Published On: November 9, 202110.9 min read2183 words

Provisions to Leverage to End Youth Homelessness

On November 3, 2021, the House released ​​H.R. 5376, Build Back Better Act. Here is a summary of the key provisions that can be leveraged to further our movement to prevent and end youth and young adult homelessness.

YOUTH EMPLOYMENT

$1.5 billion for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ( WIOA) Youth Employment and Training Activities to remain available until September 30, 2026, to provide opportunities for in-school youth and out-of-school youth to participate in paid work experiences. Partnerships with community-based organizations to support out-of-school youth, including those living in high-crime and high-poverty areas.

  • Out-of-school youth are between the ages of 16 and 24, not attending school, and one or more of the following:

    • A school dropout
    • A youth who is within the age of compulsory school attendance, but has not attended school for at least the most recent complete school year calendar quarter.
    • A recipient of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent who is a low-income individual and is— 
      • basic skills deficient; or 
      • an English language learner
    • An individual subject to the juvenile or adult justice system
    • A homeless individual (as defined in section 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a(2)), a runaway, an individual in foster care or has aged out of the foster care system, a child eligible for assistance under section 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677), or an individual in an out-of-home placement. 
    • An individual who is pregnant or parenting
    • A youth who is an individual with a disability
    • A low-income individual who requires additional assistance to enter or complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment

  • In-school youth are attending school (as defined by State law), between the ages of 14 and 21, a low-income individual, and one or more of the following:

    • Basic skills deficient
    • An English language learner
    • An offender
    • A homeless individual (as defined in section 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a(2)), a runaway, an individual in foster care or has aged out of the foster care system, a child eligible for assistance under section 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677), or an individual in an out-of-home placement.
    • Pregnant or parenting
    • A youth who is an individual with a disability
    • An individual who requires additional assistance to complete an education

$1 billion for registered apprenticeship programs, youth apprenticeship programs, and pre-apprenticeship programs to remain available until September 30, 2026 (Sec. 22006)

  • $500 million for carrying out eligible activities through grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, or other arrangements, including arrangements with States and outlying areas 
  • $500 million for carrying out the following activities to serve a high number or high percentage of individuals with barriers to employment (as defined in WIOA)
  • Eligible activities include:
    • Registered apprenticeship programs
    • Pre-apprenticeship programs that articulate to registered apprenticeship programs
    • Youth apprenticeship programs that:
      • Provide participants with high quality, classroom-based related instruction and training, and employment opportunities with progressively increasing wages
      • Prepare participants for enrollment in an institution of higher education, a registered apprenticeship program, and employment

$465 million for the YouthBuild program to remain available until September 30, 2026

  • $15 million to carry out the eligible activities listed below to improve and expand access to services, stipends, wages, and benefits
  • $450 million for the eligible activities listed below to support activities aligned with high-quality employment opportunities in industry sectors or occupations related to climate resilience or mitigation and aligned with the activities  
  • Eligible activities:
    • Work experience and skills training
    • Occupational skills training
    • Other paid and unpaid work experience, including internships and job shadowing
    • Services and activities designed to meet the educational needs of participants, including:
      • Basic skills instruction and remedial education
      • Language instruction educational programs for participants who are English language learners
      • Secondary education services and activities, including tutoring study skills training, and school dropout prevention and recovery activities, designed to lead to the attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent
      • Counseling and assistance in obtaining postsecondary education and required financial aid
      • Alternative secondary school services
    • Counseling services and related activities
    • Activities designed to develop employment and leadership schools
    • Supportive services and provision of need-based stipends to enable individuals to participate in the program and assist individuals for a period not to exceed 12 months
    • Job search and assistance

$450 million to Job Corps to remain available until September 30, 2026. Job Corps helps eligible young people ages 16 through 24 complete their high school education, receive training for meaningful careers, and assist with obtaining employment.

