A bill to provide financial assistance for emergency shelters and related assistance for the homeless.
Emergency Shelter for the Homeless Act of 1983 - Title I: General Provisions - Defines terms to be used in this Act.
Title II: Grants for Operation of Shelters for Homeless Adults - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to States, local governments, and nonprofit organizations to pay general operating costs of emergency shelters for homeless adults. Condition the eligibility of a State, local government, or nonprofit organization on requirements that: (1) an emergency shelter is operating in the area served by such entity; (2) such entity operated an emergency shelter some time during the three years preceding the enactment of this Act; and (3) such entity agrees to expend an amount equal to and in addition to the grant amount to operate emergency shelters. Lists grant application requirements, including requirements for: (1) material describing shelters operated by the applicant within the preceding three years; (2) material specifying the bed capacity of shelters operated by someone else; (3) information on the unemployment and vacant housing rates and the number of unrelated individuals living below the poverty level in the area served by the applicant; (4) an assurance that the applicant will repay grant funds not expended for operating emergency shelters; and (5) a report describing a discussion between any State or local government applicant and community representatives concerning emergency shelter expenditures.
Directs the Secretary to publish in the Federal Register a notice of the availability of funds for such grants when the amount approved for applicants is less than the amount appropriated for such grants. Authorizes appropriations.
Title III: Grants for Renovating and Converting Facilities for Use as Shelters for the Homeless - Permits the Secretary to make competitive grants to States, local governments, and nonprofit organizations to renovate or convert facilities to be used as emergency shelters for the homeless.
Sets forth information that must be included in an application for such a grant, including: (1) the number of individuals in the area who need emergency shelters and the number of individuals for whom shelter would be provided; (2) material demonstrating that notice and an opportunity to comment has been provided to the neighborhood in which the facility will be located; and (3) assurances that the applicant will expend, within one year, such grant amount and an additional contribution equal to 25 percent of such amount to renovate or convert such facility and will operate such facility as an emergency shelter for three years and as an emergency shelter, or for another approved public purpose, for four additional years. Requires repayment of 80 percent of grant funds not used as prescribed in this title.
Prohibits the Secretary from making any grant that would result in a disproportionate burden on any one section of a locality.
Requires the Secretary to publish a notice of the availability of grant funds whenever amounts appropriated exceed amounts approved for such grants. Authorizes appropriations.
Title IV: Demonstration Projects relating to Emergency Shelter for the Homeless - Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to States, local governments, and nonprofit organizations for the operation of demonstration projects that develop and apply innovative approaches to provide basic services to the homeless. Conditions grant eligibility on an entity's agreement to expend such grant amount plus a contribution equal to ten percent of such amount on such a project.
Directs the Secretary to publicize the availability of grant funds when amounts appropriated exceed amounts requested and approved. Authorizes appropriations.
Title V: Coordinating Council to Assist the Homeless - Establishes the Federal Coordinating Council on the Homeless. Requires the Council to report to both Houses of Congress within 90 days on: (1) the extent to which existing Federal law providing assistance to the homeless is and can be utilized; and (2) whether assistance currently provided is adequate for the purpose of each Act.
Terminates the Council 30 days after it transmits its report. Directs the Secretary to submit a copy of the report to the chief executive officer of each State.
Title VI: Federal Assistance for Eligible Homeless People Under SSI Program - Amends the Social Security Act to exclude an emergency shelter from the definition of a "public institution" to allow otherwise eligible shelter residents to receive Supplemental Security Income benefits.
Title VII: Tax Incentives for Emergency Shelters and Single Room Occupancy Facilities - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an investment tax credit equal to 25 percent of the qualified expenditures for the construction or rehabilitation of an emergency shelter facility or a single room occupancy facility.
Provides for an income tax exclusion of the interest earned on tax-exempt bonds issued to finance qualified shelter facilities.
Committee on Finance requested executive comment from OMB, Treasury Department.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs.
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means.
Referred to Subcommittee on Public Assistance and Unemployment Compensation.
See H.R.1900.
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