SenateS. 5534119th Congress
Building and Maintaining Homeless Shelters Act
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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5534 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5534
To amend the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to authorize a
competitive grant program for the construction of shelters and
permanent supportive housing, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 24, 2026
Ms. Smith introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to authorize a
competitive grant program for the construction of shelters and
permanent supportive housing, and for other purposes.
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 ``Building and Maintaining Homeless
Shelters Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance
Act is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Subtitle E--Grant Program for the Construction of Shelter and
Permanent Supportive Housing
``SEC. 495. DEFINITIONS.
``In this subtitle:
``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity'--
``(A) means--
``(i) a State government;
``(ii) a unit of local government;
``(iii) an Indian tribal government (as
defined in section 102 of the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122));
``(iv) a tribally designated housing entity
(as defined in section 4 of the Native American
Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act
of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103));
``(v) a public housing agency (as defined
in section 3(b) of the United States Housing
Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b))); and
``(vi) an organization described in section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
and exempt from taxation under section 501(a)
of that Code; and
``(B) does not include an individual, a foreign
entity, or a sole proprietorship organization.
``(2) Permanent housing.--The term `permanent housing'
means--
``(A) community-based housing without a designated
length of stay; and
``(B) for which the tenant agrees to a lease--
``(i) with a term of not less than 1 year;
``(ii) that is renewable thereafter for
terms that are not less than 1 month long; and
``(iii) that is terminable only for cause.
``(3) Permanent supportive housing.--The term `permanent
supportive housing' means permanent housing in which supportive
services are provided to assist homeless persons with a
disability to live independently, including individuals and
families who are homeless (as defined in paragraphs (1), (2),
and (4) of the definition of `homeless' under section 578.3 of
title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor
regulation).
``(4) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development.
``SEC. 496. GRANT PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall award grants to eligible
entities for the purpose of assisting shelters and permanent supportive
housing with--
``(1) physical infrastructure needs; and
``(2) increasing the capacity of shelters and the number of
units of permanent supportive housing nationwide.
``(b) Application.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under this
subtitle shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in
such format, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require.
``(c) Use of Funds.--
``(1) In general.--An eligible entity receiving a grant
under this subtitle shall use amounts from the grant--
``(A) for capital costs relating to the
construction, rehabilitation, or acquisition of an
existing shelter or permanent supportive housing;
``(B) to obtain property to be used for a new
shelter or permanent supportive housing; or
``(C) for other capital costs relating to the
physical infrastructure needed for housing and
preventing, responding to, and ending homelessness,
which may include capital costs for--
``(i) energy efficiency improvements of
shelter and permanent supportive housing
buildings;
``(ii) mobile health clinics;
``(iii) day centers;
``(iv) rapid rehousing;
``(v) safe parking programs;
``(vi) the development of non-congregate
shelters, including conversions from commercial
structures and hotels and motels;
``(vii) the use of single-room occupancy
buildings as shelter;
``(viii) exterior modifications to improve
safety and accessibility; and
``(ix) other physical infrastructure needs
of shelters or permanent supportive housing.
``(2) Administrative costs.--An eligible entity receiving a
grant under this subtitle may use not more than 10 percent of
amounts from the grant for the payment of project
administrative costs relating to the planning and execution of
grant activities.
``(d) Award Selection and Distribution.--In awarding grants to
eligible entities under this subtitle, the Secretary--
``(1) shall ensure that, of the amounts appropriated to
carry out this subtitle, the Secretary awards--
``(A) 50 percent to support shelters; and
``(B) 50 percent to support permanent supportive
housing; and
``(2) may prioritize awarding amounts to carry out projects
responding to--
``(A) individuals who are homeless;
``(B) families, youth, and individuals fleeing or
attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence,
sexual assault, or stalking;
``(C) youth;
``(D) LGBTQ+ individuals; or
``(E) individuals who are black, indigenous, or
people of color.
``(e) Nondiscrimination.--In awarding grants under this subtitle,
the Secretary may not--
``(1) discriminate against eligible entities based on the
status of the eligible entity as a faith-based group; or
``(2) make awards to eligible entities that discriminate on
the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex
stereotype.
``(f) Tribal Set-Aside.--The Secretary shall award not less than 5
percent of the amounts appropriated to carry out this subtitle to
eligible entities that are Indian tribal governments or tribally
designated housing entities.
``(g) Rural Set-Aside.--The Secretary shall award not less than 40
percent of the amounts appropriated to carry out this subtitle to
eligible entities located in rural areas.
``(h) Application of Requirements.--The construction of any project
performed using amounts from a grant awarded under this subtitle shall
only use--
``(1) materials that comply with domestic content
procurement preferences (as defined in section 70912 of the
Build America, Buy America Act (41 U.S.C. 8301 note; Public Law
117-58)); and
``(2) laborers and mechanics, including those employed by
any contractor or subcontractor, that are paid a prevailing
rate of wage in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 of
title 40, United States Code.
``SEC. 497. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry
out this subtitle $500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through
2031.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 101(b) of
the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (Public Law 100-77, 101
Stat. 482) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section
492 the following:
``Subtitle E--Grant Program for the Construction of Shelter and
Permanent Supportive Housing
``Sec. 495. Definitions.
``Sec. 496. Grant program.
``Sec. 497. Authorization of appropriations.''.
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