42 USC 11363 - Protection of personally identifying information by victim service providers

Collapse to view only § 11363. Protection of personally identifying information by victim service providers

§ 11360. Definitions
§ 11360a. Collaborative applicants
§ 11361. Housing affordability strategy
§ 11361a. Preventing involuntary family separation
§ 11361b. Technical assistance
§ 11362. Discharge coordination policy
§ 11363. Protection of personally identifying information by victim service providers
§ 11364. Authorization of appropriations
§ 11364a. Availability of amounts recaptured from appropriated funds

§ 11360. DefinitionsFor purposes of this subchapter:

(1) At risk of homelessnessThe term “at risk of homelessness” means, with respect to an individual or family, that the individual or family—

(A) has income below 30 percent of median income for the geographic area;

(B) has insufficient resources immediately available to attain housing stability; and

(C)

(i) has moved frequently because of economic reasons;

(ii) is living in the home of another because of economic hardship;

(iii) has been notified that their right to occupy their current housing or living situation will be terminated;

(iv) lives in a hotel or motel;

(v) lives in severely overcrowded housing;

(vi) is exiting an institution; or

(vii) otherwise lives in housing that has characteristics associated with instability and an increased risk of homelessness.

Such term includes all families with children and youth defined as homeless under other Federal statutes.

(2) Chronically homeless

(A) In generalThe term “chronically homeless” means, with respect to an individual or family, that the individual or family—

(i) is homeless and lives or resides in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter;

(ii) has been homeless and living or residing in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter continuously for at least 1 year or on at least 4 separate occasions in the last 3 years; and

(iii) has an adult head of household (or a minor head of household if no adult is present in the household) with a diagnosable substance use disorder, serious mental illness, developmental disability (as defined in section 15002 of this title), post traumatic stress disorder, cognitive impairments resulting from a brain injury, or chronic physical illness or disability, including the co-occurrence of 2 or more of those conditions.

(B) Rule of construction

(3) Collaborative applicantThe term “collaborative applicant” means an entity that—

(A) carries out the duties specified in section 11360a of this title;

(B) serves as the applicant for project sponsors who jointly submit a single application for a grant under part C in accordance with a collaborative process; and

(4) Collaborative applicationThe term “collaborative application” means an application for a grant under part C that—

(A) satisfies section 11382 of this title; and

(B) is submitted to the Secretary by a collaborative applicant.

(5) Consolidated Plan

(6) Eligible entity

(7) Families with children and youth defined as homeless under other Federal statutes

(8) Formula area

(9) Geographic area

(10) Homeless individual with a disability

(A) In generalThe term “homeless individual with a disability” means an individual who is homeless, as defined in section 11302 of this title, and has a disability that—

(i)(I) is expected to be long-continuing or of indefinite duration;(II) substantially impedes the individual’s ability to live independently;(III) could be improved by the provision of more suitable housing conditions; and(IV) is a physical, mental, or emotional impairment, including an impairment caused by alcohol or drug abuse, post traumatic stress disorder, or brain injury;

(ii) is a developmental disability, as defined in section 15002 of this title; or

(iii) is the disease of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or any condition arising from the etiologic agency for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

(B) Rule

(11) Indian Tribe

(12) Legal entityThe term “legal entity” means—

(A) an entity described in section 501(c)(3) of title 26 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such title;

(B) an instrumentality of State or local government; or

(13) Metropolitan city; urban county; nonentitlement area

(14) New

(15) Operating costsThe term “operating costs” means expenses incurred by a project sponsor operating transitional housing or permanent housing under this subchapter with respect to—

(A) the administration, maintenance, repair, and security of such housing;

(B) utilities, fuel, furnishings, and equipment for such housing; or

(16) Outpatient health services

(17) Permanent housing

(18) Personally identifying informationThe term “personally identifying information” means individually identifying information for or about an individual, including information likely to disclose the location of a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, including—

(A) a first and last name;

(B) a home or other physical address;

(D) a social security number; and

(E) any other information, including date of birth, racial or ethnic background, or religious affiliation, that, in combination with any other non-personally identifying information, would serve to identify any individual.

