,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #afe ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #c1 #bjai,mr4 ,green of ,texas introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,financial ,services ,a ,,bill ,to require the inclusion of veterans in housing planning and an annual report on housing assistance to veterans1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,improving ,access to ,homes for ,heroes ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,inclusion of veterans in housing planning 7a7 ,public housing agency plans ,section #e;,a7d77#a7 of the ,united ,states ,housing ,act of #aicg 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #adcg;c-#a7;d77#a77 is amended by striking and disabled families and inserting 1 disabled families1 and veterans 7as such term is defined in section #aja of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code74 7b7 ,comprehensive housing affordability strategies 7#a7 ,in general ,section #aje of the ,cranston-,gonzalez ,national ,affordable ,housing ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abgje7 is amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7b77#a71 by inserting veterans 7as such term is defined in section #aja of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code71 after acquired immunodeficiency syndrome12 7,b7 in subsection 7b77#bj71 by striking and service and inserting veterans service1 and other service2 and 7,c7 in subsection 7e77#a71 by inserting veterans 7as such term is defined in section #aja of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code71 after homeless persons14 7#b7 ,consolidated plans ,the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development shall revise the regulations relating to submission of consolidated plans 7part #ia of title #bd1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations7 in accordance with the amendments made by paragraph 7#a7 of this subsection to require inclusion of appropriate information relating to veterans and veterans service agencies in all such plans4 #c4 ,annual report on housing assistance to veterans 7a7 ,in general ,not later than ,december #ca of each year1 the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development shall submit a report on the activities of the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development relating to veterans during such year to the following3 7#a7 ,the ,committee on ,banking1 ,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs of the ,senate4 7#b7 ,the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate4 7#c7 ,the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate4 7#d7 ,the ,committee on ,financial ,services of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#e7 ,the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#f7 ,the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#g7 ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs4 7b7 ,contents ,each report required under subsection 7a7 shall include the following information with respect to the year for which the report is submitted3 7#a7 ,the number of homeless veterans provided assistance under the program of housing choice vouchers for homeless veterans under section #h7o77#ai7 of the ,united ,states ,housing ,act of #aicg 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #adcg;f7o77#ai771 the socioeconomic characteristics and racial characteristics of such homeless veterans1 and the number1 types1 and locations of entities contracted under such section to administer the vouchers4 7#b7 ,the number of homeless veterans provided assistance under the ,tribal ,,hud-,,va ,supportive ,housing ,program 7,,hud-,,vash7 authorized by the ,consolidated and ,further ,continuing ,appropriations ,act1 #bjae 7,pub4 ,l4 #aac-bce2 #abh ,stat4 #bgcc7 the socioeconomic characteristics and racial characteristics of such homeless veterans1 and the number1 types1 and locations of entities contracted under such section to administer the vouchers4 7#c7 ,a summary description of the special considerations made for veterans under public housing agency plans submitted pursuant to section #e;,a of the ,united ,states ,housing ,act of #aicg 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #adcg;c-#a7 and under comprehensive housing affordability strategies submitted pursuant to section #aje of the ,cranston-,gonzalez ,national ,affordable ,housing ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abgje74 7#d7 ,a description of the activities of the ,special ,assistant for ,veterans ,affairs4 7#e7 ,a description of the efforts of the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development to coordinate the delivery of housing and services to veterans with other ,federal departments and agencies1 including the ,department of ,defense1 ,department of ,justice1 ,department of ,labor1 ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 ,interagency ,council on ,homelessness1 and the ,social ,security ,administration4 7#f7 ,the cost to the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development of administering the programs and activities relating to veterans4 7#g7 ,any other information that the ,secretary considers relevant in assessing the programs and activities of the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development relating to veterans4 7c7 ,assessment of housing needs of very low-,income veteran families 7#a7 ,in general ,for the first report submitted pursuant to subsection 7a7 and every fifth report thereafter1 the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development shall-- 7,a7 conduct an assessment of the housing needs of very low-income veteran families 7as such term is defined in paragraph #e72 and 7,b7 shall include in each such report findings regarding such assessment4 7#b7 ,content ,each assessment under this subsection shall include-- 7,a7 conducting a survey of1 and direct interviews with1 a representative sample of very low-income veteran families 7as such term is defined in paragraph #e7 to determine past and current-- 7i7 socioeconomic characteristics of such veteran families2 7ii7 barriers to such veteran families obtaining safe1 quality1 and affordable housing2 7iii7 levels of homelessness among such veteran families2 and 7iv7 levels and circumstances of1 and barriers to1 receipt by such veteran families of rental housing and homeownership assistance2 and 7,b7 such other information that the ,secretary determines1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs and national nongovernmental organizations concerned with veterans1 homelessness1 and very low-income housing1 may be useful to the assessment4 7#c7 ,conduct ,if the ,secretary contracts with an entity other than the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development to conduct the assessment under this subsection1 such entity shall be a nongovernmental organization determined by the ,secretary to have appropriate expertise in quantitative and qualitative social science research4 7#d7 ,funding ,of any amounts made available pursuant to section #eja of the ,housing and ,urban ,development ,act of #aigj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #agjaz-#a7 for programs of research1 studies1 testing1 or demonstration relating to the mission or programs of the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development for any fiscal year in which an assessment under this subsection is required pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 of this subsection1 #a1jjj1jjj shall be available until expended for costs of the assessment under this subsection4 7#e7 ,very low-income veteran family ,the term very low-income veteran family means a veteran family whose income does not exceed #ej percent of the median income for the area1 as determined by the ,secretary with adjustments for smaller and larger families1 except that the ,secretary may establish an income ceiling higher or lower than #ej percent of the median for the area on the basis of the ,secretary's findings that such variations are necessary because of prevailing levels of construction costs or fair market rents 7as determined under section #h of the ,united ,states ,housing ,act of #aicg 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #adcg;f774