I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8722 
To amend the United States Housing Act of 1937 to provide housing 
assistance for youth and young adults who are unstably housed. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 12, 2024 
Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN (for herself, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. JOHNSON 
of Georgia, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. CARSON, Mrs. RAMIREZ, 
and Ms. PLASKETT) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To amend the United States Housing Act of 1937 to provide 
housing assistance for youth and young adults who are 
unstably housed. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Homes for Young Adults Act of 2024’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Congressional findings. 
Sec. 3. Definitions. 
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Sec. 4. Entitlement program for housing choice vouchers for youth. 
Sec. 5. Promoting self-sufficiency. 
Sec. 6. Enforcement of housing quality standards. 
Sec. 7. Screening of applicants. 
Sec. 8. Access to HUD programs for persons with limited English proficiency. 
Sec. 9. Authorization of appropriations. 
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds that— 
(1) each year an estimated 4.2 million youth 
and young adults experience homelessness in the 
United States; 
(2) homelessness amongst youth and young 
adults is disproportionately represented among 
Black, Indigenous, other youth of color, and 
LGBTQ+ communities; 
(3) while there are effective programs that as-
sist homeless youth and young adults, access to cur-
rent resources are restricted due to a variety of sys-
temic obstacles for homeless youth and young adults, 
forcing this population into congregate shelters, fur-
ther perpetuating cycles of poverty and instability; 
(4) adequately removing barriers to housing as-
sistance can— 
(A) reduce crowding, housing instability, 
and homelessness; 
(B) reduce poverty; 
(C) improve outcomes for children; 
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(D) improve overall adult well-being, re-
ducing healthcare costs; and 
(E) contribute to the prevention of home-
lessness; 
(5) the housing choice voucher (HCV) program 
only reaches about a quarter of eligible households 
due to limited funding, yet extensive and inhibitive 
eligibility requirements presently make HCVs inac-
cessible to youth and young adults; 
(6) the average wait time for youth and young 
adults from a coordinated entry assessment to being 
housed is between 132 and 140 days, depending on 
the program; and 
(7) Federal agencies, particularly the Depart-
ment of Housing and Urban Development, the De-
partment of Education, and the Department of 
Health and Human Services, should cooperate more 
fully to address the prevention and end of youth 
homelessness. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act, the following definitions 
shall apply: 
(1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. 
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(2) YOUTH
AND
YOUNG
ADULTS.—The term 
‘‘youths and young adults’’ means individuals who 
are— 
(A) 18 years old or older but are not older 
than 30 years old; or 
(B) emancipated minors under applicable 
State law. 
SEC. 4. ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM FOR HOUSING CHOICE 
VOUCHERS FOR YOUTH. 
(a) ENTITLEMENT.—During fiscal year 2026 and 
each fiscal year thereafter, any household that consists of 
or includes any youth or young adult and that is otherwise 
eligible for tenant-based rental assistance under section 
8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
1437f(o)) shall be entitled to such rental assistance in ac-
cordance with this section during such period the family 
remains so eligible. 
(b) FUNDING.—For fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal 
year thereafter, there is appropriated out of any money 
in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated the amount 
necessary— 
(1) to provide assistance under section 8(o) of 
the United States Housing Act of 1937 in accord-
ance with the entitlement under subsection (a) of 
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this section for each qualified household in the 
amount determined under subsection 8(o); and 
(2) to provide administrative fees under sec-
tions 8(q) and 23(h)(1) of such Act, as modified 
pursuant to this Act, in connection with each vouch-
er for assistance provided pursuant to subsection (a) 
of this section. 
(c) ADMINISTERING AGENCIES.— 
(1) REGIONAL
CONSORTIA.—The Secretary 
shall encourage and provide for public housing agen-
cies to form regional consortia to administer the pro-
gram for rental assistance under this section with 
respect to geographical areas. 
(2) PHA DESIGNATION.—The Secretary shall 
designate a public housing agency to administer as-
sistance under this section in any area where no ex-
isting public housing agency has jurisdiction or 
where no agency with jurisdiction is adequately ad-
ministering such assistance, subject to public com-
ment and after consultation with States, public 
housing agencies, local government, Indian tribes, 
and tribally designated housing agencies. 
(d) SUPPORT SERVICES.— 
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