Summary: Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to redefine "homeless, homeless individual, or homeless person." Includes in such definition not only a family lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, but also an individual or family who: (1) will imminently lose their housing; (2) has no subsequent residence identified; and (3) lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing. Includes as well an individual who resided in a shelter or place not meant for human habitation and is exiting an institution where he or she temporarily resided. Requires the Secretary to consider as homeless any individual or family who is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions in the individual's or family's current housing situation, including where the health and safety of children are jeopardized, and who have no other residence and lack the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing. Requires the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the best available point-in-time and longitudinal estimates available of the number of individuals and families nationwide who are homeless. (Sec. 4) Declares that the mission of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is to coordinate the federal response to homelessness and to create a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to reduce and end homelessness in the nation while maximizing the effectiveness of federal contributions to end homelessness. Adds to the membership of such Council the Commissioner of Social Security, the U.S. Attorney General, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Director of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, the Director of USAFreedom Corps, and the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), or their respective designees. Requires: (1) the Council to meet quarterly (currently, annually); and (2) rotation of the position of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson at the first meeting of each year. Directs the Council to develop, make available for public comment, and submit to the President and Congress a National Strategic Plan to End Homelessness, to be updated annually. Increases the number of regional coordinators employed by the Council from between two and five to between five and 10. Requires the Council to: (1) encourage state and local governments to develop 10-year plans to end homelessness; and (2) develop constructive alternatives to criminalizing homelessness and eliminate laws and policies that prohibit sleeping, feeding, sitting, resting, or lying in public spaces when there are no suitable alternatives, result in the destruction of a homeless person's property without due process, or are selectively enforced against homeless persons. Authorizes the Council to: (1) arrange national (currently, federal) conferences to develop and coordinate effective programs and activities to assist homeless individuals; (2) pay for expenses of attendance at meetings regarding the functions or activities for which the appropriation is made; and (3) establish a National Advisory Panel to advise and assist it in achieving its mission by convening a national group of experts in policy and practice from the public and private sector, including consumers. Requires the annual reports to Congress and the Council by federal agency heads who are also Council members to include agency efforts to prevent homelessness through initiatives in targeted or mainstream programs. Requires the President (currently, the Council) to appoint an Executive Director of the Council, with the advice and consent of the Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the President, and to be compensated at a rate up to the maximum level for the Senior Executive Service (currently, up to the basic rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule). Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2013. Title I: Housing Assistance General Provisions - (Sec. 102) Prescribes requirements for a collaborative homeless assistance grant applicant for a geographic area, which shall: (1) design a collaborative process for applying for housing assistance; (2) participate in the Consolidated Plan for the geographic area served; (3) ensure operation and participation in a communitywide homeless management information system (HMIS); and (4) certify whether or not the applicable states and local governments are criminalizing homelessness in specified ways. Authorizes collaborative applicants to become unified funding agencies responsible for distributing funds to grantees and ensuring proper accounting methods. (Sec. 103) Prohibits any project sponsor receiving funds to provide emergency shelter, transitional housing, or permanent housing to families with children under age 18 from denying admission to any family based on the age of any child under 18. Makes an exception to this prohibition for project sponsors of transitional housing which target transitional housing resources to families with children of a specific age, if the project sponsor: (1) operates a transitional housing program that has a primary purpose of implementing an evidence-based practice that requires that housing units be targeted to such families; and (2) provides assurances that an equivalent appropriate alternative living arrangement for the whole family or household unit has been secured. Directs the Secretary to make technical assistance available to private nonprofit organizations and other nongovernmental entities, states, metropolitan cities, and both urban and nonurban counties to: (1) implement effective planning processes for preventing and ending homelessness; (2) improve their capacity to prepare collaborative applications; (3) prevent the separation of families in emergency shelter or other housing programs; and (4) adopt and provide best practices in housing and services for persons experiencing homelessness. (Sec. 104) Requires the Secretary to instruct a victim service provider that is a grant recipient or subgrantee not to disclose for HMIS purposes any personal identifying information about any client. (Sec. 105) Authorizes appropriations for FY2010-FY2013. Earmarks funds for one-year renewals of expiring contracts for permanent housing leasing, rental assistance, and operating costs. Title II: Emergency Solutions Grants Program - (Sec. 201) Renames the Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) program the Emergency Solutions Grants Program. Directs the Secretary to allocate nationally 20% of homeless assistance funding for specified activities. Allows a grantee to use up to 50% for traditional shelter and street outreach activities. Requires the Secretary to reduce by half the amount of administrative funds available to any jurisdiction for which a collaborative applicant has certified that the local government has criminalized homelessness. (Sec. 202) Specifies among eligible activities short- or medium-term rent assistance, and new homelessness prevention and housing relocation and stabilization activities. (Sec. 203) Requires the Secretary to ensure that Emergency Solutions Grants recipients ensure the consistent participation by emergency shelters and homelessness prevention and rehousing programs in any applicable communitywide HMIS. (Sec. 204) Increases from 5% to 10% the amount of any Emergency Solutions Grant a recipient may use for administrative purposes. Title III: Continuum of Care Program - (Sec. 301) Consolidates the Supportive Housing and other specified existing programs into the Continuum of Care Grant Program, whose purpose is promoting commitment to ending homelessness, rehousing homeless people, minimizing the trauma of homelessness, helping people access mainstream services, and optimizing self-sufficiency. Declares that assistance under such Program is intended to facilitate the utilization of Low Income Housing Tax Credits under the Internal Revenue Code. Permits the Secretary to award grants to solo applicants but only if they have attempted to participate in the Continuum of Care Program and were not permitted to participate in a reasonable manner. Grants flexibility to a collaborative applicant to serve persons defined as homeless under other federal statutes. (Sec. 302) Specifies eligible activities under the Continuum of Care Program, including construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, leasing, rental assistance, operating costs, supportive services, rehousing services, and HMISs. Requires projects receiving funding for construction, acquisition, or rehabilitation to be used for their intended purpose for at least 20 years. Authorizes conversion of a project no longer needed for its intended purpose in order to benefit low-income people directly. Requires the grantee of any project needed but not used to serve homeless people for between 10 and 20 years, except under certain conditions, to repay all or a portion of the grant. Requires permanent housing rental assistance to be administered by a state or local government or a public housing agency. (Sec. 303) Prescribes incentives for high-performing communities, including flexibility to serve persons defined as homeless under other federal statutes. (Sec. 304) Revises supportive housing requirements for grantees. Requires them to: (1) designate a staff person to be responsible for ensuring that children being served in programs that provide housing or services to families are enrolled in school and connected to appropriate services in the community such as Head Start, the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities, and programs to educate homeless children and youth; and (2) place families with children as close as possible to their school of origin so as not to disrupt their education. (Sec. 305) Revises grant selection criteria and prescribes fund allocation formulae for the Continuum of Care Program, as well as incentives for proven strategies and their successful implementation. Authorizes funding for renewal of permanent housing contracts, either under the Continuum of Care Program appropriations account or under the section 8 project-based rental assistance account. Makes renewal under the project-based rental assistance account contingent on sufficient funding in such account for the full year renewal of all project-based contracts expiring in such year. Makes specified funds available, subject to certain terms, for renewal of contracts for tenant-based assistance, project-based assistance, rental assistance, and housing operation costs associated with permanent housing projects. Prescribes requirements for matching funding. Directs the Secretary to establish an appeal procedure for denied certifications. (Sec. 306) Authorizes appropriations for FY2010-FY2013 for research into the efficacy of interventions for homeless families, to be expended over three years at three different sites to provide services for homeless families and evaluate the effectiveness of such services. Title IV: Rural Housing Stability Assistance Program - (Sec. 401) Revises and renames the Rural Homeless Assistance Program the Rural Housing Stability Assistance Program. Requires the program to: (1) rehouse or find housing for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness; (2) stabilize people in imminent danger of losing their housing; and (3) improve the ability of the lowest income residents to afford stable housing. Adds to the list of eligible Program grant uses construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, leasing, rental assistance, and payment of operating costs for transitional or permanent housing for homeless people. Adds to application requirements a description of: (1) consultations to determine the most important uses of funding; and (2) the nature of homelessness and the worst housing situations in the area. Sets a uniform 25% cash or in-kind match requirement for the project or activity; except that grants for leases shall not be subject to matching requirements. Directs the Secretary to establish criteria for selecting grant recipients, including specified requirements. Defines a rural area as any place outside of a metropolitan statistical area or any census tract within a metropolitan statistical area that is at least 75% rural. Prescribes requirements for the funding process for the rural program. Allows a rural applicant to apply under the Continuum of Care Program or the Rural Housing Stability Program. Requires that, if the Secretary receives applications from the same rural area under both programs, the Secretary must first seek agreement from the applicants about how to proceed, or, in the absence of agreement, must fund the application that would result in the most funding for the geographic area. (Sec. 402) Requires the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on homelessness and homeless assistance in rural areas and communities. Title V: Repeals and Conforming Amendments - (Sec. 501) Repeals provisions of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act: (1) establishing the Safe Havens for Homeless Individuals Demonstration Program; (2) providing Section 8 housing assistance for single room occupancy dwellings; and (3) establishing the Shelter Plus Care Program. (Sec. 502) Makes other conforming amendments to such Act.

