IIB 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6361 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
SEPTEMBER 20, 2012 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs 
AN ACT 
To exclude from consideration as income under the United 
States Housing Act of 1937 payments of pension made 
under section 1521 of title 38, United States Code, to 
veterans who are in need of regular aid and attendance, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Vulnerable Veterans 
Housing Reform Act of 2012’’. 
SEC. 2. EXCLUSION FROM INCOME. 
Paragraph (4) of section 3(b) of the United States 
Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(4)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and any amounts’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘, any amounts’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘or any deferred’’ and inserting 
‘‘, any deferred’’; and 
(3) by inserting after ‘‘prospective monthly 
amounts’’ the following: ‘‘, and any expenses related 
to aid and attendance as detailed under section 1521 
of title 38, United States Code’’. 
SEC. 3. UTILITY ALLOWANCES AND DATA. 
Section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 
1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end the 
following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(D) UTILITY ALLOWANCE.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—In determining 
the monthly assistance payment for a fam-
ily under subparagraphs (A) and (B), the 
amount allowed for tenant-paid utilities 
shall not exceed the appropriate utility al-
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lowance for the family unit size as deter-
mined by the public housing agency re-
gardless of the size of the dwelling unit 
leased by the family. 
‘‘(ii) EXCEPTION FOR CERTAIN FAMI-
LIES.—Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), 
upon request by a family that includes a 
person with disabilities, an elderly family, 
or a family that includes any person who 
is less than 18 years of age, the public 
housing agency shall approve a utility al-
lowance that is higher than the applicable 
amount on the utility allowance schedule, 
except that in the case of a family that in-
cludes a person with disabilities, the agen-
cy shall approve such higher amount only 
if a higher utility allowance is needed as a 
reasonable accommodation to make the 
program accessible to and usable by the 
family member with a disability. 
‘‘(iii) AUTHORITY
TO
INCREASE
AL-
LOWANCE.—Notwithstanding 
subpara-
graph (A), in the case of any family not 
described in clause (ii), a public housing 
agency may, at the request of the family, 
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approve a utility allowance that is higher 
than the applicable amount on the utility 
allowance schedule. In making such a de-
termination, the agency shall consider (I) 
the amount of the increase in utility costs 
for the family, and (II) the difficulty for 
the family in relocating.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(21) UTILITY DATA.— 
‘‘(A) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall, 
to the extent that data can be collected cost ef-
fectively, regularly publish such data regarding 
utility consumption and costs in local areas as 
the Secretary determines will be useful for the 
establishment of allowances for tenant-paid util-
ities for families assisted under this subsection. 
‘‘(B) USE OF DATA.—The Secretary shall 
provide such data in a manner that— 
‘‘(i) avoids unnecessary administrative 
burdens for public housing agencies and 
owners; and 
‘‘(ii) protects families in various unit 
sizes and building types, and using various 
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utilities, from high rent and utility cost 
burdens relative to income.’’. 
SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAM FOR GRANTS FOR REHABILITA-
TION AND MODIFICATION OF HOMES OF DIS-
ABLED AND LOW-INCOME VETERANS. 
(a) GRANT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
a pilot program to award grants to qualified organi-
zations to rehabilitate and modify the primary resi-
dence of eligible veterans. 
(2) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall work 
in conjunction with the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs to establish and oversee the pilot program and 
to ensure that such program meets the needs of eli-
gible veterans. 
(3) MAXIMUM GRANT.—A grant award under 
the pilot program to any one qualified organization 
shall not exceed $1,000,000 in any one fiscal year, 
and such an award shall remain available until ex-
pended by such organization. 
(b) APPLICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each qualified organization 
that desires a grant under the pilot program shall 
submit an application to the Secretary at such time, 
in such manner, and, in addition to the information 
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required under paragraph (2), accompanied by such 
information as the Secretary may reasonably re-
quire. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each application submitted 
under paragraph (1) shall include— 
(A) a plan of action detailing outreach ini-
tiatives; 
(B) the approximate number of veterans 
the qualified organization intends to serve using 
grant funds; 
(C) a description of the type of work that 
will be conducted, such as interior home modi-
fications, energy efficiency improvements, and 
other similar categories of work; and 
(D) a plan for working with the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs and veterans service 
organizations to identify veterans and serve 
their needs. 