  • to support the following activities aligned with high-quality employment opportunities in industry sectors or occupations related to climate resilience or mitigation; and
    • Job Corps Center activities, including:
      • Activities that help enrollees on completion to:
        • Secure and maintaining meaningful unsubsidized employment
        • Enroll in and complete secondary education or post-secondary education or training programs, including other suitable career and technical education, training, and apprenticeship programs
      • Link to employment opportunities in in-demand industry sectors and occupations
    • Academic and career and technical education and training
    • Advanced career training programs
    • Graduate services
    • Child care
  •  Counseling and job placement

$350 million for Paid Youth Employment Opportunities to remain available until September 30, 2026, to carry out activities through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements, for the purposes of  providing in-school youth (defined above) and out-of-school youth (defined above):

  • Paid work experiences that have as a component academic and occupational education, which may include:
    • Summer employment opportunities and other employment opportunities are available throughout the school year
    • Pre-apprenticeship programs
    • Internships and job shadowing
    • On-the-job training opportunities
  • carried out by public agencies or private nonprofit entities, including community-based organizations; 
  • provided in conjunction with supportive services:
    • Tutoring, study skills training, instruction, and evidence-based dropout prevention and recovery strategies that lead to completion of the requirements for a secondary school diploma or its recognized alternative or for a recognized postsecondary credential; 
    • Alternative secondary schools services or dropout recovers services
    • Occupational skills training
    • Education offered concurrently with workforce preparation activities and training
    • Leadership development opportunities
    • Adult mentoring
    • Follow-up services for not less than 12 months after completion
    • Comprehensive guidance and counseling
    • Financial literacy education
    • Entrepreneurial skills training
    • Activities that help youth prepare for and transition to postsecondary education and training

HOUSING + HOMELESSNESS

$22.1 million for housing vouchers to be allocated from 2022 to 2026. Upon request, remain available until September 30, 2029, for: 

  • $15 billion for incremental tenant-based rental assistance for extremely low-income families 
    • Renewals of such tenant-based rental assistance
    • Fees for the cost of administering tenant-based rental assistance and other expenses related to the utilization of voucher assistance
  • $7.1 billion for incremental tenant-based rental assistance for households experiencing or at risk of homelessness, survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and survivors of trafficking;
    • Renewals of such tenant-based rental assistance
    • Fees for the cost of administering tenant-based rental assistance and other expenses related to the utilization of voucher assistance

The Secretary may provide waivers or specify alternative requirements to facilitate the use of such assistance related to regulatory provisions related to the administration of waiting lists and local preferences, verification of eligibility, eligibility requirements, the admissions process, portability moves by non-resident applicants, and the establishment of payment standards.

$1 billion to remain available until September 30, 2031, for tenant protection vouchers for relocation and replacement of public housing units demolished or disposed of as part of public housing preservation or project-based replacement 

  • Renewals of such tenant-based rental assistance
  • Fees for the cost of administering tenant-based rental assistance and other expenses related to the utilization of voucher assistance

$900 million in competitive grants, administration, and technical assistance to remain available until September 30, 2031:

  • $300 million for competitive grants, subject to terms and conditions determined by the Secretary, to public housing agencies for mobility-related services for voucher families, including families with children, and service coordination;
  • $230 million for eligible expenses to facilitate the use of voucher assistance, including property owner outreach and retention activities such as incentive payments, security deposit payments and loss reserves, landlord liaisons, and other uses of funds designed primarily— 
    • to recruit owners of dwelling units, particularly dwelling units in census tracts with a poverty rate of less than 20 percent, to enter into housing assistance payment contracts
    •  to encourage owners that enter into housing assistance payment contracts
  • $300 million for the costs to the Secretary of administering and overseeing the implementation of this section and the Housing Choice Voucher program generally
  • $70 million for making new awards or increasing prior awards to existing technical assistance providers to provide an increase in capacity building and technical assistance available to public housing agencies. 