homeless emergency assistance rapid transition housing act sec amends mckinney-vento homeless assistance act redefine homeless homeless individual homeless person includes definition family lacking fixed regular adequate nighttime residence individual family imminently lose housing subsequent residence identified lacks resources support networks needed obtain permanent housing includes individual resided shelter place meant human habitation exiting institution temporarily resided requires secretary consider homeless individual family fleeing attempting domestic violence dating violence sexual assault stalking dangerous life threatening conditions individual family current housing situation including health safety children jeopardized residence lack resources support networks obtain permanent housing requires comptroller general study report congress best available point time longitudinal estimates available number individuals families nationwide homeless sec declares mission coordinate federal response homelessness create national partnership level government private sector reduce end homelessness nation maximizing effectiveness federal contributions end homelessness adds membership council commissioner social_security attorney general director office_of_management_and_budget omb director director commissioner internal_revenue_service irs respective designees requires council meet quarterly currently annually rotation position chairperson vice chairperson meeting year directs council develop available public comment submit president congress national strategic plan end homelessness updated annually increases number regional coordinators employed council requires council encourage state local governments develop year plans end homelessness develop constructive alternatives criminalizing homelessness eliminate laws policies prohibit sleeping feeding sitting lying public spaces suitable alternatives result destruction homeless person property process enforced homeless persons authorizes council arrange national currently federal conferences develop coordinate effective programs activities assist homeless individuals pay expenses attendance meetings functions activities appropriation establish advise assist achieving mission convening national group experts policy practice public private sector including consumers requires annual reports congress council federal agency heads council members include agency efforts prevent homelessness initiatives targeted mainstream programs requires president currently council appoint executive director council advice consent senate serve pleasure president compensated rate maximum level senior_executive_service currently basic rate payable level executive schedule authorizes appropriations fy2009 fy2013 title housing assistance general provisions sec prescribes requirements collaborative homeless assistance grant applicant geographic area shall design collaborative process applying housing assistance participate geographic area served ensure operation participation communitywide homeless management information system hmis certify applicable states local governments criminalizing homelessness specified ways authorizes collaborative applicants unified funding agencies responsible distributing funds grantees ensuring proper accounting methods sec prohibits project sponsor receiving funds provide emergency shelter transitional housing permanent housing families children age denying admission family based age child makes exception prohibition project sponsors transitional housing target transitional housing resources families children specific age project sponsor operates transitional housing program primary purpose implementing evidence based practice requires housing units targeted families provides assurances equivalent appropriate alternative living arrangement family household unit secured directs secretary technical assistance available private nonprofit organizations nongovernmental entities states metropolitan cities urban counties implement effective planning processes preventing ending homelessness improve capacity prepare collaborative applications prevent separation families emergency shelter housing programs adopt provide best practices housing services persons experiencing homelessness sec requires secretary instruct victim service provider grant recipient subgrantee disclose hmis purposes personal identifying information client sec authorizes appropriations fy2010 fy2013 earmarks funds year renewals expiring contracts permanent housing leasing rental assistance operating costs title emergency solutions grants program sec renames emergency shelter grants program emergency solutions grants program directs secretary allocate nationally homeless assistance funding specified activities allows grantee use traditional shelter street outreach activities requires secretary reduce half administrative funds available jurisdiction collaborative applicant certified local government homelessness sec specifies eligible activities short- medium term rent assistance new homelessness prevention housing relocation stabilization activities sec requires secretary ensure emergency solutions grants recipients ensure consistent participation emergency shelters homelessness prevention programs applicable communitywide hmis sec increases emergency solutions grant recipient use administrative purposes title iii continuum care program sec consolidates supportive housing specified existing programs purpose promoting commitment ending homelessness homeless people minimizing trauma homelessness helping people access mainstream services optimizing self sufficiency declares assistance program intended facilitate utilization low income housing tax credits internal revenue code permits secretary award grants applicants attempted participate permitted participate reasonable manner grants flexibility collaborative applicant serve persons defined homeless federal statutes sec specifies eligible activities including construction acquisition rehabilitation leasing rental assistance operating costs supportive services services requires projects receiving funding construction acquisition rehabilitation intended purpose years authorizes conversion project longer needed intended purpose order benefit low income people directly requires grantee project needed serve homeless people years certain conditions repay portion grant requires permanent housing rental assistance administered state local government public housing agency sec prescribes incentives high performing communities including flexibility serve persons defined homeless federal statutes sec revises supportive housing requirements grantees requires designate staff person responsible ensuring children served programs provide housing services families enrolled school connected appropriate services community head_start programs educate homeless children youth place families children close possible school origin disrupt education sec revises grant selection criteria prescribes fund allocation formulae incentives proven strategies successful implementation authorizes funding renewal permanent housing contracts appropriations account section project based rental assistance account makes renewal project based rental assistance account contingent sufficient funding account year renewal project based contracts expiring year makes specified funds available subject certain terms renewal contracts tenant based assistance project based assistance rental assistance housing operation costs associated permanent housing projects prescribes requirements matching funding directs secretary establish appeal procedure denied certifications sec authorizes appropriations fy2010 fy2013 research efficacy interventions homeless families expended years different sites provide services homeless families evaluate effectiveness services title sec revises renames rural housing stability assistance program requires program find housing people homeless risk homelessness stabilize people imminent danger losing housing improve ability lowest income residents afford stable housing adds list eligible program grant uses construction acquisition rehabilitation leasing rental assistance payment operating costs transitional permanent housing homeless people adds application requirements description consultations determine important uses funding nature homelessness worst housing situations area sets uniform cash kind match requirement project activity grants leases shall subject matching requirements directs secretary establish criteria selecting grant recipients including specified requirements defines rural area place outside metropolitan statistical area census tract metropolitan statistical area rural prescribes requirements funding process rural program allows rural applicant apply requires secretary receives applications rural area programs secretary seek agreement applicants proceed absence agreement fund application result funding geographic area sec requires comptroller general study report congress homelessness homeless assistance rural areas communities title repeals conforming amendments sec repeals provisions mckinney-vento homeless assistance act establishing safe havens homeless individuals demonstration program providing section housing assistance single room occupancy dwellings establishing sec makes conforming amendments act


Summary: Homeless Veterans Housing at Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center Promotion Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into an enhanced-use lease for a homeless housing project at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility known as the Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center. Requires the lease to contain specified terms and conditions, including that the project: (1) provides housing exclusively for veterans; (2) is maintained as a sober living facility; and (3) is adequately staffed with health care, counseling, and security personnel.

ambulatory care center promotion act authorizes secretary veterans_affairs enter enhanced use lease homeless housing project department_of_veterans_affairs facility known requires lease contain specified terms conditions including project provides housing exclusively veterans maintained living facility adequately staffed health care counseling security personnel


Summary: Amends the Public Health Service Act to adjust the minimum state allotments for Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness programs to be the greater of the amount otherwise received by the state for FY2006 or $600,000. (Current law sets forth a minimum allotment of $300,000 per state.) Provides that if the funds appropriated are insufficient for all states to receive the minimum allotment, then states shall receive no less than the amount they received in FY2006 with additional money spent to give states the minimum of $600,000.

