Davis / 2 Senator Lo

S.R.____

A BILL
To subsidize care for the homeless in order to minimize the number of them on the street.
1
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America
2in Congress assembled,
3
4SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE
5
This act may be cited as the Homeless Care Act of 2015
6
7SECTION 2. FINDINGS
8
Congress hereby finds and declares that,
91) 1.6 million youth experience homelessness every year.
102) Approximately 671,859 people experience homelessness on any given night.
113) The mortality rate for the homeless is four to nine times higher than for the general
12population.
134) In the U.S. there is a shortage of affordable housing.
145) There has been a decrease in spending on public health care services.
156) The government has cut back on spending, recent changes in the welfare, food stamp and
16unemployment insurance systems.
177) The number of homeless veterans is increasing.
188) Many of the homeless suffer from mental illness and substance abuse.
199) The homeless population is often hidden and distrustful of police and society
2010) Providing homeless individuals with housing and cash benefits has been shown to reduce
21risk taking behaviors such as unprotected sex, drug use and needle sharing.
22
23SECTION 3. STATUTORY LANGUAGE
24A) The United States Department of Health and Human Services will allocate funds to pay for
25the relocation of homeless and/or those eligible for aid into homes and/or shelters by increasing
26funding to the National Housing Trust Fund.
27B) Money for this act will be gathered by uneviscerating funding to the National Housing Trust
28Fund. The United States Department of Health and Human Services will regulate the income for
29the National Housing Trust Fund and enforce the appropriate expending of the funds. The
30funding of the National Housing Trust Fund will support those who meet the prerequisites to
31gain support. Additionally, funds will be used to supplement more affordable housing and care
32for those eligible.
33C) Funding for the National Housing Trust Fund will continue until the construction of housing
34and/or shelters has increased by fifty percent or until ten years has passed, whichever occurs
35first. If the goal has been accomplished or has failed to be accomplished in twenty years, funding
36to the National Housing Trust Fund will be re-evaluated.