The following important information is from the National Alliance to End Homelessness. The McKinney-Vento Reauthorization is one of the policy issues that will be part of the 2nd Annual Congressional Reception. For more information on the Congressional Reception and the New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness click here.
The markup of HR 840, the HEARTH Act, is scheduled for this week in the House Financial Services Committee. (The exact date is unclear.)
Rep Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chair of the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, plans to offer a manager’s amendment which would make considerable changes to the HEARTH Act and make it more similar, although not exactly like S 1518, the Community Partnership to End Homelessness Act. Click here for the Alliance’s revised summary of the legislation with the manager’s amendment.
The Alliance is in strong support of the legislation with the manager’s amendment. This legislation with the manager’s amendment represents a hard fought compromise and many conversations among national organizations and Congressional staff. We are asking Members of Congress to oppose any amendment to further expand the definition beyond the compromise included in the manager’s amendment.
Please contact your Congressional staff – in NJ this is Congressman Garrett – in support of the manager’s amendment as is without amendment. And let us know if they have questions or comments and generally what they say.
General Talking Points on the Legislation with Manager’s Amendment
The bill provides new resources and incentives for serving homeless families– including a bonus for rapid rehousing programs that serve homeless families and including families in the chronic homelessness initiative.
It continues the successful initiative to reduce chronic homelessness.
It significantly increases resources for homelessness prevention through a new emergency solutions grant program.
It puts permanent housing renewals on sure footing by creating dedicated funding for permanent housing renewals.
It increases flexibility and streamlines McKinney-Vento programs.
It includes a compromise on the definition of homelessness that expands the definition in a reasonable way and also allows communities to use some of their resources to serve people who are considered homeless under other definitions of homelessness.
Click here for the definition of homelessness in the manager’s amendment.