amends public_health_service_act adjust minimum state allotments homelessness programs greater received state fy2006 current law sets forth minimum allotment state provides funds appropriated insufficient states receive minimum allotment states shall receive received fy2006 additional money spent states minimum


Summary: Repeals the requirement that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs adjust the per diem payments made to veterans under the homeless veterans' comprehensive services program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to exclude sources of income from other federal, state, or local governments, departments, agencies, or entities. Directs the Secretary to carry out a demonstration program to prevent veterans who are at risk of homelessness after discharge or release from active military duty from becoming homeless. Amends a demonstration program of referral and counseling for veterans transitioning from certain institutions who are at risk of homelessness to: (1) remove the "demonstration" designation of the program; (2) require the program to be carried out in 12 (under current law, at least six) locations; and (3) extend the program through FY2012. Allows homeless veterans' comprehensive services grant funds to be used to provide funding for service center staff. Repeals a provision limiting to FY2003 and FY2004 the funding for VA domiciliary care programs for homeless veterans. Requires the Secretary to ensure that such programs are adequate, with respect to capacity and safety, to meet the needs of women veterans.

repeals requirement secretary veterans_affairs adjust diem payments veterans homeless veterans comprehensive services program department_of_veterans_affairs exclude sources income federal state local governments departments agencies entities directs secretary carry demonstration program prevent veterans risk homelessness discharge release active military duty homeless amends demonstration program referral counseling veterans transitioning certain institutions risk homelessness remove demonstration designation program require program carried current law locations extend program fy2012 allows homeless veterans comprehensive services grant funds provide funding service center staff repeals provision limiting fy2003 fy2004 funding domiciliary care programs homeless veterans requires secretary ensure programs adequate respect capacity safety meet needs women veterans


Summary: National Homelessness Task Force Act of 2007 - Establishes in the legislative branch a National Homelessness Task Force to: (1) analyze reports by federal, state, and local agencies and academic institutions relating to homelessness; (2) evaluate the effectiveness of federal programs addressing homelessness, particularly their interaction with state and local entities which also address homelessness; (3) analyze options and make recommendations to alleviate the causes and effects of such homelessness; and (4) conduct related research and develop methods to improve, federal, state, and local agency coordination.

establishes legislative branch analyze reports federal state local agencies academic institutions relating homelessness evaluate effectiveness federal programs addressing homelessness particularly interaction state local entities address homelessness analyze options recommendations alleviate causes effects homelessness conduct related research develop methods improve federal state local agency coordination


Summary: Homeless Access to Recovery through Treatment Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to: (1) require hospitals and other inpatient facilities receiving federal funding under such Act or under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to ensure that patients are referred to appropriate medical care upon discharge and are placed in stable and appropriate housing; (2) establish a state substance abuse planning council to evaluate state substance abuse plans; (3) establish comprehensive community-based substance abuse prevention treatment for the homeless that is linguistically and culturally competent; (4) designate the homeless as a priority population and expand substance abuse and mental health services for the homeless; (5) expand substance abuse services for runaway, homeless, and street youth; (6) expand mental health and substance abuse services under the Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH); (7) require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to Congress on federal, state, and local policies and practices regarding homelessness and addiction and mental illness prevention and treatment; and (8) require the Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment to collaborate with the Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Resources for Children and Families to develop programs to provide substance abuse, alcohol abuse, and mental health services to children and families experiencing homelessness.

require hospitals inpatient facilities receiving federal funding act title xix medicaid social security act ensure patients referred appropriate medical care discharge placed stable appropriate housing establish state substance abuse planning council evaluate state substance abuse plans establish comprehensive community based substance abuse prevention treatment homeless linguistically culturally competent designate homeless priority population expand substance abuse mental health services homeless expand substance abuse services runaway homeless street youth expand mental health substance abuse services path require secretary health_and_human_services report congress federal state local policies practices homelessness addiction mental illness prevention treatment require director center_for_substance_abuse_treatment collaborate assistant secretary develop programs provide substance abuse alcohol abuse mental health services children families experiencing homelessness


Summary: Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish in the Treasury the Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund and to allow individual taxpayers to designate on their tax returns $3.00 of income taxes ($6.00 in the case of joint returns) to be paid over to such Fund to provide assistance to homeless veterans.

amends internal revenue code establish treasury homeless_veterans_assistance_fund allow individual taxpayers designate tax returns income taxes case joint returns paid fund provide assistance homeless veterans


