the Federal share shall be 
75 percent of the cost of the program for the 
first year of the grant, 75 percent for the sec-
ond year, and 50 percent for each succeeding 
year, including each year of a renewal grant 
term under paragraph (5).
‘‘(C) NON-FEDERAL
SHARE.—The non- 
Federal share of costs incurred by the grantee 
may be in cash or in-kind, as appropriate. 
‘‘(7) GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION.—The partici-
pating Federal agencies shall ensure that consider-
ation is given to geographic distribution (such as 
urban and rural areas) in the awarding of grants 
under subsection (a). 
‘‘(8) DISCLOSURE.—Section 12(a) of the De-
partment of Housing and Urban Development Act 
(42 U.S.C. 3537a(a)) shall not apply to this subtitle. 
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) There are authorized to be appropriated to 
carry out this subtitle $70,000,000 for fiscal year 
2005, of which— 
‘‘(A) $50,000,000 is authorized to be ap-
propriated to the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development; 
‘‘(B) $10,000,000 is authorized to be ap-
propriated to the Department of Health and 
Human Services; and 
‘‘(C) Up to $10,000,000 is authorized 
from the amounts to be appropriated to the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs for treatment of
homeless veterans under Medical Care to carry 
out section 495D. 
‘‘(2) There are authorized to be appropriated 
such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal 
years 2006, 2007, and 2008. 
‘‘(h) AUTHORITY TO CONSOLIDATE FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of carrying 
out the program under this subtitle, in accordance 
with the agreement under subsection (a), the partici-
pating Federal agencies are authorized to transfer to 
the administering Secretary funds appropriated for 
use under this subtitle, and the administering Sec-
retary may receive such funds. 
‘‘(2) CONSTRUCTION.—In the event that, not-
withstanding subsection (g), funds are not appro-
priated for use in accordance with this subtitle to 
one or more participating Federal agencies in any 
fiscal year, paragraph (1) shall not be construed to 
require a participating Federal agency that has been 
provided with budget authority pursuant to sub-
section (g) in a fiscal year to use such budget au-
thority to fund grants for activities that are not in 
accordance with the primary mission of such partici-
pating Federal agency.
‘‘(i) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT.—In ad-
dition to funds otherwise provided for agency administra-
tive costs, up to 2 percent of amounts appropriated for 
the activities under this subtitle may be used by the par-
ticipating Federal agencies for administrative costs, in-
cluding to— 
‘‘(1) provide technical assistance to applicants 
and grantees; and 
‘‘(2) provide support and assistance in selecting 
and assessing projects to carry out the purpose of 
this subtitle, including any preparation necessary for 
such selection and assessment. 
‘‘SEC. 495B. HOUSING ACTIVITIES. 
‘‘(a) ELIGIBLE HOUSING ACTIVITIES.—Subject to 
the provisions of section 495A, a grant under this subtitle 
shall be used for activities in support of permanent hous-
ing for chronically homeless persons, including the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) PROVISION OF HOUSING.— 
‘‘(A) ACQUISITION.—The acquisition of oc-
cupancy-ready real property. 
‘‘(B) REHABILITATION.—The minor reha-
bilitation of real property for housing. 
‘‘(C) OPERATING COSTS.—The costs of op-
erating a housing project, including salaries and
benefits, maintenance, insurance, utilities, re-
placement reserve accounts, and furnishings. 
‘‘(D) LEASING.—Leasing of an existing 
structure or structures, or portions thereof to 
provide housing. 
‘‘(E) HOUSING
COUNSELING.—The costs 
of counseling and advice services with respect to 
property maintenance, financial management, 
and other such matters as may be appropriate 
to assist chronically homeless persons in obtain-
ing housing. 
‘‘(2) RENTAL
ASSISTANCE.—Project-based or 
tenant-based rental assistance for chronically home-
less persons, which assistance shall be provided to 
the extent practicable in the manner provided under 
section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 
(42 U.S.C. 1437f). 
‘‘(3) OTHER ACTIVITIES.—Such other activities 
as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment determines to be appropriate. 
