Demonstration program to study the impact of using rental vouchers for supportive and transitional housing for individuals recovering from opioid use disorders or other substance use disorders

Section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(21)

Rental Voucher Demonstration Program for supportive and transitional housing for individuals recovering from opioid use disorders or other substance use disorders

(A)

Establishment

The Secretary shall establish a demonstration program under which the Secretary shall set aside, allocate, and distribute directly to eligible entities, from amounts made available for rental assistance under this subsection, the amounts specified in subparagraph (B) for an eligible entity to provide a voucher for such assistance to a covered individual through a supportive and transitional housing program that provides treatment for opioid use disorders or other substance use disorders (as applicable), job skills training, and such assistance for a period of 12 to 24 months. (B)

Amount

The amount specified in this subparagraph is, for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, the amount necessary to provide the lesser of— (i)0.5 percent of the total number of vouchers allocated under this subsection during the fiscal year ending immediately before the date of the enactment of this paragraph; or (ii)10,000 vouchers. (C)

Criteria for eligible entities

An eligible entity shall— (i)provide an evidence-based treatment program and a job skills training program for individuals recovering from an opioid use disorder or other substance use disorder, as applicable, that meet standards established by the Secretary; and (ii)demonstrate prior experience administering rental assistance vouchers, demonstrate prior experience administering transitional housing programs under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act, or demonstrate a partnership with a public housing agency or a housing program of a State, unit of local government, or Indian tribe (as such term is defined in section 4 of the Native American Housing and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103)) that ensures effective administration of rental assistance vouchers. (D)

Application

To receive a rental assistance voucher under this paragraph, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary that shall include— (i)a description of the terms of treatment program, job skills training, and rental assistance to be provided to a covered individual, and assurances that such description shall be communicated to covered individuals that receive vouchers pursuant to the demonstration program established under this paragraph; and (ii)a transitional plan that begins on the date on which a covered individual completes the treatment program of the eligible entity that includes information on additional treatment, job skills training, and housing resources and services available to such covered individual. (E)

Selection

In selecting eligible entities to receive rental assistance vouchers under this paragraph, the Secretary shall— (i)ensure that such eligible entities— (I)are diverse; (II)represent an appropriate balance of eligible entities located in urban and rural areas; and (III)provide supportive and transitional housing programs in diverse geographic regions with high rates of mortality due to opioid use disorders or other substance use disorders, as applicable, based on data of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and (ii)consider— (I)the success of each recipient eligible entity at helping individuals complete the treatment program of the eligible entity and refrain from opioid or other substance usage, as applicable; (II)the type of job skills training program provided by the eligible entity; (III)the percentage of participants in the job skills training program that gain and maintain employment; (IV)the percentage of participants in the treatment program of the eligible entity that— (aa)do not relapse into opioid or other substance usage, as applicable; and (bb)do not receive Federal assistance for treatment of an opioid use disorder or other substance use disorder, as applicable, after completion of the program. (F)

Transfer of voucher

Upon termination of the provision of rental assistance through a voucher to a covered individual, the eligible entity that initially offered such voucher may use such voucher to provide rental assistance to another covered individual. (G)

Duration

The Secretary shall not make rental assistance available under this paragraph after the expiration of the 5-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this paragraph. (H)

Reports

(i)

By the eligible entity

An eligible entity that receives a rental assistance voucher under this paragraph shall submit to the Secretary— (I)annually, the transitional plan described in subparagraph (D)(ii) and information on each covered individual’s housing upon termination of the provision of rental assistance through a voucher to such covered individual in a manner that protects the privacy of such covered individual; and (II)not later than 4 years after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, a plan describing the treatment and housing options for any covered individual assisted by such voucher who will not have completed the program before the day that is 5 years after such date of enactment. (ii)

By the Secretary

The Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that analyzes the impact of rental assistance provided under this paragraph— (I)not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this paragraph; and (II)not later than 4 years after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, that includes recommendations for the continuation or expansion of the program established under this paragraph and improving the process for providing such assistance. (I)

Definitions

In this paragraph: (i)

Eligible entity

The term eligible entity means a nonprofit organization that meets the criteria described under subparagraph (C). (ii)

Covered individual

The term covered individual means an individual recovering from an opioid use disorder or other substance use disorder.