HR4921-119

2. Grant program for upgrading structures to serve as interim and permanent housing to accommodate unhoused individuals with pets The Secretary of Agriculture, acting in direct consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, may carry out a program under this section to make grants to eligible entities for providing interim and permanent housing that accommodates homeless persons, and homeless families, who have pets. Amounts from a grant under this section may be used only for— costs of acquiring, renovating, rehabilitating, re-purposing, retrofitting, or constructing a property to be used as interim or permanent housing that accommodates homeless persons, and homeless families, who have pets; pet-related costs of operating such housing as provided in this section; and costs of training staff and volunteers associated with such housing in basic pet care, including nutrition, behavioral training, and health maintenance. Interim or permanent housing assisted with amounts from a grant under this Act shall comply with the following requirements: Appropriate supportive services, including mental health, employment, substance use disorder, and wellness services, shall be made available to occupants of the housing. Basic veterinary care and behavioral support for pets, including spay and neuter, basic wellness examinations, vaccinations, dental care, heartworm treatment and prevention, flea and tick treatment and prevention, and basic medical procedures, shall be made available for pets of occupants of the housing. Services required under this paragraph shall be made available on-site in such housing, except that services that cannot be furnished on-site may be made available off-site, but only if direct linkage to transportation services is made available to occupants to access such services. The housing shall provide accommodations for pets of occupants of the housing that are appropriate for the layout and type of the interim or permanent housing, which may include crates and kennels. The manager of the housing shall— coordinate with public services and such agencies as the Secretary determines appropriate to provide services and safety for the housing, as the Secretary shall require; coordinate with local veterinary service and animal care providers to provide care for pets that accompany occupants of the housing; and in making occupancy available in the housing, coordinate with the administrative entity for the Continuum of Care under subtitle C of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11381 et seq.) for the area in which the housing is located. The Secretary shall provide for eligible entities to submit applications for grants under this section and shall require such applications to include a plan under paragraph (2). A plan under this paragraph shall— identify existing housing, shelters, or unused structures or land within the area served by the eligible entity submitting the application that will be used for providing the housing to be assisted under subsection (b) with amounts from a grant under this section; identify the extent of need, in the area of such housing, shelters, structures, or land identified, for interim or permanent housing for homeless persons with pets; identify partnering veterinary service and animal care providers that will provide care for pets that accompany occupants of the housing and any partnering animal welfare organization; include such assurances as the Secretary considers necessary to ensure that such housing will be provided using grant amounts, that such housing will accommodate homeless persons, and homeless families, who have pets, and that such housing will comply with the requirements under subsection (c); and provide for targeted outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness within the area served by the eligible entity receiving a grant under this section to inform such individuals regarding the availability of the housing assisted with grant amounts. The Secretary shall select applications to be awarded such grants on a competitive basis, based on criteria that the Secretary shall establish. Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this section for a fiscal year shall submit a report to the Secretary, not later than 90 days after the end of the fiscal year for which the grant was made, that shall include the following information: A description of the activities undertaken by the eligible entity using such grant amounts. Identification of the costs of each of the services provided in connection with the housing assisted with such grant amounts. An assessment of the effectiveness of the program grants under this section and any recommendations for improving the program. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply: The term eligible entity means— a unit of general local government; a nonprofit organization; and an entity providing housing or shelters for homeless persons. Such term does not include an animal wellness or welfare organization or an animal shelter, except that this subparagraph may not be construed to prevent any such organization or shelter from partnering with an eligible entity to provide interim or permanent housing assisted with amounts from a grant under this Act. The term homeless has the meaning given such term in section 103 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11302). The term interim housing means any housing or shelter that does not provide permanent housing. Such term includes transitional housing (as such term is defined in such section 401) and emergency shelters (as such term is defined in section 321 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 13351)). The term permanent housing has the meaning given such term in section 401 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11360). The term pet means any domesticated animal that is normally maintained as a companion or pet animal near the owner or person who cares for the animal, such as a domestic dog (including a service dog), domestic cat, ferret, gerbil, mouse, rat, guinea pig, rabbit, hamster, or bird. The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture. The term unit of general local government has the meaning given such term in the first sentence of paragraph (1) of section 102(a) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5302(a)(1)). There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.