House Passes McKinney Reauthorization Bill

Before the election adjournment, the full U.S. House of Representatives approved the HEARTH Act, S.1518 / H.R. 7221, by a vote of 355 to 61. This legislation substantially improves the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants program. The bill now awaits Senate approval.

This bill will provide communities with new resources and better tools to prevent and end homelessness. Some of its provisions include:

• Increases priority on homeless families with children, by providing new resources for rapid rehousing programs, designating funding to permanently house families, and ensuring that families are included in the chronic homelessness initiative.
• Significantly increases resources to prevent homelessness for people who are at risk of homelessness, doubled up, living in hotels, or in other precarious housing situations through the emergency solutions program.
• Continues to provide incentives for developing permanent supportive housing and provides dedicated funding for permanent housing renewals.
• Grants rural communities greater flexibility in utilizing McKinney funds.
• Modestly expands the definition of homelessness to include people who are losing their housing in the next 14 days and who lack resources or support networks to obtain housing as well as families and youth who are persistently unstable and lack independent housing and will continue to do so.

Next Steps:

In order for a final bill to pass this year, it must be approved by the full Senate before the end of this Congressional session. There is still time! There will be a lame-duck session the week of November 17 to finalize bills not approved before the election adjournment. We will continue to update you on progress in the Senate.