This resolution expresses the House of Representatives' sense that the United States must permanently end the unhoused crisis by 2029 while protecting the civil and human rights of unhoused individuals. It calls for specific actions such as allocating billions of dollars in funding for affordable housing, expanding access to healthcare and food assistance, and removing barriers that prevent people with criminal records from receiving public services. The text also urges the government to decriminalize behaviors like sleeping in public or panhandling, prohibit discrimination based on housing status, and establish legal protections for those providing services to unhoused communities. Additionally, it requests the creation of more accurate methods for counting the unhoused population and mandates annual reports on law enforcement interactions with this population.
The Supporting Mental Assistance Responder Teams Community Policing Act authorizes federal COPS funds to help local police departments create specialized teams that include mental health professionals and paramedics. These teams are designed to respond to crisis calls involving individuals with mental health issues, homelessness, or substance use disorders, aiming to de-escalate situations and connect people with necessary treatment instead of relying solely on law enforcement. The legislation also supports co-responder programs where officers work alongside clinicians, as well as outreach teams that follow up with individuals to help them access services and maintain stability. By funding these initiatives, the bill seeks to improve community safety outcomes and reduce the burden on emergency services through better coordination between police and health providers.
This bill authorizes $5 billion annually for each fiscal year from 2026 to 2035 to fund affordable housing programs, but restricts these funds to areas designated by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development as having high housing costs. It also requires the Secretary to conduct a comprehensive study on alternative ways to calculate income limits for urban housing assistance, with a final report due two years after enactment. The study will analyze how current income metrics affect rent affordability and explore options like using ZIP Code-level data to better support low- and middle-income families in expensive cities.
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that stable housing is a fundamental human right that keeps families together, regardless of immigration status. It condemns a past administration's proposal to ban mixed-immigration status families from receiving prorated federal housing assistance and calls on the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to withdraw any such rule. The resolution also urges Congress to increase funding for federal housing programs and calls for a Government Accountability Office report on the impact of such proposals on family separation and homelessness.
The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Modernization Act of 2026 aims to update and improve federal housing programs for Indian tribes, tribally designated housing entities, and Native Hawaiian communities. The bill streamlines environmental reviews, increases flexibility for these entities in managing housing funds, and raises income limits for certain homeownership assistance. It also establishes new pilot programs to address homelessness among Native Americans
The HELP Act of 2026 creates a federal database to track evictions from housing units receiving federal assistance, requiring landlords and local agencies to report detailed information about tenants facing eviction proceedings. The bill establishes a grant program to provide free legal assistance to low-income tenants at risk of eviction, prioritizing organizations with experience serving vulnerable populations and ensuring rural areas receive proportional support. Additionally, the act modifies the Fair Credit Reporting Act to include eviction records in consumer reports and requires landlords to provide tenants with written information about their eviction rights and available local resources. These measures aim to improve data collection on housing instability, increase access to legal representation for tenants, and enhance tenant awareness of their rights under federal and state laws.
This bill modernizes housing assistance programs for Native American tribes and Native Hawaiians by streamlining environmental reviews, extending funding authorization through 2032, and expanding loan guarantee options. Key provisions include consolidating environmental review requirements to reduce paperwork for tribes, allowing 99-year leasehold interests on trust lands for housing, and creating new rental assistance specifically for homeless or at-risk Native American veterans. The legislation also clarifies rent rules, waives certain housing counseling certifications for tribal entities, exempts tribal housing projects from some federal civil rights and Buy America requirements, and establishes a direct loan guarantee process for tribal housing projects.
This bill establishes two new grant programs administered by the Department of Health and Human Services to help prevent homelessness among youth aged 12 to 26 and children of those youth. The first program provides substantial funding for communities to implement prevention strategies, while the second offers smaller planning grants to help organizations assess local needs and build capacity before applying for larger grants. Eligible recipients include state and local governments, educational agencies, and organizations serving homeless populations, with special funding set aside for rural areas and Native communities. The bill requires grantees to form councils that include youth with lived experience of homelessness to guide program activities and mandates regular reporting on how funds are used and their effectiveness.
This bill makes permanent the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide treatment and rehabilitation services to seriously mentally ill and homeless veterans. It amends the United States Code by removing a temporary expiration clause that previously limited this program. The legislation directly affects veterans who face both mental health challenges and homelessness, ensuring they can continue receiving support without interruption. By codifying this authority into law, the bill removes the need for periodic renewal of the program.
End Veteran Homelessness Act of 2025 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish case management to certain veterans who are eligible for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the VA. Specifically, the VA must furnish case management to veterans who are eligible for HUD-VASH that the VA determines require case management. The VA must prioritize vulnerable homeless veterans in assigning case managers and providing services. The VA must take certain actions if a veteran refuses case management. HUD or a public housing authority may not revoke assistance solely on the basis that a veteran has refused case management. Additionally, a veteran may not be evicted or penalized by the owner of a property solely on the basis that they have refused case management or cannot be provided case management for health and safety reasons. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress on veterans who are served by the HUD-VASH program, case managers and case management services provided under the program, and metrics about housing stability for veterans participating in federal housing assistance programs. The bill also provides statutory authority to expand eligibility for the HUD-VASH program to any veteran who is homeless, at risk of homelessness, or receiving assistance under another housing assistance program if the VA determines a voucher under HUD-VASH is more appropriate. (Currently, assistance is statutorily limited to certain veterans who have chronic mental illness or substance use disorders.)