(3) PREFERENCES.—In awarding grants under 
the pilot program, the Secretary shall give pref-
erence to a qualified organization— 
(A) with experience in providing housing 
rehabilitation and modification services for dis-
abled veterans; or 
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(B) that proposes to provide housing reha-
bilitation and modification services for eligible 
veterans who live in rural areas (the Secretary, 
through regulations, shall define the term 
‘‘rural areas’’). 
(c) CRITERIA.—In order to receive a grant award 
under the pilot program, a qualified organization shall 
meet the following criteria: 
(1) Demonstrate expertise in providing housing 
rehabilitation and modification services for disabled 
or low-income individuals for the purpose of making 
the homes of such individuals accessible, functional, 
and safe for such individuals. 
(2) Have established outreach initiatives that— 
(A) would engage eligible veterans and vet-
erans service organizations in projects utilizing 
grant funds under the pilot program; and 
(B) identify eligible veterans and their 
families and enlist veterans involved in skilled 
trades, such as carpentry, roofing, plumbing, or 
HVAC work. 
(3) Have an established nationwide or State- 
wide network of affiliates that are— 
(A) nonprofit organizations; and 
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(B) able to provide housing rehabilitation 
and modification services for eligible veterans. 
(4) Have experience in successfully carrying out 
the accountability and reporting requirements in-
volved in the proper administration of grant funds, 
including funds provided by private entities or Fed-
eral, State, or local government entities. 
(d) USE OF FUNDS.—A grant award under the pilot 
program shall be used— 
(1) to modify and rehabilitate the primary resi-
dence of an eligible veteran, and may include— 
(A) installing wheelchair ramps, widening 
exterior and interior doors, reconfigurating and 
re-equipping bathrooms (which includes install-
ing new fixtures and grab bars), removing door-
way thresholds, installing special lighting, add-
ing additional electrical outlets and electrical 
service, and installing appropriate floor cov-
erings to— 
(i) accommodate the functional limita-
tions that result from having a disability; 
or 
(ii) if such residence does not have 
modifications necessary to reduce the 
chances that an elderly, but not disabled 
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person, will fall in their home, reduce the 
risks of such an elderly person from fall-
ing; 
(B) rehabilitating such residence that is in 
a state of interior or exterior disrepair; and 
(C) installing energy efficient features or 
equipment if— 
(i) an eligible veteran’s monthly utility 
costs for such residence is more than 5 
percent of such veteran’s monthly income; 
and 
(ii) an energy audit of such residence 
indicates that the installation of energy ef-
ficient features or equipment will reduce 
such costs by 10 percent or more; 
(2) in connection with modification and reha-
bilitation services provided under the pilot program, 
to provide technical, administrative, and training 
support to an affiliate of a qualified organization re-
ceiving a grant under such pilot program; and 
(3) for other purposes as the Secretary may 
prescribe through regulations. 
(e) OVERSIGHT.—The Secretary shall direct the over-
sight of the grant funds for the pilot program so that such 
funds are used efficiently until expended to fulfill the pur-
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pose of addressing the adaptive housing needs of eligible 
veterans. 
(f) MATCHING FUNDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A qualified organization re-
ceiving a grant under the pilot program shall con-
tribute towards the housing modification and reha-
bilitation services provided to eligible veterans an 
amount equal to not less than 50 percent of the 
grant award received by such organization. 
(2) IN-KIND
CONTRIBUTIONS.—In order to 
meet the requirement under paragraph (1), such or-
ganization may arrange for in-kind contributions. 
