CNCounty News

Homelessness Prevention Status: 114th Congress offers little progress; federal programs continue assistance

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Limited Congressional action on homelessness has focused on veterans

Although more than 300 bills relating to homelessness were introduced in the 114th Congress over the last two years, only 13 were signed into law by President Obama. Of these 13, most focused on reducing or eliminating homelessness among veterans — a topic that has received much attention from local leaders across the country, as well as from within the White House.

One exception, however, was P.L. 114-22, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015. Officially signed into law by President Obama on May 29, 2015, this law includes victims of human or sex trafficking within the criteria for awarding grants for services to runaway and homeless youth.

Despite scant congressional activity, there remain many existing federal programs that local governments can tap to assist individuals and families who need housing support.

Some of these programs help counties treat the symptoms of homelessness: Health Care for the Homeless  — through the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration — provides primary care and substance abuse treatment for homeless individuals; Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs — through HHS’ Administration for Children and Families — help transitional and homeless youth for up to 21 months. Federal programs such as  HHS’ Community Services Block Grant and Social Services Block Grant can be used, as well,  to support social services directed towards homeless individuals and families, and the children of homeless families are prioritized for enrollment in Head Start programs.

In addition to treating the symptoms, there are dozens more federal programs that address the primary roadblock facing homeless individuals and families and help them find temporary and permanent housing.

Most of these are operated through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and many are accessible to local governments. These programs target a wide variety of individuals and include:

  • Housing Choice Voucher Assistance Programs, which provide Section 8 and other vouchers to low-income families, disabled individuals (Section 811) and seniors (Section 202) for rent subsidized homes and apartments
  • HUD Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH), a joint initiative between HUD and VA to provide housing choice vouchers, and case management and outreach to homeless veterans
  • Continuum of Care (CoC) Program, which provides funding to nonprofits, and state and local governments to quickly re-house homeless individuals and families while minimizing trauma and dislocation impacts
  • Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program, which provides funding for street outreach, quality of emergency shelters, operation of such shelters, essential services to residents, rapid re-housing of homeless individuals and families, and homelessness prevention
  • Rural Housing Stability Assistance Program, which provides funding in rural areas to improve housing situations for homeless; stabilize housing for individuals and families that are at risk of becoming homeless; and improve the ability of lowest-income residents to afford stable housing
  • The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP), a new initiative that will fund up to 10 communities (including four rural ones), to implement new and innovative project models to reduce the number of youth experiencing homelessness
  • The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), which provide formula grants to state and local governments for community development needs, can be used to provide both transitional and permanent housing as well as supportive services to families or individuals experiencing homelessness, and
  • The HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which provides formula grants to states and local governments to create affordable housing opportunities, can be used to fund a wide range of activities that build, buy or rehabilitate affordable housing for rent or homeownership or provide direct rental assistance to low-income people.

In addition to HHS and HUD, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is also involved in efforts to prevent and end homelessness, with a focus on individuals returning to communities after incarceration.

In June, DOJ partnered with HUD to announce awardees under the Pay for Success Permanent Supportive Housing Demonstration, which tests cost-effective and housing-focused ways to help persons cycling between the criminal justice and homeless service systems. The program is part of a broader Obama Administration effort to “reduce barriers facing justice-involved individuals who are trying to put their lives back on track, including barriers to housing.”

Awardees announced in June include several local governments: Los Angeles County, Lane County, Ore., Pima County, Ariz., Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland, Travis County, Texas and Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska.


Associate Legislative Directors Daria Daniel, Jack Peterson and Hadi Sedigh contributed to this report.

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