$880 million for Project-Based Rental Assistance for Fiscal Year 2022. And the following additional funding for administration and technical assistance:

  • $20 minion for providing technical assistance to recipients of or applicants for project-based rental assistance 
  • $100 million for the costs of the Secretary administering and overseeing this program

$1 billion in Investments in Native American communities to remain available until September 30, 2031

  • $200 million for:
    • affordable housing activities authorized under section 810(a) of NAHASDA
    • community-wide infrastructure and infrastructure improvement projects carried out on Hawaiian Home Lands
    • rental assistance to Native Hawaiians on and off Hawaiian Home Land
  • $200 million for competitive single purpose Indian community development blog grants for Indian tribes and imminent threat Indian community development block grants, including for long-term environmental threats and relocation
  • $25 million for the costs to the Secretary of administering and overseeing the implementation of this Indian and Native Hawaiin programs
  • $20 million for technical assistance providers to provide an immediate increase in capacity building and technical assistance to grantees

$7.581 billion for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for Fiscal Year 2022

  • $2.935 billion for affordable housing and infrastructures for the Fiscal Year 2022 and the following additional funding for administration and technical assistance:
    • $87.5 million for the secretary to administer and implement this funding
    • $27.5 to provide technical assistance to grantees
  • $1.646 billion for the Unlocking Possibilities Program under CDBG for Fiscal Year 2022 and this additional funding:
    • $8 million for research and evaluation related to planning and other costs
    • $30 million to provide technical assistance
    • $66 million to the Secretary of administering and overseeing the implementation 
  • $2 billion to carry out community-led projects to create equitable civic infrastructure and create or preserve affordable, accessible housing, including creating, expanding, and maintaining community land trusts and shared equity homeownership programs;
  • $500 million to be awarded on a competitive basis to eligible recipients to create, expand, and maintain community land trusts and shared equity homeownership, including through the acquisition, rehabilitation, and new construction of affordable, accessible housing
  • $400 million for the Secretary to provide technical assistance, capacity building, and program support to applicants, potential applicants, and recipients of amounts appropriated for grants under this section
  • $100 million for the costs of administering and overseeing the implementation

$1.099 billion for HUD Administration, Capacity Building, Technical Assistance, and Oversight

  • $949 million for the HUD Secretary to administer and oversee the implementation of programs
  • $48.25 million for the Office of Inspector General at HUD
  • $2.5 million for the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Agriculture
  • $90 million for technical assistance and capacity building
  • $10 million to the Department for administering and overseeing the implementation of HUD’s technical assistance

$24.85 billion for the HOME Investment Partnership Program and Housing Trust Fund to remain available until September 30, 2026, as well as:

  • $50 million for technical assistance providers
  • $100 million to the Secretary for administering and overseeing the implementation of HOME and Housing Trust Fund

TAX BENEFITS

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) provisions for homeless and foster youth. Extends the EITC expansion that was included in the American Rescue Plan by one year. These provisions:

  • Lower the age that youth from foster care and youth who are homeless can claim the EITC to age 18, and for all young adults, to age 19. 
  • Allow foster and homeless youth to claim the EITC even if they are full-time students and working (the current law prohibits full-time students from claiming EITC). 
  • Increases the maximum credit for a childless claimant in 2021 from $543 to $1,502. These amounts are indexed for inflation and will be indexed for 2022.

Child Tax Credit (CTC) provision from the American Rescue Plan is extended for 2022:

  • advance payments will continue  
  • The CTC amount is:
    • $3,600 for children under the age of 6 
    • $3,000 for children between 6 and 17 years of age

JUVENILE + CRIMINAL SYSTEMS

Some Highlights

  • Medicaid Reentry Act (MRA) provision to allow Medicaid to cover health care services for otherwise Medicaid eligible individuals 30 days prior to a juvenile’s release from incarceration.
  • $500 million for the Department of Labor’s Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) program for justice-involved youth and young adults and adults who were formerly incarcerated.
  • $1 billion for DOL’s REO program through the Climate Civilian Corps for job training and employment opportunities related to climate resilience or mitigation
  • $425 million for Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) at the Department of Health and Human Services – some of this funding would support education and training for eligible individuals with criminal legal histories for career pathway employment in the health professions 
  • $35 million to provide training and assistance to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals on starting and/or expanding a small business
  • $35 million for the U.S. Small Business Administration to establish a pilot for the development of programs for formerly incarcerated people

CHILD CARE + UNIVERSAL PRE-K + HIGHER EDUCATION + CHILD NUTRITION

There are many great improvements for homeless and foster children and youth. Read SchoolHouse Connection’s summary to learn more.