IB 
Union Calendar No. 101 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1856 
[Report No. 116–137, Part I] 
To provide a path to end homelessness in the United States, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 25, 2019 
Ms. WATERS (for herself, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. GREEN of Texas, 
Mr. LAWSON of Florida, Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ, Ms. ADAMS, Ms. ESHOO, 
Ms. PRESSLEY, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. FOSTER, Mrs. CARO-
LYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. CRIST, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Geor-
gia, Mr. HECK, Mr. CASE, Ms. NORTON, Mr. CUMMINGS, Ms. MENG, 
Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. ROUDA, Ms. OMAR, Mr. HIMES, Ms. 
SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. GARCI´A of Illinois, Mr. LEWIS, Mr. 
VARGAS, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Ms. HILL of California, Ms. DEAN, Ms. 
KAPTUR, Mrs. TORRES of California, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. WELCH, Ms. 
TLAIB, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. COHEN, Ms. 
BONAMICI, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. GONZALEZ of 
Texas, Mr. CLAY, and Ms. CLARKE of New York) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, 
and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
JULY 5, 2019 
Reported from the Committee on Financial Services with an amendment 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
JULY 5, 2019 
Committee on the Budget discharged; committed to the Committee of the 
Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 25, 2019] 
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A BILL 
To provide a path to end homelessness in the United States, 
and for other purposes. 
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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 ‘‘Ending Homelessness 
Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds that— 
(1) although the United States has experienced a 
reduction in veteran homelessness after a surge of new 
Federal funding targeted to homeless veterans starting 
in fiscal year 2008, major progress towards the na-
tional goals for ending homelessness in our Nation 
has virtually stalled in the absence of increased fund-
ing; 
(2) according to the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development’s 2018 point-in-time count, there 
were 552,830 people experiencing homelessness in the 
United States on any given night, including nearly 
160,000 children and youth; 
(3) homelessness in many communities has 
reached crisis proportions and some cities have de-
clared that homelessness has reached a state of emer-
gency; and 
(4) the Federal Government must renew its com-
mitment to the national goals to end homelessness. 
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SEC. 3. FUNDING TO ADDRESS UNMET NEEDS. 
Title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 11360 et seq) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating section 491 (42 U.S.C. 
11408; relating to rural housing stability grant pro-
gram) as section 441; 
(2) by redesignating section 592 (42 U.S.C. 
11408a; relating to use of FMHA inventory for tran-
sitional housing for homeless persons and for turnkey 
housing) as section 442; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
title: 
‘‘Subtitle E—5-Year Path to End 
Homelessness 
‘‘SEC. 451. FUNDING TO ADDRESS UNMET NEEDS. 
‘‘(a) DIRECT
APPROPRIATIONS.—There is appro-
priated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise 
appropriated for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024, 
$1,000,000,000, to remain available until expended, for 
emergency relief grants under this section to address the 
unmet needs of homeless populations in jurisdictions with 
the highest need. 
‘‘(b) FORMULA GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) 
ALLOCATION.—Amounts 
appropriated 
under subsection (a) for a fiscal year shall be allo-
cated among collaborative applicants that comply 
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with section 402, in accordance with the funding for-
mula established under paragraph (2) of this sub-
section. 
‘‘(2) FORMULA.—The Secretary shall, in con-
sultation with the United States Interagency Council 
on Homeless, establish a formula for allocating grant 
amounts under this section to address the unmet 
needs of homeless populations in jurisdictions with 
the highest need, using the best currently available 
data that targets need based on key structural deter-
minants of homelessness in the geographic area rep-
resented by a collaborative applicant, which shall in-
clude data providing accurate counts of— 
‘‘(A) the poverty rate in the geographic area 
represented by the collaborative applicant; 
‘‘(B) shortages of affordable housing for low- 
, very low-, and extremely low-income households 
in the geographic area represented by the collabo-
rative applicant; 
‘‘(C) the number of overcrowded housing 
units in the geographic area represented by the 
collaborative applicant; 
‘‘(D) the number of unsheltered homeless in-
dividuals and the number of chronically homeless 
individuals; and 
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‘‘(E) any other factors that the Secretary 
considers appropriate. 
The formula shall provide priority to collaborative 
applicants for which the local governments, within the 
area served by the applicant, have adopted local poli-
cies, such as through zoning and regulation, that le-
verage the private sector’s participation to provide 
housing that is reserved and affordable to low-, very 
low-, and extremely low-income households, as defined 
by the Secretary, for a minimum term of 15 years. 
The Secretary shall establish by regulation the process 
and manner that local governments will be evaluated. 
The Secretary shall ensure that local governments are 
not incentivized or otherwise rewarded for elimi-
nating or undermining the intent of zoning regula-
tions or other regulations or policies that establish 
fair wages for laborers, ensure health and safety of 
buildings for residents and the general public, protect 
fair housing, establish environmental protections, es-
tablish standards for resiliency, prevent tenant dis-
placement, or any other requirements that the Sec-
retary determines it is in the public interest to pre-
serve. 