(g) LIMITATION COST TO THE VETERANS.—A quali-
fied organization receiving a grant under the pilot pro-
gram shall modify or rehabilitate the primary residence 
of an eligible veteran at no cost to such veteran (including 
application fees) or at a cost such that such veteran pays 
no more than 30 percent of his or her income in housing 
costs during any month. 
(h) REPORTS.— 
(1) ANNUAL
REPORT.—The Secretary shall 
submit to Congress, on an annual basis, a report 
that provides, with respect to the year for which 
such report is written— 
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(A) the number of eligible veterans pro-
vided assistance under the pilot program; 
(B) the socioeconomic characteristics of 
such veterans, including their gender, age, race, 
and ethnicity; 
(C) the total number, types, and locations 
of entities contracted under such program to 
administer the grant funding; 
(D) the amount of matching funds and in- 
kind contributions raised with each grant; 
(E) a description of the housing rehabilita-
tion and modification services provided, costs 
saved, and actions taken under such program; 
(F) a description of the outreach initiatives 
implemented by the Secretary to educate the 
general public and eligible entities about such 
program; 
(G) a description of the outreach initiatives 
instituted by grant recipients to engage eligible 
veterans and veteran service organizations in 
projects utilizing grant funds under such pro-
gram; 
(H) a description of the outreach initia-
tives instituted by grant recipients to identify 
eligible veterans and their families; and 
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(I) any other information that the Sec-
retary considers relevant in assessing such pro-
gram. 
(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 6 months 
after the completion of the pilot program, the Sec-
retary shall submit to Congress a report that pro-
vides such information that the Secretary considers 
relevant in assessing the pilot program. 
(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following defi-
nitions shall apply: 
(1) DISABLED.—The term ‘‘disabled’’ means an 
individual with a disability, as defined by section 
12102 of title 42, United States Code. 
(2) ELIGIBLE
VETERAN.—The term ‘‘eligible 
veteran’’ means a disabled or low-income veteran. 
(3) ENERGY EFFICIENT FEATURES OR EQUIP-
MENT.—The term ‘‘energy efficient features or 
equipment’’ means features of, or equipment in, a 
primary residence that help reduce the amount of 
electricity used to heat, cool, or ventilate such resi-
dence, including insulation, weatherstripping, air 
sealing, heating system repairs, duct sealing, or 
other measures. 
(4) LOW-INCOME VETERAN.—The term ‘‘low-in-
come veteran’’ means a veteran whose income does 
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not exceed 80 percent of the median income for an 
area, as determined by the Secretary. 
(5) NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION.—The term 
‘‘nonprofit organization’’ means an organization that 
is— 
(A) described in section 501(c)(3) or 
501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986; and 
(B) exempt from tax under section 501(a) 
of such Code. 
(6) PRIMARY RESIDENCE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘primary res-
idence’’ means a single family house, a duplex, 
or a unit within a multiple-dwelling structure 
that is an eligible veteran’s principal dwelling 
and is owned by such veteran or a family mem-
ber of such veteran. 
(B) FAMILY MEMBER DEFINED.—For pur-
poses of this paragraph, the term ‘‘family mem-
ber’’ includes— 
(i) a spouse, child, grandchild, parent, 
or sibling; 
(ii) a spouse of such a child, grand-
child, parent, or sibling; or 
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(iii) any individual related by blood or 
affinity whose close association with a vet-
eran is the equivalent of a family relation-
ship. 
(7) 
QUALIFIED
ORGANIZATION.—The 
term 
‘‘qualified organization’’ means a nonprofit organiza-
tion that provides nationwide or State-wide pro-
grams that primarily serve veterans or low-income 
individuals. 
(8) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. 
(9) VETERAN.—The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the 
same meaning as given such term in section 101 of 
title 38, United States Code. 
(10) VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION.—The 
term ‘‘veterans service organization’’ means any or-
ganization recognized by the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs for the representation of veterans under sec-
tion 5902 of title 38, United States Code. 
(j) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated for carrying out this sec-
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tion $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2013 through 
2017. 
Passed the House of Representatives September 19, 
2012. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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