Legislative Updates 
Federal Homelessness Appropriations
Each year, Congress must enact legislation to provide annual funding for programs across the federal government, including all housing- and homelessness-related programs. Below is a list of proposed appropriations for fiscal year (FY) 2010 for some of the most important programs for homeless people.
LATEST NEWS:
The House passed its version of all 12 FY 2010 appropriations bills. The Senate has passed several of its bills, including the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development spending bill, though it has yet to pass several others, including the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education spending bill. After each chamber has passed its respective version of a spending bill, a conference committee must meet to iron out the differences.
HUD Appropriations
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides more direct funding for homeless organizations than any other federal agency. Both chambers of Congress have passed their own versions of the FY 2010 HUD spending bill, but they have not yet agreed to a compromise version. Proposed funding levels include:
Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations
The U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education also provides funding for homeless organizations. The House has passed its FY 2010 Labor-HHS-Education spending bill. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY 2010 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill in late July, but the full Senate has not yet considered the legislation. Proposed funding levels include:
Homeless Veterans Appropriations
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) also provides funding for homelessness programs. The House has passed its FY 2010 VA spending bill. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY 2010 VA appropriations bill in July, but the full Senate has not yet considered the legislation. Proposed funding levels include:
2009 Policy Guide
This policy guide provides information about the most important federal programs, policies, and legislation affecting homelessness. Key housing and homelessness topics are covered including HUD's McKinney-Vento homeless assistance programs, Section 8 housing choice vouchers, and housing programs dedicated to people with HIV/AIDS, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
FY 2010 Budget Chart: President's Request and House Allocations
This spreadsheet includes information about FY 2010 funding for a number of homelessness and housing programs. For each program, the chart includes information about the actual FY 2008 level, the enacted FY 2009 level, the President's request for FY 2010, and the House's allocation for FY 2010.
FY 2010 Appropriations: Second Chance Act Programs
This document provides information about the Second Chance Act programs, which were passed into law in April 2008, and recommendations for funding in FY 2010.
FY 2010 Appropriations: Housing Choice Vouchers
Section 8 tenant-based rental assistance (Housing Choice Voucher program) is the core program intended to assist extremely low-income people with the cost of housing. Approximately 2 million households receive rental assistance through this program. Congress should fund all existing vouchers and 200,000 additional Housing Choice Vouchers in FY 2010.
FY 2010 McKinney Appropriations Sign-On Letter
On May 15, Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Mel Martinez (R-FL), along with 21 other Senators, sent a letter to the Senate Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (T-HUD) Appropriations Subcommittee urging them to include $2.2 billion for HUD's McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants program in fiscal year (FY) 2010.
FY 2010 President's Budget Rundown
This document provides a brief rundown on funding for homeless and housing programs that were included in President Obama's FY 2010 budget proposal.
President's FY 2010 Budget Proposal Chart
This chart provides information about targeted homeless assistance programs included in President Obama's fiscal year (FY) 2010 Budget Proposal, which was released on May 7, 2009. The chart also includes historical appropriations levels from FY 2008 and FY 2009.
FY 2010 Appropriations: McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants
HUD’s McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants fund thousands of homeless assistance programs in nearly every community. Congress should include $2.2 billion for the program and continue the rapid re-housing for families program in the FY 2010 Appropriations Bill.
The Second Chance Act of 2007 (H.R. 1593 / S. 1060)
The Second Chance Act will help ensure the transition people make from prison or jail to the community is safe and successful.
Explainer: How Much Does the Federal Government Spend on Homelessness?
Answering the question about how much the federal government spends on homelessness should be as simple as summing the total expenditures for homeless assistance programs. Homeless programs, however, do not fit neatly into one federal agency; instead they are spread across several, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Social Security Administration (SSA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Education (ED), and the Department of Labor (DOL).
Supportive Housing is Cost Effective
January 19, 2007
Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)
This section provides resources on the HOPWA program, as well as additional resources relating to homelessness and HIV/AIDS.
HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH)
This document provides an overview of the HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program, the Alliance’s recommendation for funding the program, and the current status of funding for HUD-VASH.
Federal Spending on Housing and Low-Income Housing
This one-pager provides an overview of how much the federal government spends on homelessness and low-income housing.
The Homelessness Budget
This handout describes The Homelessness Budget, an index that combines the funding levels of eleven major federal programs dedicated to homelessness. It provides a quick look at the Federal commitment to homelessness and how it is changing. It also includes a broader indicator of federal housing spending and need.
