,i #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fgja ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #d1 #bjah,mr4 ,poe of ,texas 7for himself and ,mr4 ,o',halleran7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,financial ,services ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development to improve services for survivors of domestic violence1 dating violence1 sexual assault1 or stalking4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,help ,end ,abusive ,living ,situations ,act or the ,,heals ,act4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act-- 7#a7 the term domestic violence has the meaning given the term in section #djjjb7;a7 of the ,violence ,against ,women ,act of #aiid 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acibe7;a772 7#b7 the term domestic violence project means a project administered by a victim service provider designed to meet the needs of survivors of domestic violence1 dating violence1 sexual assault1 or stalking2 7#c7 the term homeless individual has the meaning given the term in section #ajc of the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,homeless ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aacjb72 7#d7 the terms homeless individual with a disability1 permanent housing1 tenant-based1 transitional housing1 and victim service provider have the meanings given those terms in section #dja of the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,homeless ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aacfj72 7#e7 the term rapid re-housing project means supportive services and short- or medium-term tenant-based rental assistance1 as necessary1 to help a homeless individual1 with or without a disability1 move into permanent housing2 and 7#f7 the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development4 #c4 ,strengthening housing resources protections for victims of domestic violence1 dating violence1 sexual assault1 and stalking ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall take the following measures to improve services provided to survivors of domestic violence1 dating violence1 sexual assault1 and stalking3 7#a7 ,strategic plan ,the ,secretary shall create a section in the next strategic plan of the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development required under section #cjf of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 that-- 7,a7 outlines a thorough response to the housing needs of survivors of domestic violence1 dating violence1 sexual assault1 and stalking and their families2 7,b7 provides that1 for purposes of scoring applicants in the notice of funding availability for the ,continuum of ,care program authorized under subtitle ,c of title ,,iv of the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,homeless ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aacha et seq47 in any fiscal year1 the ,secretary shall give equal consideration to-- 7i7 rapid re-housing projects2 7ii7 projects that provide permanent supportive housing2 and 7iii7 domestic violence projects that maximize client choice1 including transitional housing2 7,c7 authorizes any defunded transitional housing project to reapply for funding2 and 7,d7 authorizes rapid re-rehousing projects to provide not less than #f months and not more than #bd months of assistance4 7#b7 ,evaluation ,the ,secretary shall develop-- 7,a7 measurable criteria upon which applicants are evaluated to demonstrate their collaboration with victim service providers to develop local policy priorities focused on survivors of domestic violence1 dating violence1 sexual assault1 or stalking1 including survivor-centered coordinated entry processes that appropriately assess and prioritize those survivors and take into account the safety and confidentiality needs of those survivors2 and 7,b7 mechanisms that promote the provision of technical assistance and support for programs to improve outcomes instead of reallocating or not awarding funds4 7#c7 ,research agenda ,the ,secretary shall develop a research agenda that focuses on survivors of domestic violence1 dating violence1 sexual assault1 and stalking and the housing modalities that best support them1 especially the critical safety concerns and the link between trauma and residential stability4 #d4 ,increasing access to safe housing for survivors of domestic violence1 dating violence1 sexual assault1 and stalking ,section #dbg7;b7 of the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,homeless ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aachf;a7b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a77;,f7-- 7,a7 in clause 7i71 by striking or at the end2 7,b7 in clause 7ii71 by striking and and the end and inserting or2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7iii7 success in meeting the safety and trauma needs of survivors of domestic violence1 dating violence1 sexual assault1 or stalking1 including access to safe housing2 and 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 ,criteria for victim services providers ,with respect to recipients that are victim service providers1 the ,secretary shall evaluate the provider based on the ability to meet the safety and trauma needs of victims served by the provider1 including access to safe housing4 4 #e4 ,report to ,congress ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report on-- 7#a7 the trends in allocating resources beginning after the date of enactment of the ,homeless ,emergency ,assistance and ,rapid ,transition to ,housing ,act of #bjji 7,public ,law #aaa-bb2 #abc ,stat4 #affc7 to address the housing needs of survivors of domestic violence1 dating violence1 sexual assault1 and stalking2 and 7#b7 the increase in the allocation of resources for domestic violence projects beginning after the date of enactment of this ,act4