‘‘(3) GRANTS.—For each fiscal year for which 
amounts are made available under subsection (a), the 
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Secretary shall make a grant to each collaborative ap-
plicant for which an amount is allocated pursuant to 
application of the formula established pursuant to 
paragraph (2) of this subsection in an amount that 
is equal to the formula amount determined for such 
collaborative applicant. 
‘‘(4) TIMING.—The funding formula required 
under paragraph (2) shall be established by regula-
tions issued, after notice and opportunity for public 
comment, not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this section. 
‘‘(c) USE OF GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraphs (2) 
through (4), a collaborative applicant that receives a 
grant under this section may use such grant amounts 
only for eligible activities under section 415, 423, or 
441(b). 
‘‘(2) PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING
RE-
QUIREMENT.— 
‘‘(A) REQUIREMENT.—Except as provided 
in subparagraph (B), each collaborative appli-
cant that receives a grant under this section 
shall use not less than 75 percent of such grant 
amount for permanent supportive housing, in-
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cluding capital costs, rental subsidies, and serv-
ices. 
‘‘(B) EXEMPTION.—The Secretary shall ex-
empt a collaborative applicant from the applica-
bility of the requirement under subparagraph 
(A) if the applicant demonstrates, in accordance 
with such standards and procedures as the Sec-
retary shall establish, that— 
‘‘(i) chronic homelessness has been 
functionally eliminated in the geographic 
area served by the applicant; or 
‘‘(ii) the permanent supportive housing 
under development in the geographic area 
served by the applicant is sufficient to func-
tionally eliminate chronic homelessness once 
such units are available for occupancy. 
The Secretary shall consider and make a deter-
mination regarding each request for an exemp-
tion under this subparagraph not later than 60 
days after receipt of such request. 
‘‘(3) LIMITATION ON USE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE 
EXPENSES.—Not more than 5 percent of the total 
amount of any grant under this section to a collabo-
rative applicant may be used for costs of administra-
tion. 
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‘‘(4) HOUSING FIRST REQUIREMENT.—The Sec-
retary shall ensure that each collaborative applicant 
that receives a grant under this section is imple-
menting, to the extent possible, and will use such 
grant amounts in accordance with, a Housing First 
model for assistance for homeless persons. 
‘‘(d) RENEWAL FUNDING.—Expiring contracts for 
leasing, rental assistance, or permanent housing shall be 
treated, for purposes of section 429, as expiring contracts 
referred to in subsection (a) of such section. 
‘‘(e) REPORTING TO CONGRESS.— 
‘‘(1) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than the ex-
piration of the 12-month period beginning upon the 
first allocation of amounts made after the date of the 
enactment of this Act pursuant to subsection (b)(1), 
and annually thereafter, the Secretary and the United 
States Interagency Council on Homelessness shall sub-
mit a report to the Committees on Financial Services 
and Appropriations of the House of Representatives 
and the Committees on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs and Appropriations of the Senate pro-
viding detailed information regarding the grants 
made under this section during the preceding year, 
the activities funded with such grant amounts, and 
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the impact of such activities on the communities 
where such activities took place. 
‘‘(2) COLLECTION
OF
INFORMATION
BY
SEC-
RETARY.—The Secretary shall require each collabo-
rative applicant that receives a grant under this sec-
tion to submit such information to the Secretary as 
may be necessary for the Secretary to comply with the 
reporting requirement under paragraph (1). 
‘‘SEC. 452. SPECIAL PURPOSE VOUCHERS. 
‘‘(a) DIRECT APPROPRIATION.—There is appropriated 
out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appro-
priated for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024, 
$500,000,000, to remain available until expended, which 
shall be used as follows: 
‘‘(1) RENTAL ASSISTANCE.—Except as provided 
in paragraph (2), such amount shall be used for in-
cremental assistance for rental assistance under sec-
tion 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 
(42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)) for persons and households who 
are homeless (as such term is defined in section 103 
(42 U.S.C. 11302)), which assistance shall be in addi-
tion to such assistance provided pursuant to renewal 
of expiring contracts for such assistance. 
‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATIVE
FEES.—The Secretary 
may use not more than 10 percent of such amounts 
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provided for each fiscal year for administrative fees 
under 8(q) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 
(42 U.S.C. 1437f(q)). The Secretary shall establish 
policies and procedures to provide such fees to the ex-
tent necessary to assist homeless persons and families 
on whose behalf rental assistance is provided to find 
and maintain suitable housing. 