‘‘(b) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR HOUSING AC-
TIVITIES.— 
‘‘(1) REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING REAL PROP-
ERTY.—
‘‘(A) USE
RESTRICTION.—Each grantee 
under this subtitle shall ensure that permanent 
housing projects for chronically homeless per-
sons that are acquired or rehabilitated with 
grant amounts under this subtitle are used for 
such persons for not less than 10 years. 
‘‘(B) HOUSING
QUALITY.—Each grantee 
under this subtitle shall ensure that housing as-
sisted with grant amounts provided under this 
subtitle is decent, safe, and sanitary and com-
plies with all applicable State and local housing 
codes, building codes, and licensing require-
ments in the jurisdiction in which the housing 
is located. 
‘‘(C) PREVENTION OF UNDUE BENEFIT.— 
Subject to the provisions of section 495A(e), 
the Secretary of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment may prescribe such terms and conditions 
as such Secretary considers necessary to pre-
vent grantees from unduly benefiting from the 
sale or other disposition of projects, other than 
a sale or other disposition resulting in the use 
of a project for the direct benefit of chronically 
homeless persons.
‘‘(2) HOMELESS
MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION 
SYSTEM.—Each grantee shall be required to provide 
such information to the appropriate administrator of 
the local homeless management information system, 
as is necessary for the implementation and operation 
of homeless management information systems. 
‘‘SEC. 495C. TREATMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES. 
‘‘Subject to the provision of section 495A, a grant 
under this subtitle shall be used to provide treatment and 
support services, which may include the following: 
‘‘(1) PRIMARY
HEALTH
SERVICES.—Primary 
health services, including the following: 
‘‘(A) PHYSICIAN AND OTHER SERVICES.— 
Health services related to family medicine, in-
ternal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, or gyne-
cology that are furnished by physicians and 
where appropriate, physicians’ assistants, nurse 
practitioners, and nurse midwives. 
‘‘(B) DIAGNOSTIC
SERVICES.—Diagnostic 
laboratory and radiological services. 
‘‘(C) PREVENTIVE
SERVICES.—Preventive 
health services. 
‘‘(D) EMERGENCY SERVICES.—Emergency 
medical services.
‘‘(E) ACCESS TO PHARMACEUTICAL SERV-
ICES.—Access to pharmaceutical services. 
‘‘(2) ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE SERVICES.— 
Services or activities designed to prevent, deter, re-
duce, or eliminate substance abuse or addictive be-
haviors, including a comprehensive range of personal 
and family counseling methods, early interventions, 
methadone treatment for opiate abusers, or detoxi-
fication for alcohol and other drug abusers, and 
treatment services such as intake and assessment, 
behavioral therapy and counseling, clinical and case 
management, pharmacotherapies, and self-help and 
peer support activities. 
‘‘(3) MENTAL HEALTH AND COUNSELING SERV-
ICES.—Mental health and counseling services, in-
cluding services and activities that apply therapeutic 
processes to personal, family, or situational problems 
in order to bring about a positive resolution of the 
problem or improved individual functioning or cir-
cumstances, including crisis interventions, individual 
supportive therapy, and prescription of psychotropic 
medications or explanations about the use and man-
agement of medications. 
‘‘(4) OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.—Outreach 
services including extending services or help to
homeless persons to develop a relationship of trust 
and engage such persons into appropriate service 
programs. 
‘‘(5) INFORMATION AND REFERRAL.—Services 
or activities designed to provide information about 
services and assistance provided through public and 
private programs, including Federal, State and local 
non-homeless targeted programs that provide or fi-
nancially support the provision of medical, social, 
educational, or other related services, and a brief as-
sessment of client needs to facilitate appropriate re-
ferrals. 
‘‘(6) CASE
MANAGEMENT.—Case management 
services and activities, including the arrangement, 
coordination, monitoring, and delivery of services to 
meet the needs of individuals who are homeless, in-
cluding individual service plan development, coun-
seling, monitoring, securing and coordinating serv-
ices. 
‘‘(7) OTHER SERVICES.—Such other services as 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services deter-
mines appropriate.
‘‘SEC. 495D. VETERANS’ BENEFITS. 
‘‘Subject to the provisions of section 495A, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs is authorized to provide eligible 
veterans with case management services. 
‘‘SEC. 495E. AUTHORITY OF OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES TO 
PARTICIPATE UNDER THIS SUBTITLE. 
