H.R. 7057

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7057 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7057

To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to 
establish the Reentry Rental Assistance and Housing Services Grant 
Program, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 14, 2026

Ms. Barragan (for herself, Mr. Goldman of New York, Mr. Khanna, Ms. 
Bonamici, Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Norton, 
Mrs. Ramirez, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Simon, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, and Mr. 
Espaillat) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary, 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 the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to 
establish the Reentry Rental Assistance and Housing Services Grant 
Program, 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 ``Returning Home Act''.

SEC. 2. REENTRY RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND HOUSING SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM.

Section 2976 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10631) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by striking ``offender'';
(2) in subsection (a), by striking ``offender'';
(3) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the heading, by striking ``Offender'';
(B) by striking ``offender'';
(C) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``offenders'' and inserting 
``individuals''; and
(ii) by striking ``or juvenile facilities'' 
and inserting ``juvenile facilities, or halfway 
houses'';
(D) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by striking ``prison, jail, or a 
juvenile facility'' and inserting ``a prison, 
jail, juvenile facility, or halfway house''; 
and
(ii) by striking ``offenders'' and 
inserting ``individuals'';
(E) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking ``offenders'' 
and inserting ``individuals who are incarcerated or who 
were incarcerated'';
(F) in paragraph (5)--
(i) by striking ``or juvenile facility'' 
and inserting ``juvenile facility, or halfway 
house''; and
(ii) by striking ``offenders while in 
custody'' and inserting ``such individuals 
during incarceration'';
(G) in paragraph (6)--
(i) by striking ``by offenders to victims'' 
and inserting ``by individuals who committed 
crimes to victims of such crimes''; and
(ii) by striking ``of offenders'' and 
inserting ``of such individuals from a prison, 
jail, juvenile facility, or halfway house''; 
and
(H) in paragraph (7), by striking ``dangerous 
offenders'' and inserting ``individuals who are 
incarcerated and dangerous'';
(4) in subsection (c)--
(A) in the heading, by striking ``Offender''; and
(B) by striking ``offender'';
(5) in subsection (d)(2)(A), by striking ``offender'';
(6) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ``offender'';
(7) in subsection (f)--
(A) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ``offender'';
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
``offenders'' and inserting ``individuals who 
are incarcerated''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (D), by striking 
``offenders'' and inserting ``individuals who 
are incarcerated''; and
(C) in paragraph (3)--
(i) in subparagraph (A)--
(I) by striking ``and juvenile 
facilities'' and inserting ``juvenile 
facilities, and halfway houses''; and
(II) by striking ``offenders'' and 
inserting ``individuals'';
(ii) in subparagraph (B)--
(I) in clause (ii), by striking 
``offenders'' and inserting 
``individuals'';
(II) in clause (ii), by striking 
``prisons, jails, and juvenile 
facilities'' and inserting ``a prison, 
jail, juvenile facility, or halfway 
house''; and
(III) in clause (iii), by striking 
``offenders'' and inserting 
``individuals who are incarcerated or 
who were incarcerated'';
(iii) in subparagraph (C)(ii)--
(I) by striking ``an offender'' and 
inserting ``an incarcerated 
individual''; and
(II) by striking ``that offenders'' 
and inserting ``that such 
individuals'';
(iv) in subparagraph (F), by striking 
``offenders'' and inserting ``individuals who 
are incarcerated''; and
(v) in subparagraph (G)--
(I) by striking ``offenders with 
histories'' and inserting ``individuals 
who are incarcerated or who were 
incarcerated and who have a history''; 
and
(II) by striking ``offender'' in 
each place it occurs and inserting 
``individual'';
(8) in subsection (h)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``offenders'' and inserting 
``individuals''; and
(ii) by striking ``prison, jail or a 
juvenile facility'' and inserting ``a prison, 
jail, juvenile facility, or halfway house''; 
and
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``released 
offenders'' and inserting ``individuals released from a 
prison, jail, juvenile facility, or halfway house'';
(9) in subsection (i)(1)--
(A) by striking ``returning offenders and'' and 
inserting ``individuals reentering the community after 
time spent in a prison, jail, juvenile facility, or 
halfway house and to'';
(B) by striking ``offenders' time in prison, jail, 
or a juvenile facility'' and inserting ``such time'';
(C) by striking ``of offenders'' and inserting ``of 
such individuals''; and
(D) by striking ``offender'';
(10) in subsection (j)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``an 
implementation'' and inserting ``a'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``offenders 
released back'' and inserting ``individuals who were 
released from a prison, jail, juvenile facility, or 
halfway house''; and
(C) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by striking ``offenders'' and inserting 
``individuals''; and
(ii) by striking ``prison, jails, or 
juvenile facilities'' and inserting ``prisons, 
jails, juvenile facilities, or halfway 
houses'';
(11) in subsection (m)--
(A) by striking ``Juvenile Offender'' each place 
such term appears and inserting ``Juvenile'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``offender''; and
(C) in paragraph (3)--
(i) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
``offender'';
(ii) in subparagraph (F)--
(I) by striking ``prison, jail, or 
a juvenile facility'' and inserting ``a 
prison, jail, juvenile facility, or 
halfway house''; and
(II) by striking ``prisons, jails, 
or juvenile facilities'' and inserting 
``a prison, jail, juvenile facility, or 
halfway house''; and
(iii) in subparagraph (I), by striking 
``offenders'' and inserting ``individuals who 
are incarcerated or who were incarcerated'';
(12) in subsection (n)(2)(A), by striking ``offenders'' and 
inserting ``individuals who received assistance from such 
projects and who are incarcerated or who were incarcerated'';
(13) in subsection (o)(2)(B), by striking ``criminal 
offenders'' and inserting ``individuals who were 
incarcerated''; and
(14) in subsection (p)--
(A) by striking ``offenders reentering the 
community'' in each place it occurs and inserting 
``individuals who are reentering the community after 
incarceration''; and
(B) in paragraph (5), by striking ``offenders'' and 
inserting ``individuals''.

