Legislative Updates 
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants represent the primary source of funding for programs serving homeless people. First enacted in 1987, they represent a critical form of assistance for families with children experiencing homelessness, people experiencing chronic homelessness, and other people experiencing homelessness. On May 20, 2009, President Obama signed into law a bill to reauthorize HUD's McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance programs, known as the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act. The HEARTH Act will improve and expand the McKinney-Vento programs.
LATEST NEWS:
On May 20, President Obama signed into law S. 896, the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, which included the HEARTH Act as an amendment, reauthorizing McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance programs. On September 17, the Senate approved fiscal year (FY) 2010 legislation that would fund McKinney-Vento programs at $1.875 billion. The House approved $1.85 billion for the programs in its FY 2010 legislation. A conference committee must now meet to iron out the differences in the two versions.
More Information on McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants
HUD's Homeless Assistance Grants fund a variety of programs and activities. Some funding is distributed to communities for the Emergency Shelter Grants program. The majority of the funds, however, are distributed through the Continuum of Care process. Under this process, homelessness providers in a specific geographic area work together to describe their assistance, identify their needs, and rank the projects that they want funded. HUD ranks the applications and provides funding based on the quality of the application, the performance of the local homeless assistance system, the need for homeless assistance, and the local rankings of individual programs. Funding can be used for permanent and supportive housing, transitional housing, and services. For more information on understanding the McKinney-Vento Assistance programs, watch this video.
More Information on the HEARTH Act
The HEARTH Act will provide communities with new resources and better tools to prevent and end homelessness. The legislation:
- Increases priority on homeless families with children.
- Significantly increases resources to prevent homelessness.
- Continues to provide incentives for developing permanent supportive housing.
- Grants rural communities greater flexibility.
- Authorizes a funding level of $2.2 billion.
The HEARTH Act will make these and many other changes. For an overview of the impact of the HEARTH Act on McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Programs, click here.
HUD is expected to issue draft regulations for the changes to the McKinney-Vento programs under the HEARTH Act in the fall or winter or 2009. For more information about the anticipated timeline of implementation, click here.
The HEARTH Act: Changes to HUD's Homeless Assistance Programs
This presentation provides an easy-to-follow overview of the impact of the HEARTH Act on the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance programs. The presentation lays out how things are under the current McKinney-Vento programs and how they will be once HEARTH Act implementation is complete.
Understanding the McKinney-Vento Assistance Act
Steve Berg, vice President of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, explains the history of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance programs and what we can expect in the future.
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.
HEARTH Act: Next Steps in Implementation
Now that Congress has passed legislation reauthorizing the McKinney-Vento homeless assistance programs, many people are wondering what the next steps are. This one-pager provides an overview of the next steps in implementation of the HEARTH Act, including an anticipated timeline and information on what you can do.
HEARTH Act Section-by-Section Analysis
This document provides a section-by-section analysis of the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act signed into law in May 2009.
Legislative Text of Final HEARTH Act
This document provides the legislative text of S. 896, the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, which was signed into law by President Obama on May 20, 2009. Contained within S. 896 was the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act. The text of the HEARTH Act begins on page 32 of the bill.
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 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.
Alliance Applauds Congress and President Obama for Enacting the HEARTH Act
Press Release | May 20, 2009
Summary of HEARTH Act
This brief provides a detailed overview of the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act that was included in the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, which was signed into law on May 20, 2009 by President Obama. The document explains the legislation's background, provides details on its provisions, and discusses the ramifications of the bill's language for implementation and application procedures.
HEARTH Act: Homeless Families Benefit
This one-pager explains how homeless families will benefit from the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act, which reauthorizes McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance programs and was signed into law on May 20, 2009.
Highlights of HEARTH Act, S. 896
This two-page brief provides highlights of the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act that was signed into law by President Obama on May 20, 2009.
HEARTH Act Original Co-sponsors
This is a list of original co-sponsors of the HEARTH Act, S. 808 / H.R. 1877.
