I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5041 
To amend the McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act to reauthorize the 
Act, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 29, 2006 
Mr. RENZI (by request) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To amend the McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act 
to reauthorize the Act, 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 ‘‘Homeless Assistance 
Consolidation Act of 2006’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
Section 102 of the McKinney Vento Homeless Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 11301) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 102. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
‘‘(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
03:14 Apr 01, 2006
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5041.IH
H5041
rfake on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
‘‘(1) assistance from the Federal Government is 
an important factor in the success of efforts by 
State and local governments and the private sector 
to address the problem of homelessness in a com-
prehensive manner; 
‘‘(2) there are several housing programs the 
Federal Government administers to assist persons 
experiencing homelessness, including programs spe-
cifically for individuals with disabling conditions, 
veterans, and youth; 
‘‘(3) homeless assistance programs must be 
evaluated on the basis of their effectiveness in reduc-
ing homelessness in their given communities, 
transitioning individuals and families to permanent 
housing and stability, and optimizing self-sufficiency; 
‘‘(4) States and units of general local govern-
ment receiving Federal grant funds must be evalu-
ated on the basis of their effectiveness in imple-
menting plans to appropriately discharge individuals 
from health care or treatment facilities or institu-
tions, foster care or youth facilities, correctional in-
stitutions, or other non-targeted service systems; 
‘‘(5) an effective plan for reducing homelessness 
should provide a comprehensive housing system (in-
cluding permanent housing, transitional housing, 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:12 Apr 01, 2006
Jkt 049196
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5041.IH
H5041
rfake on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
homelessness prevention and emergency shelter) that 
recognizes that, while some individuals and families 
experiencing homelessness attain economic viability 
and independence utilizing transitional housing and 
then permanent housing, others can become self-suf-
ficient by moving directly to permanent housing; 
‘‘(6) supportive housing activities include the 
provision of permanent housing or transitional hous-
ing, and appropriate supportive services, in an envi-
ronment that can meet the short term or long term 
needs of persons experiencing homelessness as they 
become increasingly self-sufficient; 
‘‘(7) homeless housing and supportive services 
programs within a community are most effective 
when they are developed and operated as part of an 
inclusive, collaborative, locally driven homeless plan-
ning process that involves as decisionmakers persons 
experiencing homelessness, advocates for persons ex-
periencing homelessness, service organizations, gov-
ernment officials, business persons, neighborhood 
advocates, local or national foundations, and other 
community members; 
‘‘(8) faith-based and other community-based or-
ganizations play important roles in providing hous-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:12 Apr 01, 2006
Jkt 049196
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5041.IH
H5041
rfake on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
ing and supportive services to persons experiencing 
homelessness; 
‘‘(9) homelessness is a symptom of many neigh-
borhood and community problems and the remedies 
to these problems require a comprehensive local ap-
proach integrating all available resources; 
‘‘(10) the Federal Government has a responsi-
bility to establish partnerships with State and local 
governments and private sector entities to address 
comprehensively the problems of homelessness; and 
‘‘(11) while the results of Department of Hous-
ing and Urban Development programs targeted for 
persons experiencing homelessness have been posi-
tive, the number and complexity of such programs 
calls for simplification of the community led grant 
making process. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act— 
‘‘(1) to create a unified and performance based 
process for allocating and administering funds under 
title IV; 
‘‘(2) to encourage comprehensive, collaborative 
local planning of housing and services programs for 
persons experiencing homelessness; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:12 Apr 01, 2006
Jkt 049196
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5041.IH
H5041
rfake on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
‘‘(3) to focus the resources and efforts of the 
public and private sectors on helping to prevent 
homelessness and to end chronic homelessness; 
‘‘(4) to provide funds for programs and to im-
plement activities to assist individuals and families 
in the transition from homelessness, and to prevent 
vulnerable individuals and families from becoming 
homeless; 
‘‘(5) to consolidate the separate homeless assist-
ance programs carried out under title IV (consisting 
of the supportive housing program, the safe havens 
for homeless individuals demonstration program, the 
section 8 assistance for single-room occupancy dwell-
ings program, the shelter plus care program, and the 
rural homeless housing assistance program) into a 
single program with specific eligible activities; and 
‘‘(6) to allow flexibility and creativity in re 
thinking solutions to homelessness, including hous-
ing strategies, service delivery, and the involvement 
of persons experiencing homelessness in decision-
making regarding opportunities for their long term 
stability, growth, well being and ultimate self-suffi-
ciency.’’. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:12 Apr 01, 2006
Jkt 049196
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5041.IH
H5041
rfake on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
SEC. 3. HOUSING ASSISTANCE GENERAL PROVISIONS. 
Subtitle A of title IV of the McKinney Vento Home-
less Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11361 et seq.) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking the subtitle heading and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘Subtitle A—General Provisions’’. 
(2)(A) by redesignating section 401 (42 
U.S.C.11361) as section 403; and 
(B) 
by 
redesignating 
section 
402 
(42 
U.S.C.11362) as section 406; 
(3) by inserting before section 403 (as redesig-
nated in paragraph (2)) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 401. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this title: 
‘‘(1) CHRONICALLY HOMELESS PERSON.—The 
term ‘chronically homeless person’ means an unac-
companied homeless individual with a disabling con-
dition who has either been continuously sleeping in 
a place not meant for human habitation or in an 
emergency homeless shelter for a year or more or 
who has had at least four episodes of continuously 
sleeping in a place not meant for human habitation 
or in an emergency homeless shelter in the past 
three years. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:12 Apr 01, 2006
Jkt 049196
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5041.IH
H5041
rfake on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
‘‘(2) CONTINUUM OF CARE BOARD.—The term 
‘continuum of care board’ means a legal entity 
that— 
‘‘(A) is a representative community home-
less planning body established or designed in 
accordance with section 402; and 
‘‘(B) serves as the applicant for project 
sponsors who jointly submit a single application 
for grants under subtitle C in accordance with 
a collaborative process. 