(19) Private nonprofit organizationThe term “private nonprofit organization” means an organization—

(A) no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any member, founder, contributor, or individual;

(B) that has a voluntary board;

(C) that has an accounting system, or has designated a fiscal agent in accordance with requirements established by the Secretary; and

(D) that practices nondiscrimination in the provision of assistance.

(20) Project

(21) Project-basedThe term “project-based” means, with respect to rental assistance, that the assistance is provided pursuant to a contract that—

(A) is between—

(i) the recipient or a project sponsor; and

(ii) an owner of a structure that exists as of the date the contract is entered into; and

(B) provides that rental assistance payments shall be made to the owner and that the units in the structure shall be occupied by eligible persons for not less than the term of the contract.

(22) Project sponsor

(23) RecipientExcept as used in part B, the term “recipient” means an eligible entity who—

(A) submits an application for a grant under section 11382 of this title that is approved by the Secretary;

(B) receives the grant directly from the Secretary to support approved projects described in the application; and

(C)

(i) serves as a project sponsor for the projects; or

(ii) awards the funds to project sponsors to carry out the projects.

(24) Secretary

(25) Serious mental illness

(26) Solo applicant

(27) Sponsor-basedThe term “sponsor-based” means, with respect to rental assistance, that the assistance is provided pursuant to a contract that—

(A) is between—

(i) the recipient or a project sponsor; and

(ii) an independent entity that—(I) is a private organization; and(II) owns or leases dwelling units; and

(B) provides that rental assistance payments shall be made to the independent entity and that eligible persons shall occupy such assisted units.

(28) State

(29) Supportive servicesThe term “supportive services” means services that address the special needs of people served by a project, including—

(A) the establishment and operation of a child care services program for families experiencing homelessness;

(B) the establishment and operation of an employment assistance program, including providing job training;

(D) the provision of assistance in obtaining permanent housing, employment counseling, and nutritional counseling;

(E) the provision of outreach services, advocacy, life skills training, and housing search and counseling services;

(F) the provision of mental health services, trauma counseling, and victim services;

(G) the provision of assistance in obtaining other Federal, State, and local assistance available for residents of supportive housing (including mental health benefits, employment counseling, and medical assistance, but not including major medical equipment);

(H) the provision of legal services for purposes including requesting reconsiderations and appeals of veterans and public benefit claim denials and resolving outstanding warrants that interfere with an individual’s ability to obtain and retain housing;

(I) the provision of—

(i) transportation services that facilitate an individual’s ability to obtain and maintain employment; and

(ii) health care; and

(J) other supportive services necessary to obtain and maintain housing.

(30) Tenant-basedThe term “tenant-based” means, with respect to rental assistance, assistance that—

(A) allows an eligible person to select a housing unit in which such person will live using rental assistance provided under part C, except that if necessary to assure that the provision of supportive services to a person participating in a program is feasible, a recipient or project sponsor may require that the person live—

(i) in a particular structure or unit for not more than the first year of the participation;

(ii) within a particular geographic area for the full period of the participation, or the period remaining after the period referred to in subparagraph (A); and

(B) provides that a person may receive such assistance and move to another structure, unit, or geographic area if the person has complied with all other obligations of the program and has moved out of the assisted dwelling unit in order to protect the health or safety of an individual who is or has been the victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and who reasonably believed he or she was imminently threatened by harm from further violence if he or she remained in the assisted dwelling unit.

(31) Transitional housing

(32) Unified funding agency

(33) Underserved populations

(34) Victim service provider

(35) Victim services

(Pub. L. 100–77, title IV, § 401, as added Pub. L. 111–22, div. B, title I, § 1101(3), May 20, 2009, 123 Stat. 1669; amended Pub. L. 116–260, div. Q, title I, § 102(a)(1), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2165.)

§ 11360a. Collaborative applicants

(a) Establishment and designationA collaborative applicant shall be established for a geographic area by the relevant parties in that geographic area to—

(1) submit an application for amounts under this part; and

(2) perform the duties specified in subsection (f) and, if applicable, subsection (g).