Summary: Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to redefine "homeless, homeless individual, or homeless person." Includes in such definition not only a family lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, but also an individual or family who: (1) will imminently lose their housing; (2) has no subsequent residence identified; and (3) lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing. Includes as well an individual who resided in a shelter or place not meant for human habitation and is exiting an institution where he or she temporarily resided. Expands the scope of such definition to include unaccompanied youth and homeless families with children and youth defined as homeless under other federal statutes who: (1) have experienced a long-term period without living independently in permanent housing; (2) have experienced persistent instability as measured by frequent moves over such period; and (3) can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period of time because of chronic disabilities, chronic physical health or mental health conditions, substance addiction, histories of domestic violence or childhood abuse, the presence of a child or youth with a disability, or multiple barriers to employment. Requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to consider as homeless any individual or family who is fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions in the individual's or family's current housing situation, including where the health and safety of children are jeopardized, and who have no other residence and lack the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing. (Sec. 4) Declares that the mission of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is to coordinate the federal response to homelessness and to create a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to reduce and end homelessness in the nation while maximizing the effectiveness of federal contributions to end homelessness. Adds to the membership of such Council the Commissioner of Social Security, the U.S. Attorney General, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Director of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, and the Director of USAFreedom Corps, or their respective designees. Requires: (1) the Council to meet quarterly (currently, annually); and (2) rotation of the position of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson at the first meeting of each year. Directs the Council to develop, make available for public comment, and submit to the President and Congress a National Strategic Plan to End Homelessness, to be updated annually. Increases the number of regional coordinators employed by the Council from between two and five to between five and 10. Requires the Council to: (1) encourage state and local governments to develop 10-year plans to end homelessness; and (2) develop constructive alternatives to criminalizing homelessness and eliminate laws and policies that prohibit sleeping, feeding, sitting, resting, or lying in public spaces when there are no suitable alternatives, result in the destruction of a homeless person's property without due process, or are selectively enforced against homeless persons. Authorizes the Council to: (1) arrange national (currently, federal) conferences to develop and coordinate effective programs and activities to assist homeless individuals; and (2) pay for expenses of attendance at meetings regarding the functions or activities for which the appropriation is made. Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2010. Title I: Housing Assistance General Provisions - (Sec. 102) Prescribes requirements for a collaborative homeless assistance grant applicant for a geographic area, which shall: (1) design a collaborative process for applying for housing assistance; (2) participate in the Consolidated Plan for the geographic area served; and (3) ensure operation and participation in a communitywide homeless management information system (HMIS). Authorizes collaborative applicants to become unified funding agencies responsible for distributing funds to grantees and ensuring proper accounting methods. (Sec. 103) Prohibits any project sponsor receiving funds to provide emergency shelter, transitional housing, or permanent housing to families with children under age 18 from denying admission to any family based on the age of any child under 18. Makes an exception to this prohibition for project sponsors of transitional housing which target transitional housing resources to families with children of a specific age, if the project sponsor: (1) operates a transitional housing program that has a primary purpose of implementing an evidence-based practice that requires that housing units be targeted to such families; and (2) provides assurances that an equivalent appropriate alternative living arrangement for the whole family or household unit has been secured. Directs the Secretary to make technical assistance available to private nonprofit organizations and other nongovernmental entities, states, metropolitan cities, and both urban and nonurban counties to: (1) implement effective planning processes for preventing and ending homelessness; (2) improve their capacity to prepare collaborative applications; (3) prevent the separation of families in emergency shelter or other housing programs; and (4) adopt and provide best practices in housing and services for persons experiencing homelessness. (Sec. 104) Requires the Secretary to instruct a victim service provider that is a grant recipient or subgrantee not to disclose for HMIS purposes any personal identifying information about any client. (Sec. 105) Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2010. Title II: Emergency Solutions Grants Program - (Sec. 201) Renames the Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) program the Emergency Solutions Grants Program. Directs the Secretary to allocate nationally 20% of homeless assistance funding for specified activities. Allows a grantee to use up to 60% for traditional shelter and street outreach activities. (Sec. 202) Specifies among eligible activities short- or medium-term rent assistance, and new homelessness prevention and housing relocation and stabilization activities. (Sec. 203) Requires the Secretary to ensure that Emergency Solutions Grants recipients ensure the consistent participation by emergency shelters and homelessness prevention and rehousing programs in any applicable communitywide HMIS. Title III: Continuum of Care Program - (Sec. 301) Consolidates the Supportive Housing and other specified existing programs into the Continuum of Care Grant Program, whose purpose is promoting commitment to ending homelessness, rehousing homeless people, minimizing the trauma of homelessness, helping people access mainstream services, and optimizing self-sufficiency. Permits the Secretary to award grants to solo applicants but only if they have attempted to participate in the Continuum of Care Program and were not permitted to participate in a reasonable manner. Grants flexibility to a collaborative applicant to serve persons defined as homeless under other federal statutes. (Sec. 302) Specifies eligible activities under the Continuum of Care Program, including construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, leasing, rental assistance, operating costs, supportive services, rehousing services, and HMISs. Requires projects receiving funding for construction, acquisition, or rehabilitation to be used for their intended purpose for at least 15 years. Authorizes conversion of a project no longer needed for its intended purpose in order to benefit low-income people directly. Requires the grantee of any project needed but not used to serve homeless people for between 10 and 15 years, except under certain conditions, to repay all or a portion of the grant. Requires permanent housing rental assistance to be administered by a state or local government or a public housing agency. (Sec. 303) Prescribes incentives for high-performing communities, including flexibility to serve persons defined as homeless under other federal statutes. (Sec. 304) Revises supportive housing requirements for grantees. Requires them to: (1) designate a staff person to be responsible for ensuring that children being served in programs that provide housing or services to families are enrolled in school and connected to appropriate services in the community such as Head Start, the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities, and programs to educate homeless children and youth; and (2) place families with children as close as possible to their school of origin so as not to disrupt their education. (Sec. 305) Revises grant selection criteria and prescribes fund allocation formulae for the Continuum of Care Program, as well as incentives for proven strategies and their successful implementation. Requires the use of Section 8 (rental assistance) funds for renewals of expiring contracts for leasing, rental assistance, or operating costs for permanent housing. Prescribes requirements for matching funding. Directs the Secretary to establish an appeal procedure for denied certifications. (Sec. 306) Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2010 for research into the efficacy of interventions for homeless families, to be expended over two years at three different sites to provide services for homeless families and evaluate the effectiveness of such services. Title IV: Rural Housing Stability Assistance Program - (Sec. 401) Revises and renames the Rural Homeless Assistance Program the Rural Housing Stability Assistance Program. Requires the program to: (1) rehouse or find housing for people who are homeless or in the worst housing situations; (2) stabilize people in imminent danger of losing their housing; and (3) improve the ability of the lowest income residents to afford stable housing. Adds to the list of eligible Program grant uses construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, leasing, rental assistance, and payment of operating costs for transitional or permanent housing for homeless people. Adds to application requirements a description of: (1) consultations to determine the most important uses of funding; and (2) the nature of homelessness and the worst housing situations in the area. Sets a uniform 25% cash or in-kind match requirement for the project or activity; except that grants for leases shall not be subject to matching requirements. Directs the Secretary to establish criteria for selecting grant recipients, including specified requirements. Defines a rural area as any place outside of a metropolitan statistical area or any census tract within a metropolitan statistical area that is at least 75% rural. Considers any state with fewer than 30 people per square mile and at least 1.25% of land under federal control to be rural in its entirety, provided that no metropolitan city is the sole beneficiary of the grant. Prescribes requirements for the funding process for the rural program. Allows a rural applicant to apply under the Continuum of Care Program or the Rural Housing Stability Program. Requires that, if the Secretary receives applications from the same rural area under both programs, the Secretary must first seek agreement from the applicants about how to proceed, or, in the absence of agreement, must fund the application that would result in the most funding for the geographic area. (Sec. 402) Requires the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on homelessness and homeless assistance in rural areas and communities. Title V: Repeals and Conforming Amendments - (Sec. 501) Repeals provisions of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act: (1) establishing the Safe Havens for Homeless Individuals Demonstration Program; (2) providing Section 8 housing assistance for single room occupancy dwellings; and (3) establishing the Shelter Plus Care Program. (Sec. 502) Makes other conforming amendments to such Act.

homeless emergency assistance rapid transition housing act sec amends mckinney-vento homeless assistance act redefine homeless homeless individual homeless person includes definition family lacking fixed regular adequate nighttime residence individual family imminently lose housing subsequent residence identified lacks resources support networks needed obtain permanent housing includes individual resided shelter place meant human habitation exiting institution temporarily resided expands scope definition include unaccompanied youth homeless families children youth defined homeless federal statutes experienced long term period living independently permanent housing experienced persistent instability measured frequent moves period expected continue status extended period time chronic disabilities chronic physical health mental health conditions substance addiction histories domestic violence childhood abuse presence child youth disability multiple barriers employment requires secretary housing_and_urban_development hud consider homeless individual family fleeing attempting domestic violence dating violence sexual assault stalking dangerous life threatening conditions individual family current housing situation including health safety children jeopardized residence lack resources support networks obtain permanent housing sec declares mission coordinate federal response homelessness create national partnership level government private sector reduce end homelessness nation maximizing effectiveness federal contributions end homelessness adds membership council commissioner social_security attorney general director office_of_management_and_budget omb director director respective designees requires council meet quarterly currently annually rotation position chairperson vice chairperson meeting year directs council develop available public comment submit president congress national strategic plan end homelessness updated annually increases number regional coordinators employed council requires council encourage state local governments develop year plans end homelessness develop constructive alternatives criminalizing homelessness eliminate laws policies prohibit sleeping feeding sitting lying public spaces suitable alternatives result destruction homeless person property process enforced homeless persons authorizes council arrange national currently federal conferences develop coordinate effective programs activities assist homeless individuals pay expenses attendance meetings functions activities appropriation authorizes appropriations fy2009 fy2010 title housing assistance general provisions sec prescribes requirements collaborative homeless assistance grant applicant geographic area shall design collaborative process applying housing assistance participate geographic area served ensure operation participation communitywide homeless management information system hmis authorizes collaborative applicants unified funding agencies responsible distributing funds grantees ensuring proper accounting methods sec prohibits project sponsor receiving funds provide emergency shelter transitional housing permanent housing families children age denying admission family based age child makes exception prohibition project sponsors transitional housing target transitional housing resources families children specific age project sponsor operates transitional housing program primary purpose implementing evidence based practice requires housing units targeted families provides assurances equivalent appropriate alternative living arrangement family household unit secured directs secretary technical assistance available private nonprofit organizations nongovernmental entities states metropolitan cities urban counties implement effective planning processes preventing ending homelessness improve capacity prepare collaborative applications prevent separation families emergency shelter housing programs adopt provide best practices housing services persons experiencing homelessness sec requires secretary instruct victim service provider grant recipient subgrantee disclose hmis purposes personal identifying information client sec authorizes appropriations fy2009 fy2010 title emergency solutions grants program sec renames emergency shelter grants program emergency solutions grants program directs secretary allocate nationally homeless assistance funding specified activities allows grantee use traditional shelter street outreach activities sec specifies eligible activities short- medium term rent assistance new homelessness prevention housing relocation stabilization activities sec requires secretary ensure emergency solutions grants recipients ensure consistent participation emergency shelters homelessness prevention programs applicable communitywide hmis title iii continuum care program sec consolidates supportive housing specified existing programs purpose promoting commitment ending homelessness homeless people minimizing trauma homelessness helping people access mainstream services optimizing self sufficiency permits secretary award grants applicants attempted participate permitted participate reasonable manner grants flexibility collaborative applicant serve persons defined homeless federal statutes sec specifies eligible activities including construction acquisition rehabilitation leasing rental assistance operating costs supportive services services requires projects receiving funding construction acquisition rehabilitation intended purpose years authorizes conversion project longer needed intended purpose order benefit low income people directly requires grantee project needed serve homeless people years certain conditions repay portion grant requires permanent housing rental assistance administered state local government public housing agency sec prescribes incentives high performing communities including flexibility serve persons defined homeless federal statutes sec revises supportive housing requirements grantees requires designate staff person responsible ensuring children served programs provide housing services families enrolled school connected appropriate services community head_start programs educate homeless children youth place families children close possible school origin disrupt education sec revises grant selection criteria prescribes fund allocation formulae incentives proven strategies successful implementation requires use section rental assistance funds renewals expiring contracts leasing rental assistance operating costs permanent housing prescribes requirements matching funding directs secretary establish appeal procedure denied certifications sec authorizes appropriations fy2009 fy2010 research efficacy interventions homeless families expended years different sites provide services homeless families evaluate effectiveness services title sec revises renames rural housing stability assistance program requires program find housing people homeless worst housing situations stabilize people imminent danger losing housing improve ability lowest income residents afford stable housing adds list eligible program grant uses construction acquisition rehabilitation leasing rental assistance payment operating costs transitional permanent housing homeless people adds application requirements description consultations determine important uses funding nature homelessness worst housing situations area sets uniform cash kind match requirement project activity grants leases shall subject matching requirements directs secretary establish criteria selecting grant recipients including specified requirements defines rural area place outside metropolitan statistical area census tract metropolitan statistical area rural considers state fewer people square mile land federal control rural entirety provided metropolitan city sole beneficiary grant prescribes requirements funding process rural program allows rural applicant apply requires secretary receives applications rural area programs secretary seek agreement applicants proceed absence agreement fund application result funding geographic area sec requires comptroller general study report congress homelessness homeless assistance rural areas communities title repeals conforming amendments sec repeals provisions mckinney-vento homeless assistance act establishing safe havens homeless individuals demonstration program providing section housing assistance single room occupancy dwellings establishing sec makes conforming amendments act


