Bill > HR385

This bill, known as the HAVEN Act (Housing Assistance for Veterans Act), establishes a pilot program to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to award grants to qualified nonprofit organizations. These organizations, which must primarily serve veterans or low-income individuals and be recognized under specific sections of the Internal Revenue Code, will use the grants to rehabilitate and modify the primary residences of eligible veterans. An eligible veteran is defined as a disabled veteran (an individual with a disability as defined by law) or a low-income veteran (whose income does not exceed 80% of the area median income). The modifications can include installing accessibility features like wheelchair ramps, widening doorways, reconfiguring bathrooms, and making energy-efficient improvements if utility costs are high and improvements can reduce them by at least 10%. The program aims to make homes more accessible, functional, and safe for disabled veterans, and to reduce fall risks for elderly individuals. Qualified organizations must demonstrate expertise in housing rehabilitation, have outreach plans to identify and engage veterans, and possess a network of affiliates. Grants are capped at $1,000,000 per organization annually, and recipients must contribute at least 50% of the grant amount through matching funds or in-kind contributions, ensuring the veteran incurs no cost or no more than 30% of their income for housing costs. The Secretary will coordinate with the Department of Veterans Affairs to oversee the program and will submit annual and final reports to Congress detailing the program's impact. The bill authorizes $4,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2013 through 2017 to carry out these provisions.