‘‘Federal agencies, in addition to the Secretaries of 
Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human 
Services, and Veterans Affairs, may participate under the 
provisions of this subtitle to the extent funds are appro-
priated to each agency for purposes of participating under 
the provisions of this subtitle. 
‘‘SEC. 495F. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘For purposes of this subtitle, the following defini-
tions shall apply— 
‘‘(1) ADMINISTERING
SECRETARY.—The term 
‘administering Secretary’ shall mean the Secretary 
designated as responsible for administration of the 
grant program under this subtitle by the agreement 
authorized in section 495A(a). 
‘‘(2) CHRONICALLY HOMELESS PERSON.—The 
term ‘chronically homeless person’ means an unac-
companied disabled individual who has been sleeping 
in one or more places not meant for human habi-
tation or in one or more emergency homeless shel-
ters for over one year or who has had four or more 
periods of homelessness over three years. 
‘‘(3) DISABLED
INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘dis-
abled individual’ means an individual whose ability 
to work or perform one or more activities of daily 
living is limited due to— 
‘‘(A) a diagnosable substance use disorder, 
serious mental illness, developmental disability, 
or chronic physical illness or disability; or 
‘‘(B) the co-occurrence of two or more of 
these conditions. 
‘‘(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en-
tity’ means a State, unit of general local govern-
ment, public housing agency, local workforce invest-
ment board and private nonprofit organization, in-
cluding a faith-based or community-based organiza-
tion. 
‘‘(5) ELIGIBLE VETERAN.—The term ‘eligible 
veteran’ means a person who served in the active 
military, naval, or air service, and who was dis-
charged or released under conditions other than dis-
honorable. 
‘‘(6) HOMELESS
MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION 
SYSTEM.—The term ‘Homeless Management Infor-
mation System’ shall mean a computerized data col-
lection application maintained by an eligible entity, 
that— 
‘‘(A) enumerates the homeless population 
within the jurisdiction of the eligible entity and 
the number of homeless individuals that re-
ceived services from the eligible entity; and 
‘‘(B) captures information on the charac-
teristics and service needs of homeless individ-
uals. 
‘‘(7) 
INTERAGENCY
IMPLEMENTATION
AND 
MONITORING TEAM.—The term ‘interagency imple-
mentation and monitoring team’ shall mean a group 
of representatives appointed by each participating 
Federal agency, which shall coordinate among each 
other in implementing the provisions of this subtitle 
in accordance with subsection 495A(d) and which 
shall coordinate the review and oversight of program 
grantees under this subtitle. 
‘‘(8) PARTICIPATING FEDERAL AGENCY.—The 
term ‘participating Federal agency’ shall mean the 
Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development, 
Health and Human Services, and Veterans Affairs, 
or any other Federal agency that may receive appro-
priations for purposes of participating under the 
provisions of this subtitle.
‘‘(9) PRIVATE
NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION.— 
The term ‘private nonprofit organization’ means a 
private organization— 
‘‘(A) no part of the net earnings of which 
inures to benefits of any member, founder, con-
tributor, or individual; 
‘‘(B) that has a voluntary board; and 
‘‘(C) that has an accounting system or a 
designated fiscal agent in accordance with re-
quirements established by the participating 
Federal agencies. 
‘‘(10) PUBLIC
HOUSING
AGENCY.—The term 
‘public housing agency’ has the same meaning as in 
section 3(b)(6) of the United States Housing Act of 
1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(6)). 
‘‘(11) STATE.—The term ‘State’ means any 
State of the United States, the District of Columbia, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Is-
lands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mar-
iana Islands, or any agency or instrumentality there-
of that is established pursuant to legislation and 
designated by the chief executive officer to act on 
behalf of the State with regard to provisions of this 
subtitle.
‘‘(12) UNIT
OF
GENERAL
LOCAL
GOVERN-
MENT.—The term ‘unit of general local government’ 
means— 
‘‘(A) a city, town, township, county, parish, 
village, or other general purpose political sub-
division of a State; and 
‘‘(B) any agency or instrumentality thereof 
that is established pursuant to legislation and 
designated by the chief executive officer to act 
on behalf of the jurisdiction with regard to pro-
visions of this subtitle.’’. 
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