Summary: Services for Ending Long-Term Homelessness Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to design national strategies for providing services in supportive housing that will assist in ending chronic homelessness and to implement programs that address chronic homelessness. Requires the Secretary to make matching grants to eligible entities to provide services that promote recovery and self-sufficiency and that address barriers to housing stability to chronically homeless individuals in, or who are scheduled to become residents of, permanent supportive housing and to other individuals and families who have voluntarily chosen to seek other housing opportunities after a period of tenancy in supportive housing. Directs the Secretary to require grantees to report data regarding the performance outcomes of projects carried out under this Act, which shall include measuring and reporting specific performance outcomes related to the long-term goals of: (1) increasing stability within the community for people who have been chronically homeless; and (2) decreasing recurrence of periods of homelessness.

services ending long term homelessness act amends public_health_service_act require secretary health_and_human_services acting administrator substance_abuse_and_mental_health_services_administration design national strategies providing services supportive housing assist ending chronic homelessness implement programs address chronic homelessness requires secretary matching grants eligible entities provide services promote recovery self sufficiency address barriers housing stability chronically homeless individuals scheduled residents permanent supportive housing individuals families voluntarily chosen seek housing opportunities period tenancy supportive housing directs secretary require grantees report data performance outcomes projects carried act shall include measuring reporting specific performance outcomes related long term goals increasing stability community people chronically homeless decreasing recurrence periods homelessness


Summary: Community Partnership to End Homelessness Act of 2007 - (Sec. 3) Amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to include in the definition of homelessness people who are staying for a short time in the housing of others or a hotel, and have moved frequently. (Sec. 4) Makes it the mission of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness to develop and coordinate the implementation of a national strategy to prevent and end homelessness while maximizing federal government contributions toward such end. Adds to the membership of such Council the Commissioner of Social Security, the U.S. Attorney General, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), or their respective designees. Directs the Council to develop and submit to the President and Congress a National Strategic Plan to End Homelessness. Increases mandatory Council meetings from once to twice a year. Increases the number of regional coordinators employed by the Council from between two and five to between five and 10. Requires the Council to encourage state and local governments to develop 10-year plans to end homelessness. Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2012. (Sec. 5) Revises requirements for housing assistance. Defines at-risk of homelessness, chronic homelessness, operating cost, and other specified terms. Requires establishment of collaborative applicants for a geographic area by the relevant parties, which shall: (1) design a collaborative process for applying for housing assistance; (2) participate in the Consolidated Plan for the geographic area served; (3) ensure operation and participation in communitywide homeless management information systems. Authorizes collaborative applicants to become unified funding agencies responsible for distributing funds to grantees and ensuring proper accounting methods. Prohibits any project sponsor receiving funds to provide emergency shelter, transitional housing, or permanent housing to families with children under age 18 from denying admission to any family based on the age of any child under 18. Authorizes technical assistance to grantees and collaborative applicants. Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish a timely appeal procedure for grant amounts awarded or denied. Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2012. (Sec. 6) Renames the Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) program as the Emergency Solutions Grants Program. Requires that 20% of homeless assistance funding be used for such Program, with up to 60% for traditional shelter and street outreach activities, and at least 40% for homelessness prevention and rehousing. Specifies among eligible activities short- or medium-term rent assistance, and new homelessness prevention and housing relocation and stabilization activities. Requires Emergency Solutions Grants recipients to participate in the applicable homeless management information system. (Sec. 7) Consolidates the Supportive Housing and other specified existing programs into the Community Homeless Assistance Program, whose purpose of the program is promoting commitment to ending homelessness, rehousing homeless people, minimizing the trauma of homelessness, helping people access mainstream services, and optimizing self-sufficiency. Requires the Secretary, when providing renewal funding for permanent housing projects, to make adjustments for increases in housing costs. Specifies eligible activities under the Community Homeless Assistance Program, including acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, leasing, rental assistance, operating costs, supportive services, rehousing services, and homeless management information systems. Requires projects receiving funding for construction, acquisition, or rehabilitation to be used for their intended purpose for at least 15 years. Authorizes conversion of a project no longer needed for its intended purpose to directly benefit low-income people. Requires the grantee of any project needed but not used to serve homeless people for 15 years, except under certain conditions, to repay all or a portion of the grant. Prescribes flexibility incentives for high-performing communities. Requires grantees to: (1) gain site control within 12 months of notification of an award; (2) ensure that homeless people are involved in projects; (3) maintain confidentiality of records and of the location of family violence shelters; (4) ensure that grantees do no restrict the educational rights of homeless children; (5) provide required data to HUD; and (6) ensure that projects serving people with disabilities do not concentrate and isolate people with disabilities. Sets selection criteria and fund allocation formulae for the Community Homeless Assistance Program, as well as incentives for proven strategies and their successful implementation. Provides for renewals of permanent rental assistance or permanent housing operating costs, to be funded for one year at a time out of the funding account for Section 8 (rental assistance) housing, provided that there is a demonstrated need and the project complies with appropriate standards. Prescribes requirements for matching funding. (Sec. 8) Revises and renames the the Rural Homeless Assistance Program as the Rural Housing Stability Assistance Program Requires the program to: (1) rehouse or find housing for people who are homeless or in the worst housing situations; (2) stabilize people in imminent danger of losing their housing; and (3) improve the ability of the lowest income residents to afford stable housing. Adds to the list of eligible activities construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, leasing, rental assistance, and operating costs for transitional or permanent housing for homeless people. Adds to application requirements a description of consultations to determine the most important uses of funding and a description of the nature of homelessness and the worst housing situations in the area. Sets a uniform 25% match requirement for all activities, but authorizes projects that previously had no match requirement to continue to be renewed without a match requirement. Allows the match to be met with cash or, when documented by a memorandum of understanding, in-kind services. Defines a rural area as any place outside of a metropolitan statistical area or any census tract within a metropolitan statistical area that is at least 75% rural. Considers any state with fewer than 30 people per square mile and with more than 1.25% of land under federal control to be rural in its entirety, unless the applicant consists solely of a metropolitan city. Prescribes requirements for the funding process for the rural program. Allows a rural applicant to apply under the Community Homeless Assistance Program or the Rural Housing Stability Program. Requires that, if more than one entity from a rural area applies for funding, the Secretary must first seek agreement from the applicants about how to proceed, or, in the absence of agreement, must fund the application that would result in the most funding for the geographic area. (Sec. 9) Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2011 for research into the efficacy of interventions for homeless families, to be expended over three years at three different sites to provide services for homeless families and evaluate the effectiveness of such services. (Sec. 11) Establishes in the Office of the Secretary a Special Assistant for Veterans Affairs to ensure that veterans have access to HUD housing and homeless assistance, coordinate all activities related to veterans, and serve as a liaison with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

