House Committee Approves McKinney-Vento Reauthorization Bill
On Thursday, July 31, the House Financial Services Committee unanimously voted in favor of H.R. 840, the HEARTH Act, legislation introduced by the late Representative Julia Carson (D-IN) and Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY) to reauthorize HUD's McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants program. The bill passed with a manager's amendment offered by Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) and Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity Chair Maxine Waters (D-CA). The manager's amendment makes the bill similar to the McKinney reauthorization bill in the Senate, the Community Partnership to End Homelessness Act (S. 1518).
The approved manager's amendment would slightly expand the HUD definition of homeless to include individuals temporarily in institutional care who will become homeless upon leaving, those who will imminently lose their housing that lack the resources to find alternative housing, those who will be evicted within 14 days, those living in a motel or doubled up who either lack the resources to stay for more than 14 days or must leave within 14 days, and those fleeing domestic violence.
Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL) and Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY) offered an amendment to dramatically expand the definition of homelessness, but it was withdrawn after debate.
Several other amendments were approved unanimously, including an amendment by Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL) to clarify that nothing in the bill seeks to alter the Department of Education's definition of homelessness; an amendment by Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) to require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study the varying definitions of homelessness and how well agencies are responding to the most dire housing needs of communities and make recommendations; and an amendment by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) to allow communities applying for funds through the new rural program to use funds for transitional and permanent housing for those at-risk of homelessness.
McKinney-Vento has not been reauthorized since 1994. No date has yet been set for consideration by the full House. The Senate Banking Committee approved S. 1518 last fall and action on the Senate floor is expected before the end of the Congressional session.
Read the McKinney-Vento Reauthorization Legislative Update from the National Alliance to End Homelessness