‘‘(3) CONSOLIDATED
PLAN.—The term ‘Con-
solidated Plan’ means any such plan established by 
the Secretary by regulation incorporating the appli-
cable comprehensive housing affordability strategy, 
and such other requirements as the Secretary shall 
prescribe, in accordance with title I of the Cranston- 
Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 
U.S.C. 12704 et seq.). 
‘‘(4) DISABLING
CONDITION.—The term ‘dis-
abling condition’ means a diagnosable substance use 
disorder, serious mental illness, developmental dis-
ability, or chronic physical illness or disability, in-
cluding the co-occurrence of two or more of these 
conditions, that limits an individual’s ability to work 
or perform one or more activities of daily living. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:12 Apr 01, 2006
Jkt 049196
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5041.IH
H5041
rfake on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
‘‘(5) ELIGIBLE
PERSON.—The term ‘eligible 
person’ means, with respect to subsections (a) and 
(e) of section 423, a homeless individual with a dis-
abling condition and the families of such individuals. 
‘‘(6) LEGAL ENTITY.—The term ‘legal entity’ 
means— 
‘‘(A) an entity organized or recognized 
under the authority of state law; 
‘‘(B) an organization associated with State 
or local government; or 
‘‘(C) a consortium of organizations associ-
ated with state or local governments that has 
constituted itself in accordance with subpara-
graph (A). 
‘‘(7) PERMANENT HOUSING.—The term ‘perma-
nent housing’ means housing, including rental as-
sistance, without a designated length of stay for 
homeless individuals with disabling conditions and 
homeless families that include such an individual 
that is an adult. 
‘‘(8) PRIVATE
NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION..— 
The term ‘private nonprofit organization’ means an 
organization, including faith-based and other com-
munity-based organizations— 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:12 Apr 01, 2006
Jkt 049196
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5041.IH
H5041
rfake on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
‘‘(A) organized and recognized under the 
authority of state law; 
‘‘(B) no part of the net earnings of which 
inures to the benefit of any member, founder, 
contributor, or individual; 
‘‘(C) that has a voluntary board; and 
‘‘(D) that has an accounting system, or 
has designated a fiscal agent in accordance with 
requirements established by the Secretary. 
‘‘(9) PROJECT.—The term ‘project’ means a 
structure or structures (or a portion of such struc-
ture or structures) for which— 
‘‘(A) assistance under subtitle C is used 
to— 
‘‘(i) acquire, rehabilitate, construct, 
lease or rent the structure; 
‘‘(ii) make annual payments for oper-
ating costs; or 
‘‘(iii) provide supportive services in 
connection therewith; or 
‘‘(B) the Secretary provides technical as-
sistance. 
‘‘(10) PROJECT
BASED.—The term ‘project- 
based’, used with respect to rental assistance, means 
assistance provided pursuant to a contract that— 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:12 Apr 01, 2006
Jkt 049196
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5041.IH
H5041
rfake on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
‘‘(A) is between— 
‘‘(i) a project sponsor; and 
‘‘(ii) an owner of an existing struc-
ture; and 
‘‘(B) provides that rental assistance pay-
ments shall be made to the owner and that the 
units in the structure shall be occupied by eligi-
ble persons for not less than the term of the 
contract. 
‘‘(11) PROJECT SPONSOR.—The term ‘project 
sponsor’ means the organization directly operating 
the proposed projects. 
‘‘(12) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘Secretary’ 
means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment. 
‘‘(13) STATE.—The term ‘State’ means each of 
the several States, the District of Columbia, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States 
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the North-
ern Mariana Islands and Palau. 
‘‘(14) SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.—The term ‘sup-
portive housing’ means a housing program that— 
‘‘(A) helps homeless persons and families 
transition from homelessness to living in safe, 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:12 Apr 01, 2006
Jkt 049196
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5041.IH
H5041
rfake on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
decent and affordable housing in a manner that 
optimizes self-sufficiency; and 
‘‘(B) provides supportive services and 
housing assistance on either a transitional or 
permanent basis, as determined by the assessed 
abilities and needs of the program participants. 
‘‘(15) SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.—The term ‘sup-
portive services’ means the services described in sec-
tion 428(c). 
‘‘(16) TENANT
BASED.—The term ‘tenant 
based’, used with respect to rental assistance, means 
assistance that allows an eligible person to select a 
housing unit in which such person will live using 
rental assistance provided under subtitle C, except 
that if necessary to assure that the provision of sup-
portive services to a person participating in a pro-
gram is feasible, a project sponsor may require that 
the person live— 
‘‘(A) in a particular structure or unit for 
not more than the first year of the participa-
tion; and 
‘‘(B) within a particular geographic area 
for the full period of the participation, or the 
period remaining after the period referred to in 
subparagraph (A). 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:12 Apr 01, 2006
Jkt 049196
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5041.IH
H5041
rfake on PROD1PC77 with BILLS