‘‘(b) ALLOCATION.—The Secretary shall make assist-
ance provided under this section available to public housing 
agencies based on geographical need for such assistance by 
homeless persons and households, as identified by the Sec-
retary, public housing agency administrative performance, 
and other factors as specified by the Secretary. In allocating 
assistance among public housing agencies, the Secretary 
shall provide priority to agencies having jurisdictions in 
which the local governments within such jurisdictions have 
adopted local policies, such as through zoning and regula-
tion, that leverage the private sector’s participation to pro-
vide housing that is reserved and affordable to low-, very 
low-, and extremely low-income households, as determined 
by the Secretary, for a minimum term of 15 years. The 
Secretary shall establish by regulation the process and man-
ner that local governments will be evaluated. The Secretary 
shall ensure that local governments are not incentivized or 
otherwise rewarded for eliminating or undermining the in-
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tent of zoning regulations or other regulations or policies 
that establish fair wages for laborers, ensure health and 
safety of buildings for residents and the general public, pro-
tect fair housing, establish environmental protections, estab-
lish standards for resiliency, prevent tenant displacement, 
or any other requirements that the Secretary determines it 
is in the public interest to preserve. 
‘‘(c) AVAILABILITY.—Assistance made available under 
this section shall continue to remain available only for 
homeless persons and households upon turn-over. 
‘‘(d) RENEWAL FUNDING.—Renewal of expiring con-
tracts for rental assistance provided under subsection (a) 
and for administrative fees under such subsection shall, to 
the extent provided in appropriation Acts, be funded under 
the section 8 tenant-based rental assistance account. 
‘‘(e) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—Upon a finding by the Sec-
retary that a waiver or alternative requirement pursuant 
to this subsection is necessary to ensure that homeless per-
sons and households can obtain housing using rental assist-
ance made available under this section, the Secretary may 
waive, or specify alternative requirements for, any provi-
sion of any statute or regulation that the Secretary admin-
isters in connection with the use of funds made available 
under this section (except for requirements related to fair 
housing, nondiscrimination, labor standards, and the envi-
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ronment) that relates to screening of applicants for assist-
ance, admission of applicants, and selection of tenants. The 
Secretary shall require public housing agencies receiving 
rental assistance funding made available under this section 
to take all reasonable actions to help assisted persons and 
families avoid subsequent homelessness. 
‘‘SEC. 453. OUTREACH FUNDING. 
‘‘(a) DIRECT APPROPRIATION.—There is appropriated 
out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appro-
priated for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024, 
$100,000,000, to remain available until expended, to the 
Secretary for grants under this section to provide outreach 
and coordinate services for persons and households who are 
homeless or formerly homeless. 
‘‘(b) GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make 
grants under this section on a competitive basis only 
to collaborative applicants who comply with section 
402. 
‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—The competition for grants 
under this section shall provide priority— 
‘‘(A) to collaborative applicants who submit 
plans to make innovative and effective use of 
staff funded with grant amounts pursuant to 
subsection (c); and 
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‘‘(B) to collaborative applicants for which 
the local governments, within the area served by 
the applicant, have adopted local policies, such 
as through zoning and regulation, that leverage 
the private sector’s participation to provide 
housing that is reserved and affordable to low-, 
very low-, and extremely low-income households, 
as defined by Secretary, for a minimum term of 
15 years. The Secretary shall establish by regula-
tion the process and manner that local govern-
ments will be evaluated. The Secretary shall en-
sure that local governments are not incentivized 
or otherwise rewarded for eliminating or under-
mining the intent of zoning regulations or other 
regulations or policies that establish fair wages 
for laborers, ensure health and safety of buildings 
for residents and the general public, protect fair 
housing, establish environmental protections, es-
tablish standards for resiliency, prevent tenant 
displacement, or any other requirements that the 
Secretary determines it is in the public interest 
to preserve. 
‘‘(c) USE OF GRANTS.—A collaborative applicant that 
receives a grant under this section may use such grant 
amounts only for providing case managers, social workers, 
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or other staff who conduct outreach and coordinate services 
for persons and households who are homeless or formerly 
homeless. 
‘‘(d) TIMING.—The Secretary shall establish the cri-
teria for the competition for grants under this section re-
quired under subsection (b) by regulations issued, after no-
tice and opportunity for public comment, not later than 
6 months after the date of enactment of this section.’’. 
SEC. 4. HOUSING TRUST FUND. 
(a) FUNDING.— 
(1) ANNUAL FUNDING.—There is appropriated, 
out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise ap-
propriated, for each of fiscal years 2020 through 
2024, $1,000,000,000, to remain available until ex-
pended, which shall be credited to the Housing Trust 
Fund established pursuant to section 1338 of the Fed-
eral Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and 
Soundness Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 4568) for use under 
such section. 
(2) RENTAL
ASSISTANCE.—There is appro-
priated, out of any money in the Treasury not other-
wise appropriated, for each of fiscal years 2020 
through 2024, $50,000,000, to remain available until 
expended, for incremental project-based voucher as-
sistance or project-based rental assistance, to be allo-
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