homelessness act sec amends mckinney-vento homeless assistance act include definition homelessness people staying short time housing hotel moved frequently sec makes mission develop coordinate implementation national strategy prevent end homelessness maximizing federal government contributions end adds membership council commissioner social_security attorney general director office_of_management_and_budget omb respective designees directs council develop submit president congress national strategic plan end homelessness increases mandatory council meetings twice year increases number regional coordinators employed council requires council encourage state local governments develop year plans end homelessness authorizes appropriations fy2008 fy2012 sec revises requirements housing assistance defines risk homelessness chronic homelessness operating cost specified terms requires establishment collaborative applicants geographic area relevant parties shall design collaborative process applying housing assistance participate geographic area served ensure operation participation communitywide homeless management information systems authorizes collaborative applicants unified funding agencies responsible distributing funds grantees ensuring proper accounting methods prohibits project sponsor receiving funds provide emergency shelter transitional housing permanent housing families children age denying admission family based age child authorizes technical assistance grantees collaborative applicants directs secretary housing_and_urban_development hud establish timely appeal procedure grant amounts awarded denied authorizes appropriations fy2008 fy2012 sec renames emergency shelter grants program emergency solutions grants program requires homeless assistance funding program traditional shelter street outreach activities homelessness prevention specifies eligible activities short- medium term rent assistance new homelessness prevention housing relocation stabilization activities requires emergency solutions grants recipients participate applicable homeless management information system sec consolidates supportive housing specified existing programs purpose program promoting commitment ending homelessness homeless people minimizing trauma homelessness helping people access mainstream services optimizing self sufficiency requires secretary providing renewal funding permanent housing projects adjustments increases housing costs specifies eligible activities community homeless assistance program including acquisition construction rehabilitation leasing rental assistance operating costs supportive services services homeless management information systems requires projects receiving funding construction acquisition rehabilitation intended purpose years authorizes conversion project longer needed intended purpose directly benefit low income people requires grantee project needed serve homeless people years certain conditions repay portion grant prescribes flexibility incentives high performing communities requires grantees gain site control months notification award ensure homeless people involved projects maintain confidentiality records location family violence shelters ensure grantees restrict educational rights homeless children provide required data hud ensure projects serving people disabilities concentrate isolate people disabilities sets selection criteria fund allocation formulae incentives proven strategies successful implementation provides renewals permanent rental assistance permanent housing operating costs funded year time funding account section rental assistance housing provided demonstrated need project complies appropriate standards prescribes requirements matching funding sec revises renames rural homeless assistance program program find housing people homeless worst housing situations stabilize people imminent danger losing housing improve ability lowest income residents afford stable housing adds list eligible activities construction acquisition rehabilitation leasing rental assistance operating costs transitional permanent housing homeless people adds application requirements description consultations determine important uses funding description nature homelessness worst housing situations area sets uniform match requirement activities authorizes projects previously match requirement continue renewed match requirement allows match met cash documented memorandum understanding kind services defines rural area place outside metropolitan statistical area census tract metropolitan statistical area rural considers state fewer people square mile land federal control rural entirety applicant consists solely metropolitan city prescribes requirements funding process rural program allows rural applicant apply community homeless assistance program requires entity rural area applies funding secretary seek agreement applicants proceed absence agreement fund application result funding geographic area sec authorizes appropriations research efficacy interventions homeless families expended years different sites provide services homeless families evaluate effectiveness services sec establishes office_of_the_secretary special assistant veterans_affairs ensure veterans access hud housing homeless assistance coordinate activities related veterans serve liaison department_of_veterans_affairs


Summary: Amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to redefine "homeless" or "homeless individual or homeless person" to include: (1) a child or youth who has been verified as homeless by a local educational agency (LEA) homeless liaison, and the family of such child or youth; (2) a youth verified as homeless by the director (or a designee) of a program funded under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act; (3) a child verified as homeless by the program director (or designee) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the child's family; and (4) a child verified as homeless by the Head Start program director (or designee) under the Head Start Act, and the child's family.

amends mckinney-vento homeless assistance act redefine homeless homeless individual homeless person include child youth verified homeless local educational agency lea homeless liaison family child youth youth verified homeless director designee program funded runaway homeless youth act child verified homeless program director designee individuals disabilities education act child family child verified homeless head start program director designee head start act child family


Summary: Homeless Women Veterans and Homeless Veterans with Children Reintegration Grant Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Labor, subject to the availability of appropriations, to make grants to programs and facilities that provide dedicated services for homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children. Requires grants to be used to provide job training, counseling, placement services, and child care services to expedite the reintegration of such veterans into the labor force. Requires the Secretary to: (1) monitor the expenditure of funds under the grant program; and (2) carry out the program through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and Training.

children reintegration grant act directs secretary labor subject availability appropriations grants programs facilities provide dedicated services homeless women veterans homeless veterans children requires grants provide job training counseling placement services child care services expedite reintegration veterans labor force requires secretary monitor expenditure funds grant program carry program assistant secretary labor training


Summary: Amends the Internal Revenue Code to qualify low-income building units that provide housing for a student who previously was a homeless child or youth for the low-income housing tax credit.

amends internal revenue code qualify low income building units provide housing student previously homeless child youth low income housing tax credit


Summary: Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 - Amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to consolidate housing assistance programs for homeless persons. Declares that the mission of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is to coordinate the federal response to homelessness and to create a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to reduce and end homelessness in the nation while maximizing the effectiveness of federal contributions to end homelessness. Prescribes requirements for the selection of community homeless assistance planning boards, particularly for collaborative applicants. Requires the relevant parties in a geographic area to establish a collaborative applicant to apply for a homeless assistance grant. Requires a collaborative applicant to: (1) design a collaborative process to develop such grant applications and evaluate project outcomes; (2) establish priorities for funding projects; (3) participate in the Consolidated Plan for the geographic area served by the applicant; (4) ensure operations of, and consistent participation by, project sponsors in a community-wide homeless management information system (HMIS); and (5) act as a unified funding agency to distribute HUD funds to other project sponsors in the applicable geographic area funds for their projects. Prescribes requirements for: (1) an emergency solutions grants program; (2) a continuum of care grants program; (3) designation of high-performing communities; and (4) a rural housing stability assistance program. Increases from 5% to 7.5% the amount of any emergency solutions grant a recipient may use for administrative purposes. Requires the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on: (1) appropriate administrative costs for implementing the emergency solutions grants program; and (2) homelessness and homeless assistance in rural areas.

homeless emergency assistance rapid transition housing act amends mckinney-vento homeless assistance act consolidate housing assistance programs homeless persons declares mission coordinate federal response homelessness create national partnership level government private sector reduce end homelessness nation maximizing effectiveness federal contributions end homelessness prescribes requirements selection community homeless assistance planning boards particularly collaborative applicants requires relevant parties geographic area establish collaborative applicant apply homeless assistance grant requires collaborative applicant design collaborative process develop grant applications evaluate project outcomes establish priorities funding projects participate geographic area served applicant ensure operations consistent participation project sponsors community wide homeless management information system hmis act unified funding agency distribute hud funds project sponsors applicable geographic area funds projects prescribes requirements emergency solutions grants program continuum care grants program designation high performing communities rural housing stability assistance program increases emergency solutions grant recipient use administrative purposes requires comptroller general study report congress appropriate administrative costs implementing emergency solutions grants program homelessness homeless assistance rural areas


Summary: Allows homeless veterans' comprehensive services grant funds to be used to provide funding for service center staff. Revises provisions concerning payments for providing services for homeless veterans to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to annually increase the rate of such payment to reflect anticipated changes in the cost of furnishing services, and to take into account the cost of providing services in a particular geographic area.

allows homeless veterans comprehensive services grant funds provide funding service center staff revises provisions concerning payments providing services homeless veterans direct secretary veterans_affairs annually increase rate payment reflect anticipated changes cost furnishing services account cost providing services particular geographic area


