REPORTS ON ACTIVITIES OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO ASSIST HOMELESS VETERANS

Public Law 103-446, § 1001(a), (b), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4678, 4679, 38 U.S.C. 7721 note, provides:

SEC. 1001. REPORTS ON ACTIVITIES OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO ASSIST HOMELESS VETERANS.

(a) ANNUAL REPORT.-(1) Not later than April 15 of each year, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs during the year preceding the report under programs of the Department for the provision of assistance to homeless veterans. (2) The report shall

(A) set forth the number of homeless veterans provided assistance under those programs;

(B) describe the cost to the Department of providing such assistance under those programs; and

(C) provide any other information on those programs and on the provision of such assistance that the Secretary considers appropriate.

(b) BI-ANNUAL REQUIREMENT.-The Secretary shall include in the report submitted under subsection (a)(1) in 1995, and every two years thereafter, an evaluation of the effectiveness of the programs of the Department in providing assistance to homeless veterans.

HOMELESS VETERANS COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE

PROGRAMS

Public Law 102-590, §§ 2-4, Nov. 10, 1992, 106 Stat. 5136-5139 (as amended by Public Law 103-446, § 1003, Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4679) provides:

SEC. 2 [38 U.S.C. 7721 note]. PILOT PROGRAM.

(a) IN GENERAL.-Subject to the availability of appropriations provided for under section 12 [set out below], the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish and operate, through September 30, 1995, a pilot program under this Act (see Short Title of 1992 Amendment note set out under section 101 of this title] to expand and improve the provision of benefits and services by the Department of Veterans Affairs to homeless veterans.

(b) COMPREHENSIVE CENTERS.-The pilot program shall include the establishment of no more than eight demonstration programs (in addition to any existing programs providing similar services) at sites under the jurisdiction of the Secretary to be centers for the provision of comprehensive services to homeless veterans. The services to be provided at each site shall include a comprehensive and coordinated array of those specialized services which may be provided under existing law.

(c) PLACEMENT OF VBA EMPLOYEES.-The pilot program shall also include the services of such employees of the Veterans Benefits Administration as the Secretary determines appropriate at

(1) no more than 45 sites at which the Secretary provides services to homeless chronically mentally ill veterans pursuant to section 115 of Public Law 100-322 (38 U.S.C. 1712 note);

(2) no more than 26 sites at which the Secretary furnishes domiciliary care to homeless veterans pursuant to section 801(b) of Public Law 100-628 (102 Stat. 3257);

(3) no more than 12 centers which provide readjustment counseling services under section 1712A of title 38, United States Code; and

(4) each of the demonstration sites established under subsection (b).

SEC. 3 [38 U.S.C. 7721 note]. GRANTS.

(a) AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS.-Subject to the availability of appropriations provided for under section 12 [set out below], the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, during fiscal years 1993, 1994, and 1995, shall make grants to assist eligible entities in establishing new programs to furnish outreach, rehabilitative services, vocational counseling and training, and transitional housing assistance to homeless veterans.

(b) CRITERIA FOR AWARD OF GRANTS.-The Secretary shall establish criteria and requirements for the award of a grant under this section, including criteria for entities eligible to receive such

grants. The Secretary shall publish such criteria and requirements in the Federal Register not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 10, 1992]. In developing such criteria and requirements, the Secretary shall consult with organizations with experience in the area of providing service to homeless veterans and to the maximum extent possible shall take into account the findings of the assessment of the Secretary under section 107 of the Veterans' Medical Programs Amendments of 1992 [Public Law 102-405, 38 U.S.C. 527 note]. The criteria established under this section shall include the following:

(1) Specification as to the kinds of projects for which such grant support is available, which shall include (A) expansion, remodeling, or alteration of existing buildings, or acquisition of facilities, for use as service centers, transitional housing, or other facilities to serve homeless veterans, and (B) procurement of vans for use in outreach to, and transportation for, homeless veterans to carry out the purposes set forth in subsection (a).

(2) Specification as to the number of projects for which grant support is available, which shall include provision for no more than 25 service centers and no more than 20 programs which incorporate the procurement of vans as described in paragraph (1).

(3) Appropriate criteria for the staffing for the provision of the services for which a grant under this section is furnished.

(4) Provisions to ensure that the award of grants under this section (A) shall not result in duplication of ongoing services, and (B) to the maximum extent practicable, shall reflect appropriate geographic dispersion and an appropriate balance between urban and nonurban locations.

(5) Provisions to ensure that an entity receiving a grant shall meet fire and safety requirements established by the Secretary, which shall include such State and community requirements that may apply, but fire and safety requirements applicable to buildings of the Federal Government shall not apply to real property to be used by a grantee in carrying out the grant.

(6) Specifications as to the means by which an entity receiving a grant may contribute in-kind services to the start-up costs of any project for which support is sought and the methodology for assigning a cost to that contribution for purposes of subsection (c).

(c) FUNDING LIMITATIONS.-A grant under this section may not be used to support operational costs. The amount of a grant under this section may not exceed 65 percent of the estimated cost of the expansion, remodeling, alteration, acquisition, or procurement provided for under this section.

(d) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.-The Secretary may not make a grant under this section unless the applicant for the grant

(1) is a public or nonprofit private entity with the capacity (as determined by the Secretary) to effectively administer a grant under this section;

(2) has demonstrated that adequate financial support will be available to carry out the project for which the grant has been