S. 4854

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4854 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4854

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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 23, 2026

Mr. Grassley (for himself and Mr. Welch) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

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.

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

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

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.

(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.

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.

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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