SEC. 3. RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND HOUSING GRANT.

Part FF of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets 
Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10631 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following:

``SEC. 2978. REENTRY RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND HOUSING SERVICES GRANT 
PROGRAM.

``(a) Establishment.--The Attorney General shall, in coordination 
with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, establish a 
program to be known as the `Reentry Rental Assistance and Housing 
Services Grant Program' to provide grants as provided under this 
section.
``(b) Use of Funds.--A grant under this section may be used for--
``(1) providing 24 months of rental assistance to an 
individual who was incarcerated for purposes of paying housing 
costs at a permanent residence;
``(2) providing a stipend to a family member of an 
individual who was incarcerated if the individual lives in the 
family member's household; and
``(3) providing supportive services to individuals who are 
incarcerated or who were incarcerated, including--
``(A) pre-release planning;
``(B) document collection support;
``(C) housing counseling and location services;
``(D) system navigation and linkage support to 
other services, including mental health therapy, 
program services for victims of domestic violence, 
program services for victims of sexual assault, 
substance abuse treatment, education services, and 
employment services;
``(E) information about home-based services and 
community-based services;
``(F) case management and addressing criminogenic 
needs;
``(G) move-in support and assistance;
``(H) support with security deposits and other 
leasing fees;
``(I) housing placement support;
``(J) housing stabilization support for at least 12 
months to help retain housing after placement;
``(K) financial incentives to landlords, including 
payment of holding fees, funds to mitigate property 
damage, and other incentives to accept tenants who are 
receiving rental assistance; and
``(L) other similar supportive services as 
determined by the Secretary.
``(c) Allocation for Rental Assistance.--A grantee shall use--
``(1) not less than 60 percent of the grant funding for 
rental assistance described under subsection (b)(2); and
``(2) not more than 15 percent of grant funding for 
financial incentives to landlords described under subsection 
(b)(3)(K).
``(d) Application Requirements.--
``(1) Application.--
``(A) In general.--An eligible applicant seeking a 
grant under this section shall submit an application to 
the Attorney General at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Attorney General may 
require.
``(B) Eligible applicant.--For purposes of this 
paragraph, an eligible applicant is--
``(i) an eligible entity;
``(ii) a nonprofit organization or service 
provider in partnership with an eligible 
entity; or
``(iii) a nonprofit organization or service 
provider in partnership with--
``(I) a collaborative applicant or 
other entity funded under the Continuum 
of Care program under subtitle IV of 
the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 11381 et seq.);
``(II) a protection and advocacy 
system (as defined in section 102 of 
the Developmental Disabilities 
Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 
2000 (42 U.S.C. 15002));
``(III) a client assistance program 
(as described in section 112 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
732)); or
``(IV) a center for independent 
living (as defined in section 702 of 
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 
U.S.C. 796a)).
``(2) Program proposal.--The Attorney General may make a 
grant under this section to an applicant only if the applicant 
submits a proposed program that will benefit--
``(A) individuals who are incarcerated in a prison, 
jail, juvenile facility, or halfway house who are not 
more than 365 days from their release date and are at 
risk of becoming homeless or exiting into housing 
insecurity;
``(B) individuals experiencing homelessness while 
under parole or supervised release from a prison, jail, 
juvenile facility, or halfway house; or
``(C) individuals experiencing homelessness or 
housing insecurity and who were discharged from a 
prison, jail, juvenile facility, or halfway house.
``(3) Priority considerations.--The Attorney General shall 
prioritize grants--
``(B) to an applicant that implements a housing 
first approach which includes low-barrier screening 
criteria for determining which individuals receive 
assistance under the program; and
``(C) to an applicant that implements a program to 
serve a population that, when compared to the general 
population, is at a disproportionate risk of 
incarceration and that experiences a disproportionate 
rate of homelessness.
``(4) Prohibition on grants to law enforcement.--The 
Attorney General may not provide a grant under this section to 
a law enforcement entity, including an entity that employs 
probation officers.
``(e) Denial Notification Requirements.--
``(1) In general.--A grantee under this section shall 
notify individuals who apply for and are denied support from 
programs funded with such grants about--
``(A) the denial;
``(B) the reason for the denial; and
``(C) supportive services (including housing 
counseling) and free legal resources.
``(2) Timing.--Such notifications shall be sent to the 
individual within 15 days after denial.
``(f) Accessibility Requirements.--A grantee under this section 
shall ensure that information regarding the programs and support 
services that the grantee offers and that are funded with such grants 
is made available--
``(1) in a manner that uses simple, plain language and is 
reader friendly; and
``(2) in a form that is accessible to individuals with 
disabilities.
``(g) Evaluation.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Attorney General shall evaluate the 
efficacy of the grant awarded under this section in improving outcomes 
for previously incarcerated individuals.
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $100,000,000 for each fiscal year to carry out this 
section.
``(i) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Disability.--The term `disability' has the meaning 
given to such term in section 3 of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102).
``(2) Housing costs.--The term `housing costs' includes 
rent, utilities, security deposits, application fees, and other 
similar expenses as determined by the Attorney General, in 
consultation with the Secretary.
``(3) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary 
of Housing and Urban Development.''.
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