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The following information is from the Corporation for Supportive Housing and the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Although this post is lengthy it is definitely worth reading in full as it provides a comprehensive overview of the budget issues that affect programs to end homelessness and expand supportive housing.
Appropriations - As we reported on June 24th, the House of Representatives, both the Transportation-HUD (T-HUD) and the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittees passed bills to fund the departments and agencies under their jurisdictions.
A full chart of the T-HUD Subcommittee’s funding levels may be found by clicking here.
The T-HUD Subcommittee suggested McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants be funded with $1.691 billion, an increase of $105 million over FY 08 and $55 million more than the President requested.
HUD’s proposed cuts to the 811/202 programs were rejected and instead received small increases.
Both the project-based and tenant-based Section 8 accounts received substantial increases.
Another round of $75 million for 10,000 new HUD-VASH vouchers was included in the legislation, as well as $30 million for 4,000 new vouchers for the disabled.
Unfortunately the HOPWA program was funded at the same level as last year — at the President’s requested level of $300.1 million.
The Senate T-HUD Subcommittee is scheduled to meet on July 10th to consider their version of the FY 09 Appropriations bill.
The Labor-HHS Subcommittee is responsible for funding the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), which administers several programs that benefit homeless individuals. CSH, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, NAMI, Enterprise, National AIDS Housing Coalition and other partners were successful in advocating for an increase to programs that fund services in permanent supportive housing. The victory was all the more significant in the face of proposed cuts to this account in the President’s budget.
The bill set to be voted will increase SAMHSA’s homeless programs by $21.4 million above the FY 2008 level for a total of $75 million. It appears that nearly all of the increase would go to fund services in permanent supportive housing. This would significantly expand SAMHSA grant funding for supportive housing.
CSH also advocated for increased funding for the PATH program, and is pleased the Subcommittee recommended an increase of almost $7 million in line with the President’s proposed increase.
While the Senate Labor-HHS Subcommittee matched the House’s increase for PATH, it funded the account for other homeless programs at SAMHSA at the same level as last year — $56 million. The Senate rejected proposed cuts that would have eliminated funding for new grants in FY 2009, adding $20 million above the level of funding proposed in the President’s budget. In the coming months, CSH will encourage the Senate to adopt a spending level closer to that of the House to ensure important investments in services in permanent supportive housing are made.
CSH has also partnered with the Council of State Governments, the Open Society Institute, and others to advocate for funding for Second Chance Act programs. This legislation, signed into law in April, provides funding for housing, job training, mentoring and other programs to reduce the recidivism of individuals re-entering society after incarceration. The Senate Appropriations Committee reserved $20 million for Second Chance Act programs in the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) appropriations bill, while the House subcommittee allocated $45 million.
National Housing Trust Fund - A comprehensive housing bill that includes funding for a National Housing Trust Fund (as described in previous releases and posted on our website) continues to progress in the Senate. Thanks to a stellar advocacy effort, an amendment to gut the housing fund was soundly defeated 77-11.
Although the bill has temporarily stalled due to a move by Senator John Ensign (R-NV) to add energy-related tax breaks to the bill, members of Congress remain hopeful a deal will be finalized before the August recess.
McKinney Reauthorization - The Financial Services mark-up of legislation to reauthorize the McKinney-Vento homeless assistance program was scheduled for June 24th, but has been postponed to July. Despite hours of meetings to achieve compromise, the bill was stymied by disagreement among groups on the definition of homelessness.
We are hopeful the bill will progress in the coming weeks, and encourage you to keep your eye open for forthcoming action alerts. Many non-controversial provisions in this legislation would improve the McKinney-Vento program, including the streamlining of funding by combining the three competitive programs into one, a significantly expanded list of prevention activities and funding, lowering of match requirements, higher administrative fees, and more.
Veterans Legislation - CSH is very pleased the House Financial Services Committee approved H.R. 3329, the Homes for Heroes Act, by voice vote. This bill will: create a Special Assistant for Veterans Affairs at HUD, authorize 20,000 HUD-VASH vouchers, and create a new $200 million housing production program for supportive housing for low-income veterans and their families. A manager’s amendment to improve the way the program will work with investors and developers was also unanimously approved. Next stop for this legislation is the House floor, and an advocacy effort to get the Senate to consider the bill.
Significant progress was also made on legislation to allow the Veterans Administration (VA) to fund supportive services in permanent supportive housing. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) successfully added language to S. 2162, the Veterans Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act, to grant the VA this funding authority. The VA has a responsibility to meet veterans’ health care needs, but does not provide support to community groups to offer supportive services in permanent housing. Senator Burr’s legislation will give the VA the authority to make $15 million in grants in FY 09, $20 million in FY 10 and $25 million in FY 11.
The Senate must now reconcile this bill with a House bill, H.R. 2874, which approaches veteran’s health care benefits in a different way. We are hopeful staff will meet during the August recess to discuss a deal.
Tags: Congressional Reception, CSH, Ending Homelessness, Federal Budget, federal policy issues, homeless assistance, homelessness, McKinney-Vento, NAEH, New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness, permanent supportive housing, Second Chance Act, Supportive Housing
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