HOME for Foster Youth Act

Summary#

This bill, the "Housing Opportunities for Moving to Empowerment for Foster Youth Act," makes changes to the United States Housing Act of 1937 about tenant-based rental assistance for youths who leave foster care. It changes the timing in section 8(x)(2) so a youth who leaves foster care within 180 days (instead of 90 days) can be treated as an "eligible youth." It removes the phrase that required the youth to "be homeless or be at risk of becoming homeless at age 16 or older." The bill adds a clause to section 3(b)(4) saying that amounts a family receives from Education and Training Vouchers under section 477(i) of the Social Security Act are not included in the subsection's definition of "such term." The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must update guidance, notices, and other materials to reflect these changes. The bill also directs HUD and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to use amounts available to HUD for the section 8(x) program to modernize and improve access to housing assistance and supportive services for current and former foster youth.

What it means for you#

• If you are a current or former foster youth who left foster care within the past 180 days, this bill makes you eligible for tenant-based rental assistance under section 8(x) without the bill's prior requirement that you had to be homeless or at risk at age 16 or older.
• HUD must update its public guidance and materials so program staff and applicants see the new rules.
• The bill says Education and Training Voucher payments under section 477(i) are not included in the subsection's defined term (as written in the amendment).
• If you are not a current or former foster youth, the bill does not describe changes to other groups.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on total costs or savings from this bill. The bill directs HUD and HHS to use amounts available to HUD for the section 8(x) program to modernize and improve access to assistance and services, but it does not specify new appropriations or overall budget amounts.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information on supporters' statements or arguments in the provided text.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information on opponents' statements or arguments in the provided text.