HouseH.R. 10688119th Congress
Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act of 2026
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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10688 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 10688
To authorize a new type of housing choice voucher to help achieve the
goals of ending homelessness among families with children, increasing
housing opportunities, and improving life outcomes of poor children.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 1, 2026
Mr. Neguse (for himself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize a new type of housing choice voucher to help achieve the
goals of ending homelessness among families with children, increasing
housing opportunities, and improving life outcomes of poor children.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Family Stability and Opportunity
Vouchers Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. FAMILY STABILITY AND OPPORTUNITY VOUCHERS.
Section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437f(o)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(23) Family stability and opportunity vouchers.--
``(A) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
``(i) Area of concentrated poverty.--The
term `area of concentrated poverty' means a
census tract in which the poverty rate is not
less than 30 percent, as most recently
determined by the Bureau of the Census.
``(ii) At risk of homelessness.--The term
`at risk of homelessness' has the meaning given
the term in section 401 of the McKinney-Vento
Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11360).
``(iii) Eligible family.--The term
`eligible family' means a family that--
``(I)(aa) will welcome a minor
child through birth or adoption in the
next 300 days; or
``(bb) has not less than 1 child
under the age of 6;
``(II) meets all applicable
eligibility requirements under this
subsection; and
``(III) is--
``(aa) homeless;
``(bb) unstably housed;
``(cc) living in an area of
concentrated poverty; or
``(dd) at risk of
displacement from--
``(AA) an
opportunity area for
children; or
``(BB) an area
rapidly transitioning
to become an
opportunity area for
children.
``(iv) High-performing school.--The term
`high-performing school' shall have the meaning
given the term by the Secretary, using the best
available evidence.
``(v) Homeless.--The term `homeless' has
the meaning given the term in section 103 of
the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 11302).
``(vi) Opportunity area for children.--The
term `opportunity area for children' shall have
the meaning given the term by the Secretary,
using the best available evidence.
``(vii) Unstably housed.--The term
`unstably housed', with respect to a family,
means a family who--
``(I) is at risk of homelessness;
``(II) has moved not less than
twice during the 12-month period ending
on the date on which a public housing
agency selects the family from a
waiting list to receive assistance
under this paragraph;
``(III) is living in a unit not
accessible to a family member with a
disability;
``(IV) is experiencing trauma or a
lack of safety relating to, or fleeing
or attempting to flee, domestic
violence, dating violence, sexual
assault, stalking, or another
dangerous, traumatic, or life-
threatening condition relating to
violence against a member of the family
or an individual in the housing
situation of the family, including an
instance in which the health and safety
of a child is jeopardized; or
``(V) is living in housing
conditions that are dangerous or life-
threatening.
``(B) Competitive award.--
``(i) In general.--In each fiscal year for
which amounts are authorized to be appropriated
under subparagraph (F), the Secretary shall
provide assistance to public housing agencies
on a competitive basis to be used for--
``(I) incremental vouchers for
eligible families; and
``(II) additional fees for the cost
to the public housing agencies of
providing mobility-related services to
eligible families.
``(ii) Selection.--For the second fiscal
year in which the Secretary provides assistance
under this paragraph, and each fiscal year
thereafter, in selecting public housing
agencies to receive assistance under this
paragraph, the Secretary shall--
``(I) consider the performance of
public housing agencies in implementing
this paragraph; and
``(II) give preference to public
housing agencies that partner with
organizations that provide home
visiting services, such as the services
authorized under section 511 of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 711) or
locally funded initiatives, if those
services are available in the service
area of the public housing agency.
``(C) Services required to be offered to families
receiving vouchers.--
``(i) In general.--A public housing agency
that receives assistance under this paragraph--
``(I) shall offer, to each eligible
family that the agency selects to
receive a voucher, mobility-related
services to help the family move to an
opportunity area for children with
access to--
``(aa) a high-performing
school; or
``(bb) high-quality
childcare and early education;
``(II) may not require an eligible
family to participate in the mobility-
related services described in subclause
(I) as a condition of receipt of a
voucher; and
``(III) shall adopt mobility-
related policies, to be specified by
the Secretary.
``(ii) Minimum assortment of services and
policies.--The Secretary shall establish a
minimum assortment of types of mobility-related
services that a public housing agency shall
offer, and mobility-related policies that a
public housing agency shall adopt, under clause
(i) based on promising practices and evidence
of the effectiveness of the services and
policies.
``(iii) Specific services.--The types of
mobility-related services required to be
offered under clause (i)--
``(I) shall include a customized
approach to enable a successful
transition to opportunity areas for
children; and
``(II) may include counseling and
continued supportive services for
families.
``(iv) Opportunity areas for children;
high-performing schools; high-quality child
care and early education.--The Secretary shall
establish criteria for areas, schools, and
child care and early education to qualify as
opportunity areas for children, high-performing
schools, and high-quality child care and early
education, respectively.
``(v) Manner of providing services.--A
public housing agency may provide mobility-
related services as required under clause (i)
directly or through a local partnership or
contract.
``(D) Other requirements.--
``(i) Turnover.--
``(I) In general.--Upon turnover of
a voucher issued by a public housing
agency using assistance received under
this paragraph, the public housing
agency shall issue the voucher to
another eligible family under this
paragraph.
``(II) Mobility services.--A public
housing agency turning over a voucher
as described in subclause (I) shall
provide any available mobility services
to the eligible family receiving the
voucher.
``(ii) Recapture and reallocation by
secretary.--
``(I) In general.--If a public
housing agency that receives assistance
to be used for vouchers and fees under
this paragraph fails to obligate any
such assistance within a reasonable
period as determined by the Secretary,
the Secretary may recapture and
reallocate the unobligated assistance
to other public housing agencies
pursuant to rules issued by the
Secretary.
``(II) Consultation.--In issuing
the rules under subclause (I), the
Secretary shall make reasonable efforts
to consult with public housing
agencies.
``(E) Implementation.--
``(i) Definitions.--Not later than 180 days
after the date of enactment of this paragraph,
the Secretary shall publish a notice for public
comment in the Federal Register that includes
any definitions or other specifications
required or authorized under this paragraph.
``(ii) Allocation of funding.--
``(I) Initial year.--For the first
fiscal year for which amounts are
appropriated to be provided to public
housing agencies for incremental
vouchers under this paragraph, the
Secretary shall allocate the amounts to
public housing agencies not later than
2 years after the date on which the
amounts are appropriated.
``(II) Subsequent years.--For any
fiscal year after the fiscal year
described in subclause (I), the
Secretary shall allocate amounts to
public housing agencies for incremental
vouchers under this paragraph not later
than 180 days after the date on which
the amounts are appropriated.
``(F) Authorization of appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for each
of fiscal years 2027 through 2032 such sums as may be
necessary to provide assistance to public housing
agencies under this paragraph to be used for--
``(i) not more than 50,000 incremental
vouchers each fiscal year, as described in
subparagraph (B)(i)(I); and
``(ii) fees for the cost of administering
the incremental vouchers described in
subparagraph (B)(i)(I) and other mobility-
related expenses.''.
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