,i #aadth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cigj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,november #e1 #bjae ,mr4 ,israel 7for himself and ,mr4 ,rooney of ,florida7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to establish a pilot grant program to acquire and renovate abandoned homes for homeless veterans4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,housing ,our ,heroes ,act4 #b4 ,establishment of pilot grant program for homeless veterans 7a7 ,establishment ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall commence a pilot grant program to assess the feasibility and advisability of awarding grants to eligible entities to purchase and renovate abandoned homes for homeless veterans4 7b7 ,grants 7#a7 ,award ,in carrying out the pilot program under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to purchase and renovate abandoned homes for homeless veterans4 7#b7 ,maximum ,amount ,the amount of a single grant awarded under paragraph 7#a7 shall not exceed #a1jjj1jjj4 7#c7 ,number ,the ,secretary may award to an eligible entity more than one grant under paragraph 7#a74 7c7 ,eligible entities ,the ,secretary may award a grant under subsection 7b77#a7 to any of the following3 7#a7 ,a veterans service agency4 7#b7 ,a veterans service organization4 7#c7 ,homeless organizations4 7#d7 ,any other nongovernmental organization4 7d7 ,selection of grant recipients 7#a7 ,application ,any eligible entity seeking a grant under subsection 7b77#a7 shall submit to the ,secretary an application therefore in such form and in such manner as the ,secretary considers appropriate4 7#b7 ,selection ,priority 7,a7 ,communities with greatest need ,subject to subparagraph 7,b71 in accordance with regulations the ,secretary shall prescribe1 the ,secretary shall give priority in the awarding of grants under subsection 7b77#a7 to eligible entities who serve communities that the ,secretary determines have the greatest need of homeless services4 7,b7 ,geographic ,distribution ,the ,secretary may give priority in the awarding of grants under subsection 7b77#a7 to achieve a fair distribution1 as determined by the ,secretary1 among homeless veterans in different geographical regions4 7,c7 ,other agreements ,in awarding a grant under subsection 7b77#a7 to an eligible entity in a location determined pursuant to subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b71 the ,secretary shall give preference to eligible entities that are entered into an agreement with the ,secretary under section #bjda of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4 7e7 ,use of grant funds 7#a7 ,purposes ,a grantee may use amounts of a grant awarded to the grantee under subsection 7b77#a7 to purchase or renovate abandoned homes1 including homes that have been foreclosed4 7#b7 ,maximum purchase amount ,not more than #cjj1jjj of the amount of a grant awarded under subsection 7b77#a7 may be used for the purchase of a single home4 7#c7 ,payment program 7,a7 ,the ,united ,states shall not have any ownership interest in a home that is purchased by a grantee using amounts of a grant awarded under subsection 7b77#a74 7,b7 ,each grantee shall ensure that1 beginning one year after the date on which a veteran begins to reside in a home purchased or renovated by the grantee using a grant awarded under subsection 7b77#a71 the veteran makes monthly payments to the grantee in an amount determined appropriate by the grantee that is not less than #he percent of the fair market rent for such home4 7,c7 ,each grantee shall determine whether payments made by a veteran under subparagraph 7,b7 shall be treated as rent or as a mortgage for the home for which the veteran is making such payments4 ,the ,secretary1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development1 shall determine the requirements for such payments4 7,d7 ,each grantee shall pay to the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs not less than #hj percent of each payment received under subparagraph 7,b74 7,e7 ,the ,secretary may conduct an audit of any grantee to ensure that the grantee carries out this paragraph4 7#d7 ,veterans ,homelessness ,grant ,fund 7,a7 ,there is established in the ,treasury a fund to be known as the ,veterans ,homelessness ,grant ,fund 7in this paragraph referred to as the ,fund74 7,b7 ,the ,secretary shall deposit into the ,fund the payments collected by the ,secretary under paragraph 7#c77;,d74 7,c7 ,amounts deposited into the ,fund pursuant to subparagraph 7,b7 shall be available to the ,secretary to carry out the pilot program under subsection 7a7 without further appropriation4 ,the ,secretary may not use such amounts from the ,fund for any other purpose unless pursuant to a specific provision of law4 7f7 ,duration ,the ,secretary shall carry out the pilot program under subsection 7a7 during the three-year period beginning on the date of the commencement of the pilot program4 7g7 ,annual reports ,during each year in which the ,secretary carries out the pilot program under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report that details1 with respect to the year covered by the report1 the number of grants awarded1 the amounts so awarded1 the progress of home purchase and renovation made by eligible entities using such grants1 and the number of tenants currently paying rent towards such homes4 7h7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary a total of #be1jjj1jjj to carry out the pilot program under subsection 7a74 7i7 ,homeless veteran defined ,in this section1 the term homeless veteran means any of the following veterans3 7#a7 ,a veteran who is eligible to receive housing1 clinical services1 and case management assistance under section #h7o77#ai7 of the ,united ,states ,housing ,act of #aicg 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #adcg;f7o77#ai774 7#b7 ,a veteran who is receiving-- 7,a7 assistance from1 or is the beneficiary of a service furnished by1 a program that is in receipt of a grant under section #bjaa of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code2 or 7,b7 services for which per diem payment is received under section #bjab of such title4 7#c7 ,a veteran who is-- 7,a7 a beneficiary of the outreach program carried out under section #bjbb7;e7 of such title2 or 7,b7 in receipt of referral or counseling services from the program carried out under section #bjbc of such title4 7#d7 ,a veteran who is receiving a service or assistance under section #bjca of such title4 7#e7 ,a veteran who is residing in therapeutic housing operated under section #bjcb of such title4 7#f7 ,a veteran who is receiving domiciliary services under section #bjdc of such title or domiciliary care under section #agaj7;b7 of such title4 7#g7 ,a veteran who is receiving supportive services under #bjdd of such title4