Introduced in House

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7432 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7432

To amend section 477 of the Social Security Act to improve coordination
with Federal housing assistance programs for youth who have experienced
                              foster care.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 9, 2026

  Mr. LaHood (for himself and Ms. Moore of Wisconsin) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means,
and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to
      be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To amend section 477 of the Social Security Act to improve coordination
with Federal housing assistance programs for youth who have experienced
                              foster care.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Foster Youth Housing Opportunity
Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVING ACCESS TO HOUSING FOR FOSTER YOUTH.

SEC. 2. IMPROVING ACCESS TO HOUSING FOR FOSTER YOUTH.

Section 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677) is amended--

Section 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1)--
                    (A) by striking ``and preventive'' and inserting
                ``preventive''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``, and access to housing for
                youth age 18 or older'' before the semicolon;
            (2) in subsection (a)(4), by inserting ``current and''
        before ``former'';
            (3) in subsection (b)(2)(D), by inserting ``, including by
        collaborating with public housing agencies that administer
        Federal housing programs serving foster youth under section
        8(x)(2)(B) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 and receive
        funding to partner with public child welfare agencies to serve
        youth who have experienced foster care'' before the period;
            (4) in subsection (b)(3)(B), by striking ``not more than 30
        percent of the amounts paid to the State from its allotment
        under subsection (c) for a fiscal year'' and inserting ``an
        average of not more than 30 percent of the amounts paid to the
        State from its allotment under subsection (c) for the 5 fiscal
        years covered by the application submitted by the State
        pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection'';
            (5) in subsection (d), by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) Housing supportive services.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A State may use amounts from its
                allotment under subsection (c) to provide supportive
                services to assist eligible youth who experienced
                foster care to obtain or retain suitable housing.
                    ``(B) Definitions.--
                            ``(i) Eligible youth.--In this subsection,
                        the term `eligible youth' means an individual
                        who receives assistance provided under section
                        8(x) of the United States Housing Act of 1937.
                            ``(ii) Supportive services.--The term
                        `supportive services' may include--
                                    ``(I) basic life skills information
                                and counseling on financial literacy,
                                use of credit, and money management;
                                    ``(II) counseling on rental lease
                                contracts and assistance with rental
                                insurance; and
                                    ``(III) assistance with security
                                deposits, utility connection fees,
                                moving costs, and other fees associated
                                with establishing tenancy.
                    ``(C) Exception.--Expenditures in accordance with
                this paragraph shall not be considered expenditures for
                room and board for purposes of subsection (b)(3)(B).
                    ``(D) Aligning age eligibility.--Notwithstanding
                subsection (b)(3)(A)(ii), a State may use funds from
                its allotment under subsection (c) to provide
                supportive services to eligible youth who have not
                attained 26 years of age for the purpose of supporting
                continued access to housing.''; and
            (6) in subsection (g)(1), by inserting ``access to
        housing,'' before ``and personal''.

SEC. 3. JOINT AGENCY GUIDANCE.

SEC. 3. JOINT AGENCY GUIDANCE.

    (a) In General.--Within 1 year after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development, shall develop and issue joint
guidance to State public child welfare agencies and public housing
authorities to improve alignment and coordination of housing supportive
services provided under section 477 of the Social Security Act and
housing assistance provided under section 8(x) of the United States
Housing Act of 1937.
    (b) Contents.--The joint guidance shall include the following:
            (1) Clarification and alignment of Federal policies to
        improve access to housing for youth who have experienced foster
        care, including youth who are in independent living
        arrangements while in extended foster care.
            (2) Guidance on State use of funds provided under section
        477 of the Social Security Act for supportive services (as
        defined in subsection (d)(6) of such section) to improve access
        to housing programs administered by the Department of Housing
        and Urban Development.
            (3) Best practices for building partnerships between public
        child welfare agencies and public housing authorities,
        including ways to improve access to the supportive services.
            (4) Additional information the Secretaries deem necessary
        to effectively coordinate Federal programs serving current and
        former foster youth.
    (c) Production.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
designate an official of the Department of Health and Human Services to
lead development of the joint guidance in collaboration with the
Department of Housing and Urban Development.

SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    Within 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall submit to the
Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on Financial Services of
the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Finance and the
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate a report
that sets forth--
            (1) aggregate data on the number of eligible youth who have
        experienced foster care who are receiving Federal housing
        assistance;
            (2) a description of the outcomes for the youth, including
        the extent to which youth are able to access stable housing and
        rates of homelessness;
            (3) the findings from any evaluations of State programs
        conducted pursuant to section 477(g)(1) of the Social Security
        Act; and
            (4) statutory recommendations for improving coordination
        between public child welfare agencies and Federal housing
        programs.

SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on
the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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