Congressman Robert Garcia Co-Leads Bipartisan Initiative to Safeguard and Strengthen Transitional Housing Services
Washington, D.C. – This week, Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42) co-led the Transitional Housing Protection for the Homeless Act (H.R. 9644) with Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), Young Kim (CA-40), and Brittany Pettersen (CO-07). This bipartisan proposal expands the legal definition of “chronic homelessness” to make sure that more people experiencing homelessness can access the resources they need to get back on their feet. It would also help transitional housing providers offer more services, including assisting individuals with securing permanent supportive housing and providing health and wellness aid to those in need. The full bill text can be found here.
“We must ensure that our most vulnerable community members can get the services they need when moving into temporary housing, which is why we’re expanding the definition of ‘chronically homelessness.’ Experiencing homelessness is already extremely tough, and we need to make sure our government doesn’t let folks slip through the cracks during transition periods. I will always fight to make funding available for those struggling with homelessness,” said Congressman Robert Garcia.
“To help our homeless population transition into stable housing, we must ensure the floor doesn’t fall out from underneath them while they take concrete steps to get back on track. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the bipartisan Transitional Housing Protection for the Homeless Act, which builds on my previous efforts to reduce homelessness by protecting and expanding critical resources. This bill would help ensure that our most vulnerable populations receive the comprehensive support they need,” said Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer.
The Transitional Housing Protection for the Homeless Act would make the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) expand its existing definition of chronic homelessness to include individuals who have experienced homelessness for at least one year, continuously or cumulatively within the past three years, to make sure they are eligible for essential support services. Additionally, it would classify those residing in transitional housing for fewer than 90 days as chronically homeless if they met the original criteria before entering the program, ensuring that short-term residents of transitional housing are not excluded from critical assistance.
The bipartisan proposal is supported by the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
Congressman Garcia believes that housing is a human right and that we have a moral obligation to take steps toward making sure everyone has access to housing that is safe and affordable. In May 2023, he introduced the People Over Parking Act to make housing more affordable and reduce emissions by eliminating outdated parking minimum requirements for the new construction of residential, retail, industrial, or commercial spaces. Congressman Garcia is dedicated to promoting affordable, inclusive, and public transit-friendly communities that increase housing availability while curbing harmful emissions through federal Yes In My Back Yard (YIMBY) policymaking. Congressman Garcia will continue the fight to secure safe and affordable housing for every American.
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