(b) No requirement to be a legal entity

(d) Construction

(e) Appointment of agent

(1) In generalSubject to paragraph (2), a collaborative applicant may designate an agent to—

(A) apply for a grant under section 11382(c) of this title;

(B) receive and distribute grant funds awarded under part C; and

(2) Retention of duties

(f) DutiesA collaborative applicant shall—

(1) design a collaborative process for the development of an application under part C, and for evaluating the outcomes of projects for which funds are awarded under part B, in such a manner as to provide information necessary for the Secretary—

(A) to determine compliance with—

(i) the program requirements under section 11386 of this title; and

(ii) the selection criteria described under section 11386a of this title; and

(B) to establish priorities for funding projects in the geographic area involved;

(2) participate in the Consolidated Plan for the geographic area served by the collaborative applicant; and

(3) ensure operation of, and consistent participation by, project sponsors in a community-wide homeless management information system (in this subsection referred to as “HMIS”) that—

(A) collects unduplicated counts of individuals and families experiencing homelessness;

(B) analyzes patterns of use of assistance provided under parts B and C for the geographic area involved;

(D) is developed in accordance with standards established by the Secretary, including standards that provide for—

(i) encryption of data collected for purposes of HMIS;

(ii) documentation, including keeping an accurate accounting, proper usage, and disclosure, of HMIS data;

(iii) access to HMIS data by staff, contractors, law enforcement, and academic researchers;

(iv) rights of persons receiving services under this subchapter;

(v) criminal and civil penalties for unlawful disclosure of data; and

(vi) such other standards as may be determined necessary by the Secretary.

(g) Unified funding

(1) In generalIn addition to the duties described in subsection (f), a collaborative applicant shall receive from the Secretary and distribute to other project sponsors in the applicable geographic area funds for projects to be carried out by such other project sponsors, if—

(A) the collaborative applicant—

(i) applies to undertake such collection and distribution responsibilities in an application submitted under this part; and

(ii) is selected to perform such responsibilities by the Secretary; or

(B) the Secretary designates the collaborative applicant as the unified funding agency in the geographic area, after—

(i) a finding by the Secretary that the applicant—(I) has the capacity to perform such responsibilities; and(II) would serve the purposes of this chapter as they apply to the geographic area; and

(ii) the Secretary provides the collaborative applicant with the technical assistance necessary to perform such responsibilities as such assistance is agreed to by the collaborative applicant.

(2) Required actions by a unified funding agencyA collaborative applicant that is either selected or designated as a unified funding agency for a geographic area under paragraph (1) shall—

(A) require each project sponsor who is funded by a grant received under part C to establish such fiscal control and fund accounting procedures as may be necessary to assure the proper disbursal of, and accounting for, Federal funds awarded to the project sponsor under part C in order to ensure that all financial transactions carried out under part C are conducted, and records maintained, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; and

(B) arrange for an annual survey, audit, or evaluation of the financial records of each project carried out by a project sponsor funded by a grant received under part C.

(h) Conflict of interest

(Pub. L. 100–77, title IV, § 402, as added Pub. L. 111–22, div. B, title I, § 1102, May 20, 2009, 123 Stat. 1674.)

§ 11361. Housing affordability strategy

Assistance may be made under this subchapter only if the grantee certifies that it is following—

(1) a consolidated plan which has been approved by the Secretary in accordance with section 12705 of this title (referred to in such section as a “comprehensive housing affordability strategy”), or

(2) a comprehensive homeless assistance plan which was approved by the Secretary during the 180-day period beginning on November 28, 1990, or during such longer period as may be prescribed by the Secretary in any case for good cause.

(Pub. L. 100–77, title IV, § 403, formerly § 401, July 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 494; Pub. L. 100–628, title IV, §§ 401–404, Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3230, 3231; Pub. L. 101–625, title VIII, §§ 831, 832(e)(3), 836(a), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4357, 4360, 4366; renumbered § 403 and amended Pub. L. 111–22, div. B, title I, § 1101(2), title V, § 1502(a), May 20, 2009, 123 Stat. 1669, 1701.)

§ 11361a. Preventing involuntary family separation

(a) In general

(b) Exception

Notwithstanding the requirement under subsection (a), project sponsors of transitional housing receiving funds under this subchapter may target transitional housing resources to families with children of a specific age only if the project sponsor—

(1) operates a transitional housing program that has a primary purpose of implementing an evidence-based practice that requires that housing units be targeted to families with children in a specific age group; and

(2) provides such assurances, as the Secretary shall require, that an equivalent appropriate alternative living arrangement for the whole family or household unit has been secured.

