I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4079 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require recipients of grants and 
other assistance from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the provision 
of housing and other services for homeless veterans to comply with 
codes relevant to operations and level of care provided, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 17, 2012 
Mr. MCKINLEY (for himself, Ms. WATERS, and Mrs. NAPOLITANO) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require recipients 
of grants and other assistance from the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs for the provision of housing and other 
services for homeless veterans to comply with codes rel-
evant to operations and level of care provided, 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 ‘‘Safe Housing for 
Homeless Veterans Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. CONDITIONS ON THE AWARD OF GRANTS BY THE 
SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR THE 
PROVISION OF HOUSING OR SERVICES TO 
HOMELESS VETERANS. 
(a) CONDITION; PRIORITY IN ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 20 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2004. Condition on the award of grants and other 
assistance for the provision of housing or 
services to homeless veterans 
‘‘(a) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may not make a 
grant or provide other assistance to any entity for the pro-
vision of housing or services to homeless veterans under 
this chapter unless the entity submits to the Secretary a 
certification that the building where the entity proposes 
to provide such housing or services is in compliance with 
codes relevant to operations and level of care provided, in-
cluding the most current Life Safety Code and all applica-
ble State and local housing codes, licensing requirements, 
fire and safety requirements, and any other requirements 
in the jurisdiction in which the project is located regarding 
the condition of the structure and the operation of the 
supportive housing or service center. 
‘‘(b) PRIORITY IN ADMINISTRATION OF GRANTS.—In 
awarding grants and providing other assistance under this 
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chapter, the Secretary shall give priority to an entity seek-
ing a grant or assistance for a project that includes mak-
ing improvements to a building where the entity proposes 
to provide housing or services to homeless veterans to en-
sure that such building meets codes relevant to operations 
and level of care provided, as required under subsection 
(a).’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
by adding at the end of the items relating to such 
subchapter the following new item: 
‘‘2004. Condition on the award of grants and other assistance for the provision 
of housing or services to homeless veterans.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to an application 
for a grant or other assistance under chapter 20 of title 
38, United States Code, submitted on or after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(c) TREATMENT OF CURRENT RECIPIENTS.—In the 
case of the recipient of a grant or other assistance under 
chapter 20 of title 38, United States Code, that receives 
grant funds or other assistance provided by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs for the fiscal year during which this 
Act is enacted, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall re-
quire the recipient to submit the certification required 
under section 2004 of such title, as added by subsection 
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(a), by not later than two years after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. If the recipient fails to submit such cer-
tification by such date, the Secretary may not make any 
additional payments or provide other assistance to the re-
cipient under such chapter until the recipient submits such 
certification. 
Æ 
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