§12474 Collaborative Grants to Increase the Long-term Stability of Victims

Summary

The Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Administration for Children and Families and working with HUD, must give grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements for at least 2 years to coalitions that build long-term housing and self-sufficiency options for adult and youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Each award must be between $25,000 and $1,000,000 per year. To get money, groups must apply and be a coalition that at minimum includes a domestic violence victim service provider and either a homeless service provider, a nonprofit community housing development organization (or a similar tribal housing entity on tribal lands). Coalitions can also include sexual assault or stalking service providers, housing developers and agencies, public or tribal housing authorities, tenant groups, HUD Continuum of Care nonprofits, governments, or other nonprofits that can help. Grant money must be used to create or copy programs that increase stability and long-term housing options and self-sufficiency for victims and their families. Funds can be used to coordinate resources, help place people in long-term housing, provide services and financial help to keep housing, partner on capital costs for housing, pay administrative costs for operating such housing, and share housing information with the community. Funds cannot be used for construction, modernization, or renovation. HHS must give priority to linguistically and culturally specific services and to applications that include a sexual assault service provider, and at least 15 percent of each year’s funds must go to tribal organizations. Up to 5 percent of appropriated funds each year may be used for evaluation and administration, and up to 8 percent for technical assistance. Authorized funding is $4,000,000 for each fiscal year 2023 through 2027. Definitions: “Affordable housing” is defined in 42 U.S.C. 12745; “Long-term housing” means sustainable, accessible, affordable, and safe housing that is owned or rented by the person, covered by a non-time-limited voucher or subsidy, or provided by a program without a time limit.