Sec. 8. Advisory Committee on Homelessness
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Subtitle A of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 11360 et seq. ), as amended by this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following: There is established in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (in this section referred to as the Department ) the Advisory Committee on Homelessness (in this section referred to as the Committee ). The Committee shall consist of not less than 10 and not more than 15 members jointly appointed by the Secretary and the Executive Director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (in this section referred to as the Executive Director ) from among the following:
Individuals who have experienced or are currently experiencing homelessness. A representative of or advocate for people experiencing homelessness. A community-based provider of services for people experiencing homelessness. A provider of or expert in affordable housing or permanent housing services. A provider of or expert in health care for people experiencing homelessness. A provider of mental health, substance use disorder, or wraparound services. A provider of job training and employment assistance programs or services.
A representative of a federally-recognized Indian tribe who has experience in Tribal housing and homelessness services. An individual representing local government or local law enforcement. Such other organization, group, or stakeholder as the Secretary and Executive Director consider appropriate. The Committee shall include, as ex officio members— the Secretary, or a representative thereof, and the Executive Director, or a representative thereof; the Secretaries, or representatives thereof, of— Health and Human Services;
Agriculture; Education; Veterans Affairs; the Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Mental Health and Substance Use, or a representative thereof; the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or a representative thereof; and such other ex officio members as the Secretary and the Executive Director consider appropriate. The Secretary and Executive Director shall determine the terms of service of the members of the Committee, except that— a term of service may not exceed 4 years; and the Secretary may reappoint any member for additional terms of service.
A vacancy in the Committee— shall not affect the powers of the Committee; and shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. Not later than 6 months after the date on which all members of the Committee have been appointed, the Committee shall hold the first meeting of the Committee. The Committee shall meet at the call of the Chairperson. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings. The Committee shall select a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among the members of the Committee.
The Secretary and the Executive Director shall implement strategies and activities associated with best practices of incorporating advisory groups of people with lived experience, this may include— orientation and training for Committee members on the work of the Secretary, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, and relevant agencies; training and professional development on best practices for effective engagement with the lived experience advisory group for involved staff for the Department; and strategies to reduce barriers to participation for individuals with lived experience of homelessness.
The Secretary and the Executive Director shall consult with and seek the advice of the Committee on a regular basis with respect to policy, programs, and initiatives related to homelessness. In providing advice to the Secretary and Executive Director under this subsection, the Committee, drawing from their own independent judgement, shall— assemble and review information relating to the needs, experiences, and expertise of people experiencing homelessness; provide an on-going assessment of the effectiveness of the policies, programs, and services of the Department in assisting people experiencing homelessness and creating interim, transitional, and permanent housing opportunities; provide on-going advice on the most appropriate, effective, and dignified means of assisting all populations of people experiencing homelessness; and provide on-going insights for departments, policies, and programs across the Federal Government that serve people experiencing homelessness.
The Committee shall— primarily review the continuum of homelessness and homelessness prevention services provided by the Department and assess new policies, programs, and procedures related to homelessness resources, supportive services, and prevention, including— identifying recommendations to address programmatic gaps and barriers to effectively serving the full demographic and geographic spectrum of people experiencing homelessness and at risk of homelessness; uplifting best practices, innovative solutions, efficiencies, and local policy initiatives for consideration by the Department, as well as identifying successes within the policies and programs of the Department; and identifying opportunities for increased liaison by the Department with nongovernmental organizations, State and local governments, and individual groups providing services to homeless populations; advise agency partners within the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to strengthen coordination of all services involved in addressing needs of people experiencing homeless, including by— identifying recommendations to strengthen the accessibility and efficacy of Federal programs and policies that serve people experiencing homelessness; and identifying areas for increased streamlining, flexibilities, efficiency, and synchronization under existing laws and policies to promote effective coordination of Federal agencies with State and local agencies addressing homelessness; and perform such other functions as the Secretary, the Executive Director, and Committee members may direct.
The Committee may hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as the Committee considers advisable to carry out this section. The Committee may secure directly from a Federal department or agency such information as the Committee considers necessary to carry out this section. On request of the Chairperson of the Committee, the head of the department or agency shall furnish the information to the Committee. The Committee may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
The Committee may accept, use, and dispose of donations of services or property. A member of the Committee who is not paid by their employer while attending and participating in activities of the Committee may receive compensation at a rate established by the Secretary and Executive Director and in accordance with guidance of the Department on best practices for compensating people with expertise based on their lived experience of homelessness. A member of the Committee who is not paid by their employer while attending and participating in activities of the Committee shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the Committee.
The Secretary shall detail a staff member of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to serve as executive director of the Committee and such other additional personnel as may be necessary to enable the Committee to perform its duties, except that the appointment of an executive director shall be subject to confirmation by the Committee. A Federal Government employee may be detailed to the Committee without reimbursement, and such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege.
The Chairperson of the Committee may procure temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for individuals that do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of that title. Not later than 3 months after the Annual Homelessness Assessment Report is released each year, the Committee shall submit to the Secretary and the Executive Director a brief report on select programs and activities of the Department and United States Interagency Council on Homelessness that relate to homelessness, which may include— an assessment of the experiences and needs of people experiencing homelessness; a brief review of successes and areas to strengthen within programs and activities of the Department and United States Interagency Council on Homelessness; a review of the activities of the Committee; and such recommendations (including recommendations for administrative and legislative action) as the Committee considers appropriate.
Not later than 90 days after the receipt of a report under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a copy of the report, together with any comments and recommendations concerning the report that the Secretary considers appropriate. The Committee may submit to the Secretary and the Executive Director such other reports and recommendations as the Committee considers appropriate.
Section 1013 of title 5, United States Code, shall not apply to the Committee. There is authorized to be appropriated for the Committee $150,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2030 to carry out this section, to remain available until expended. . The table of contents in section 101(b) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 11301 note), as amended by this Act, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 409 the following: Sec. 410. Advisory Committee on Homelessness. .
The Secretary and the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness shall support its grantees and Federal member agencies in incorporating individuals with lived experience of homelessness within their homelessness programs, relevant committees, and workgroups, including by— examining opportunities to incentivize meaningfully including the expertise of individuals with lived and ongoing experiences of homelessness in grants, policies, and programs that impact individuals at risk of or experiencing homelessness, as well as opportunities to compensate people with lived experience for their contributions; and addressing barriers such as Federal program eligibility and caps on earned income to ensure individuals with lived experience of homelessness are compensated for their participation in planning activities and input processes without risking any benefits or assistance that they receive from the Federal Government, which may include the provision of waivers, subject to a process determined by the Secretary, regarding eligibility for Federal housing assistance programs to individuals who would otherwise be eligible for those programs if not for the compensation provided for their consultation services.
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