I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 165 
To require the inclusion of veterans in housing planning and an annual 
report on housing assistance to veterans, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 4, 2021 
Mr. GREEN of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To require the inclusion of veterans in housing planning 
and an annual report on housing assistance to veterans, 
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 ‘‘Improving Access to 
Homes for Heroes Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF VETERANS IN HOUSING PLANNING. 
(a) PUBLIC
HOUSING
AGENCY
PLANS.—Section 
5A(d)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
U.S.C. 1437c–1(d)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘and dis-
abled families’’ and inserting ‘‘, disabled families, and vet-
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(1) The number of homeless veterans provided 
assistance under the program of housing choice 
vouchers for homeless veterans under section 
8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 
(42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)), the socioeconomic charac-
teristics and racial characteristics of such homeless 
veterans, and the number, types, and locations of en-
tities contracted under such section to administer 
the vouchers. 
(2) The number of homeless veterans provided 
assistance under the Tribal HUD–VA Supportive 
Housing Program (HUD–VASH) authorized by the 
Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropria-
tions Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113–235; 128 Stat. 2733) 
the socioeconomic characteristics and racial charac-
teristics of such homeless veterans, and the number, 
types, and locations of entities contracted under 
such section to administer the vouchers. 
(3) A summary description of the special con-
siderations made for veterans under public housing 
agency plans submitted pursuant to section 5A of 
the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
1437c–1) and under comprehensive housing afford-
ability strategies submitted pursuant to section 105 
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of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Hous-
ing Act (42 U.S.C. 12705). 
(4) A description of the activities of the Special 
Assistant for Veterans Affairs. 
(5) A description of the efforts of the Depart-
ment of Housing and Urban Development to coordi-
nate the delivery of housing and services to veterans 
with other Federal departments and agencies, in-
cluding the Department of Defense, Department of 
Justice, Department of Labor, Department of 
Health and Human Services, Department of Vet-
erans Affairs, Interagency Council on Homelessness, 
and the Social Security Administration. 
(6) The cost to the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development of administering the programs 
and activities relating to veterans. 
(7) Any other information that the Secretary 
considers relevant in assessing the programs and ac-
tivities of the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development relating to veterans. 
(c) ASSESSMENT OF HOUSING NEEDS OF VERY LOW- 
INCOME VETERAN FAMILIES.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—For the first report sub-
mitted pursuant to subsection (a) and every fifth re-
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port thereafter, the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development shall— 
(A) conduct an assessment of the housing 
needs of very low-income veteran families (as 
such term is defined in paragraph 5); and 
(B) shall include in each such report find-
ings regarding such assessment. 
(2) CONTENT.—Each assessment under this 
subsection shall include— 
(A) conducting a survey of, and direct 
interviews with, a representative sample of very 
low-income veteran families (as such term is de-
fined in paragraph 5) to determine past and 
current— 
(i) socioeconomic characteristics of 
such veteran families; 
(ii) barriers to such veteran families 
obtaining safe, quality, and affordable 
housing; 
(iii) levels of homelessness among 
such veteran families; and 
(iv) levels and circumstances of, and 
barriers to, receipt by such veteran families 
of rental housing and homeownership as-
sistance; and 
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(B) such other information that the Sec-
retary determines, in consultation with the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs and national non-
governmental organizations concerned with vet-
erans, homelessness, and very low-income hous-
ing, may be useful to the assessment. 
(3) CONDUCT.—If the Secretary contracts with 
an entity other than the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development to conduct the assessment 
under this subsection, such entity shall be a non-
governmental organization determined by the Sec-
retary to have appropriate expertise in quantitative 
and qualitative social science research. 
(4) FUNDING.—Of any amounts made available 
pursuant to section 501 of the Housing and Urban 
Development Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 1701z–1) for 
programs of research, studies, testing, or demonstra-
tion relating to the mission or programs of the De-
partment of Housing and Urban Development for 
any fiscal year in which an assessment under this 
subsection is required pursuant to paragraph (1) of 
this subsection, $1,000,000 shall be available until 
expended for costs of the assessment under this sub-
section. 
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(5) VERY LOW-INCOME VETERAN FAMILY.—The 
term ‘‘very low-income veteran family’’ means a vet-
eran family whose income does not exceed 50 per-
cent of the median income for the area, as deter-
mined by the Secretary with adjustments for smaller 
and larger families, except that the Secretary may 
establish an income ceiling higher or lower than 50 
percent of the median for the area on the basis of 
the Secretary’s findings that such variations are nec-
essary because of prevailing levels of construction 
costs or fair market rents (as determined under sec-
tion 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
U.S.C. 1437f)). 
Æ 
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