Summary: Services for Ending Long-Term Homelessness Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Administrator of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to design national strategies for providing services in supportive housing that will assist in ending chronic homelessness and to implement programs that address chronic homelessness. Requires the Secretary to make matching grants to eligible entities to provide services that promote recovery and self-sufficiency and that address barriers to housing stability to chronically homeless individuals and families in, or who are scheduled to become residents of, permanent supportive housing and to other individuals and families who have voluntarily chosen to seek other housing opportunities after a period of tenancy in supportive housing. Directs the Secretary to require grantees to report data regarding the performance outcomes of projects carried out under this Act, which shall include measuring and reporting specific performance outcomes related to the long-term goals of: (1) increasing stability within the community for individuals and families who have been chronically homeless; and (2) decreasing recurrence of periods of homelessness.

services ending long term homelessness act amends public_health_service_act require secretary health_and_human_services hhs acting administrator substance_abuse_and_mental_health_services_administration design national strategies providing services supportive housing assist ending chronic homelessness implement programs address chronic homelessness requires secretary matching grants eligible entities provide services promote recovery self sufficiency address barriers housing stability chronically homeless individuals families scheduled residents permanent supportive housing individuals families voluntarily chosen seek housing opportunities period tenancy supportive housing directs secretary require grantees report data performance outcomes projects carried act shall include measuring reporting specific performance outcomes related long term goals increasing stability community individuals families chronically homeless decreasing recurrence periods homelessness


Summary: Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend and reauthorize appropriations for Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness, which provide specified services to individuals who: (1) are suffering from serious mental illness, or are suffering from serious mental illness and from substance abuse; and (2) are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless. Revises the minimum state allotment for such program to be the greater of the amount received by the state in FY2009 or $750,000. (Current law sets forth a minimum allotment of $300,000 per state.) Provides that if funds appropriated are insufficient for all states to receive the minimum allotment, then states shall receive no less than the amount they received in FY2009 with additional money spent to give states the minimum of $750,000.

amends public_health_service_act extend reauthorize appropriations provide specified services individuals suffering mental illness suffering mental illness substance abuse homeless imminent risk homeless revises minimum state allotment program greater received state fy2009 current law sets forth minimum allotment state provides funds appropriated insufficient states receive minimum allotment states shall receive received fy2009 additional money spent states minimum


Summary: Drug Free Families Act of 2009 - Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)) of title IV of the Social Security Act to require state TANF programs to implement a program to test TANF applicants and recipients for illegal drug use. Requires state TANF programs to deny assistance to individuals who test positive for illegal drugs and individuals convicted of drug-related crimes.

drug free families act amends temporary assistance needy families tanf title social security act require state tanf programs implement program test tanf applicants recipients illegal drug use requires state tanf programs deny assistance individuals test positive illegal drugs individuals convicted drug related crimes


Summary: Zero Tolerance for Veterans Homelessness Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a program within the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) for the prevention of veteran homelessness by identifying veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless and providing assistance, including short and medium term rental assistance and housing relocation and stabilization services, to ensure that such veterans do not become or remain homeless. Makes VBA regional offices responsible for oversight and coordination of: (1) any housing programs for veterans supported by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); and (2) the program described above. Includes new construction projects as projects under which eligible entities may receive grants for furnishing certain services to homeless veterans. Requires the study of the payment method for the reimbursement of grant recipients for per diem payments for furnishing services to homeless veterans and the development of an improved method to reimburse grant recipients for services furnished to homeless veterans. Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to set forth requirements for public housing agencies to provide vouchers for rental assistance to veterans (under current law, on behalf of homeless veterans with chronic mental illnesses or chronic substance use disorders) through the HUD-VA supported housing program. Establishes in HUD a Special Assistant for Veterans Affairs in the Office of the Secretary. Requires: (1) establishment of a method for the annual collection and aggregation of data on homeless veterans who participate in VA-HUD programs; and (2) submission to Congress of a comprehensive plan for ending homelessness among veterans.

zero tolerance veterans homelessness act directs secretary veterans_affairs establish program veterans_benefits_administration vba prevention veteran homelessness identifying veterans homeless imminent risk homeless providing assistance including short medium term rental assistance housing relocation stabilization services ensure veterans remain homeless makes vba regional offices responsible oversight coordination housing programs veterans supported department_of_housing_and_urban_development hud program described includes new construction projects projects eligible entities receive grants furnishing certain services homeless veterans requires study payment method reimbursement grant recipients diem payments furnishing services homeless veterans development improved method reimburse grant recipients services furnished homeless veterans amends united_states housing act set forth requirements public housing agencies provide vouchers rental assistance veterans current law behalf homeless veterans chronic mental illnesses chronic substance use disorders hud supported housing program establishes hud special assistant veterans_affairs office_of_the_secretary requires establishment method annual collection aggregation data homeless veterans participate hud programs submission congress comprehensive plan ending homelessness veterans


Summary: Amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to redefine "homeless," "homeless individual," or "homeless person" to include: (1) a child or youth who has been verified as homeless by a local educational agency (LEA) homeless liaison, and the family of such child or youth; (2) a youth verified as homeless by the director (or a designee) of a program funded under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act; (3) a child verified as homeless by the program director (or designee) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the child's family; and (4) a child verified as homeless by the Head Start program director (or designee) under the Head Start Act, and the child's family.


Summary: Department of Peace Act of 2011 - Establishes a Department of Peace, which shall be headed by a Secretary of Peace (Secretary). Sets forth the mission of the Department, including: (1) cultivation of peace as a national policy objective; and (2) development of policies that promote national and international conflict prevention, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful conflict resolution, and structured conflict mediation. Establishes in the Department: (1) the Office of Peace Education and Training, (2) the Office of Domestic Peace Activities, (3) the Office of International Peace Activities, (4) the Office of Technology for Peace, (5) the Office of Arms Control and Disarmament, (6) the Office of Peaceful Coexistence and Nonviolent Conflict Resolution, (7) the Office of Human Rights and Economic Rights, and (8) the Intergovernmental Advisory Council on Peace. Directs the Secretary of Defense (DOD) and the Secretary of State to consult with the Secretary concerning nonviolent means of conflict resolution when a conflict between the United States and any other government or entity is imminent or occurring. Transfers to the Department the functions, assets, and personnel of various federal agencies. Establishes the Federal Interagency Committee on Peace. Directs the Secretary to encourage citizens to celebrate the blessings of peace and endeavor to create peace on a Peace Day.

department peace act establishes shall headed secretary peace secretary sets forth mission department including cultivation peace national policy objective development policies promote national international conflict prevention nonviolent intervention mediation peaceful conflict resolution structured conflict mediation establishes department training office_of_technology peace peace directs secretary defense dod secretary state consult secretary concerning nonviolent means conflict resolution conflict united_states government entity imminent occurring transfers department functions assets personnel federal agencies establishes peace directs secretary encourage citizens peace endeavor create peace peace day


Summary: Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend and reauthorize appropriations for Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness, which provide specified services to individuals who: (1) are suffering from serious mental illness, or are suffering from serious mental illness and from substance abuse; and (2) are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless. Revises the minimum state allotment for such program to be the greater of the amount received by the state in FY2010 or $750,000. (Current law sets forth a minimum allotment of $300,000 per state.) Provides that if funds appropriated are insufficient for all states to receive the minimum allotment, then states shall receive no less than the amount they received in FY2010 with additional money spent to give states the minimum of $750,000.

amends public_health_service_act extend reauthorize appropriations provide specified services individuals suffering mental illness suffering mental illness substance abuse homeless imminent risk homeless revises minimum state allotment program greater received state fy2010 current law sets forth minimum allotment state provides funds appropriated insufficient states receive minimum allotment states shall receive received fy2010 additional money spent states minimum


Summary: Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) establish in the Treasury the Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund, and (2) allow individual taxpayers to designate on their tax returns a specified portion (not less than $1) of any overpayment of tax to be paid over to such Fund to provide services to homeless veterans.

amends internal revenue code establish treasury homeless_veterans_assistance_fund allow individual taxpayers designate tax returns specified portion overpayment tax paid fund provide services homeless veterans