(Pub. L. 100–77, title IV, § 404, as added Pub. L. 111–22, div. B, title I, § 1103, May 20, 2009, 123 Stat. 1677.)

§ 11361b. Technical assistance

(a) In general

(b) Reservation

(Pub. L. 100–77, title IV, § 405, as added Pub. L. 111–22, div. B, title I, § 1103, May 20, 2009, 123 Stat. 1677.)

§ 11362. Discharge coordination policy

The Secretary may not provide a grant under this subchapter for any governmental entity serving as an applicant unless the applicant agrees to develop and implement, to the maximum extent practicable and where appropriate, policies and protocols for the discharge of persons from publicly funded institutions or systems of care (such as health care facilities, foster care or other youth facilities, or correction programs and institutions) in order to prevent such discharge from immediately resulting in homelessness for such persons.

(Pub. L. 100–77, title IV, § 406, formerly § 402, as added Pub. L. 106–377, § 1(a)(1) [title II, § 229(a)], Oct. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 1441, 1441A–30; renumbered § 406, Pub. L. 111–22, div. B, title I, § 1101(2), May 20, 2009, 123 Stat. 1669.)

§ 11363. Protection of personally identifying information by victim service providers

In the course of awarding grants or implementing programs under this subchapter, the Secretary shall instruct any victim service provider that is a recipient or subgrantee not to disclose for purposes of the Homeless Management Information System any personally identifying information about any client. The Secretary may, after public notice and comment, require or ask such recipients and subgrantees to disclose for purposes of the Homeless Management Information System non-personally identifying information that has been de-identified, encrypted, or otherwise encoded. Nothing in this section shall be construed to supersede any provision of any Federal, State, or local law that provides greater protection than this subsection for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

(Pub. L. 100–77, title IV, § 407, as added Pub. L. 111–22, div. B, title I, § 1104, May 20, 2009, 123 Stat. 1677.)

§ 11364. Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subchapter $2,200,000,000 for fiscal year 2010 and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2011.

(Pub. L. 100–77, title IV, § 408, as added Pub. L. 111–22, div. B, title I, § 1105, May 20, 2009, 123 Stat. 1678.)

§ 11364a. Availability of amounts recaptured from appropriated funds

(a) Amounts recaptured from funds appropriated for this or any succeeding fiscal year under the span “Department of Housing and Urban Development—Community Planning and Development—Homeless Assistance Grants” shall become available until expended not later than the end of the fifth fiscal year after the last fiscal year for which such funds are available and shall be available, in addition to rental assistance amounts that were recaptured and made available until expended under such span by any prior Act, and in addition to such other funds as may be available for such purposes, for the following purposes:

(1) For grants under the Continuum of Care program under subtitle C of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11381 et seq.);

(2) For grants under the Emergency Solutions Grant program under subtitle B of title IV of such Act (42 U.S.C. 11371 et seq.);

(3) Not less than 10 percent of the amounts shall be used only for grants in rural areas under the Continuum of Care program, to include activities eligible under the Rural Housing Stability Assistance program under section 491 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 11408) that are not otherwise eligible under the Continuum of Care program; and

(4) Not less than 10 percent of the amounts shall be for emergency solutions grants for disaster areas as authorized by subsection (c).

(b) Prior to the use of any recaptured amounts referred to in subsection (a), including competing, awarding, or obligating such amounts, the Secretary shall submit a plan in accordance with subsection (a) that specifies the planned use of any such amounts to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and receive prior written approval of such plan, except that use of amounts in the plan for the purposes specified in subsection (a)(4) may begin once such plan is submitted to such Committees.

(c)

(1) The Secretary may make grants under the Emergency Solutions Grants program under subtitle B of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11371 et seq.) to States or local governments to address the needs of homeless individuals or families or individuals or families at risk of homelessness in areas affected by a major disaster declared pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) on or after December 20, 2019, whose needs are not otherwise served or fully met by existing Federal disaster relief programs, including the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program under such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b).

(2) For purposes of grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary may suspend all consultation, citizen participation, and matching requirements.

(Pub. L. 116–94, div. H, title II, § 231, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 3008.)