Summary: Housing for Heroes Act - Prohibits grants made by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) under homeless veterans' comprehensive services programs (outreach, rehabilitation, vocational counseling and training, and transitional housing assistance) from exceeding 65% of the estimated cost of the project concerned. Prohibits the Secretary from denying applications for such grants solely on the basis that the grant entity proposes to use funding from other private or public sources, as long as such entity demonstrates that a private nonprofit organization will provide project oversight and site control.

housing heroes act prohibits grants secretary veterans_affairs homeless veterans comprehensive services programs outreach rehabilitation vocational counseling training transitional housing assistance exceeding estimated cost project concerned prohibits secretary denying applications grants solely basis grant entity proposes use funding private public sources long entity demonstrates private nonprofit organization provide project oversight site control


Summary: Educational Success for Children and Youth Without Homes Act of 2011 - Amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act's program of grants to states and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) for the education of homeless youths to: raise the minimum allotment for each state; elaborate on the functions of each state's Office of the Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youths; elaborate on required state procedures for resolving disputes regarding the educational placement of homeless youth; ensure that homeless youth do not lose credits earned in other schools and are not segregated into separate schools or programs within schools; require states, LEAs, and schools to promote success for homeless youth by holding them to the same achievement standards as other students and removing barriers to their full participation in all classes and school activities; list student-centered factors to be considered before an LEA places a homeless youth in a school; require such schools to immediately enroll homeless youth despite unpaid fees or missed application or enrollment deadlines; protect the privacy of information about a homeless youth's living situation; require LEAs to coordinate services provided to homeless and disabled youth; add to the duties of, and funding available to, LEA liaisons for homeless youth; provide for the enrollment of homeless children in preschool programs; require the Secretary of Education to establish or designate a Federal Office of the Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youths; authorize the Secretary to award grants or enter into contracts for evaluation, dissemination, and technical assistance activities for educational programs for homeless youth; triple authorized FY2012 appropriations from those authorized for FY2009.

amends mckinney-vento homeless assistance act program grants states subgrants local educational agencies leas education homeless youths raise minimum allotment state elaborate functions state youths elaborate required state procedures resolving disputes educational placement homeless youth ensure homeless youth lose credits earned schools segregated separate schools programs schools require states leas schools promote success homeless youth holding achievement standards students removing barriers participation classes school activities list student centered factors considered lea places homeless youth school require schools immediately enroll homeless youth despite unpaid fees missed application enrollment deadlines protect privacy information homeless youth living situation require leas coordinate services provided homeless disabled youth add duties funding available lea liaisons homeless youth provide enrollment homeless children preschool programs require secretary education establish designate federal_office_of_the_coordinator_for_education homeless_children youths authorize secretary award grants enter contracts evaluation dissemination technical assistance activities educational programs homeless youth triple authorized fy2012 appropriations authorized fy2009


Summary: Disabled Veteran Caregiver Housing Assistance Act of 2011 - Increases the amount of assistance authorized to be provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) for permanent and total service-disabled veterans who are temporarily residing in housing owned by a family member from: (1) $14,000 to $28,000, in the case of the acquisition of housing with special features; and (2) $2,000 to $5,000, in the case of adaptations to a current residence. Directs the Secretary to adjust such amounts annually based on the residential home cost-of-construction index. Removes a provision that prohibits providing such assistance after December 31, 2011. Expands the eligibility for specially adapted housing assistance provided by the Secretary for veterans with certain vision impairments. Removes certain limitations on the aggregate amount of assistance available for adapting and acquiring such housing for individuals residing temporarily in housing owned by a family member.

disabled veteran caregiver housing assistance act increases assistance authorized provided secretary veterans_affairs permanent total service disabled veterans temporarily residing housing owned family member case acquisition housing special features case adaptations current residence directs secretary adjust amounts annually based residential home cost construction index removes provision prohibits providing assistance december expands eligibility specially adapted housing assistance provided secretary veterans certain vision impairments removes certain limitations aggregate assistance available adapting acquiring housing individuals residing temporarily housing owned family member


Summary: Veterans Programs Improvement Act of 2011 - Allows grants made by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) for homeless veterans' comprehensive services programs (outreach, rehabilitation, vocational counseling, and transitional housing assistance) to be used for the construction of new facilities. Prohibits the Secretary from denying applications for such grants solely on the basis that the grant entity proposes to use funding from other private or public sources, as long as such entity demonstrates that a private nonprofit organization will provide project oversight and site control. Revises eligibility: (1) under the grant program for entities serving homeless veterans with special needs, and (2) for treatment and rehabilitation of homeless veterans who are not seriously mentally ill. Requires, where it appears to the Secretary that the interest of the beneficiary would be served by payment of veterans' benefits to a fiduciary, that payment be made, subject to exceptions, to the person or entity caring for or having primary custody of the beneficiary or the beneficiary's estate, including a person or entity who has been named by the incompetent beneficiary under a durable power of attorney. Authorizes the Secretary to require any person, state, or local governmental entity appointed or recognized as a fiduciary for a VA beneficiary to provide authorization for the Secretary to obtain from any financial institution any financial record with respect to an account of the fiduciary or the beneficiary which contains an amount paid by the Secretary to the fiduciary for the benefit of the beneficiary when necessary: (1) for the administration of a VA program; or (2) in order to safeguard the beneficiary's benefits against neglect, misappropriation, misuse, embezzlement, or fraud. Modifies the definition of "fiduciary" to include state and local governmental entities and a person named as an agent under a durable power of attorney. Specifies the individuals authorized to sign veterans' benefits claims filed on behalf of a person who is under 18, mentally incompetent, or physically unable to sign. Amends provisions concerning: (1) a dependent child satisfying the occupancy requirements necessary for a veteran's housing loan when a veteran is in active duty status; (2) waiver of the loan fee for individuals with disability ratings issued during predischarge programs; (3) indexing levels of assistance for individuals residing temporarily in housing owned by family members; (4) presidential memorial certificate eligibility; and (5) initial review of claimants' new evidence by the Board of Veterans' Appeals or, upon request, the agency of original jurisdiction. Extends: (1) provisions concerning homeless veterans' health care, centers for provision of comprehensive services, and property transfers for housing assistance to December 31, 2014; (2) the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans to December 30, 2013; (3) assistance to individuals residing temporarily in housing owned by family members to December 31, 2021; (4) authority for the Secretary to obtain information from the Secretary of the Treasury and Commissioner of Social Security to September 30, 2016, and use data provided by Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to September 30, 2021; and (5) the VA regional office in the Republic of the Philippines to December 31, 2012.

veterans programs improvement act allows grants secretary veterans_affairs homeless veterans comprehensive services programs outreach rehabilitation vocational counseling transitional housing assistance construction new facilities prohibits secretary denying applications grants solely basis grant entity proposes use funding private public sources long entity demonstrates private nonprofit organization provide project oversight site control revises eligibility grant program entities serving homeless veterans special needs treatment rehabilitation homeless veterans seriously mentally ill requires appears secretary interest beneficiary served payment veterans benefits fiduciary payment subject exceptions person entity caring having primary custody beneficiary beneficiary estate including person entity named incompetent beneficiary durable power attorney authorizes secretary require person state local governmental entity appointed recognized fiduciary beneficiary provide authorization secretary obtain financial institution financial record respect account fiduciary beneficiary contains paid secretary fiduciary benefit beneficiary necessary administration program order safeguard beneficiary benefits neglect misappropriation misuse embezzlement fraud modifies definition fiduciary include state local governmental entities person named agent durable power attorney specifies individuals authorized sign veterans benefits claims filed behalf person mentally incompetent physically unable sign amends provisions concerning dependent child satisfying occupancy requirements necessary veteran housing loan veteran active duty status waiver loan fee individuals disability ratings issued programs indexing levels assistance individuals residing temporarily housing owned family members presidential memorial certificate eligibility initial review claimants new evidence request agency original jurisdiction extends provisions concerning homeless veterans health care centers provision comprehensive services property transfers housing assistance december advisory_committee homeless veterans december assistance individuals residing temporarily housing owned family members december authority secretary obtain information secretary treasury commissioner social_security september use data provided department_of_health_and_human_services hhs september regional office republic_of_the_philippines december