Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6403
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Housing and Community Development
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-03: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, 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.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-30T08:07:02Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to expand eligibility for assistance to homeless children, youth, and families, update definitions of homelessness, prioritize local community assessments and plans, ensure equal access to programs, and increase transparency of data on homelessness.
Key Provisions
- Updates the definition of homelessness in section 103 to extend the period for individuals "doubling up" from 14 to 30 days, include children or youth verified as homeless under other federal programs, and broaden the category for those experiencing domestic violence or unsafe conditions.
- Adds a rule of construction requiring that all individuals defined as homeless under the Act receive equal eligibility and priority for programs and housing models.
- Revises definitions in section 401, including new terms for "child or youth defined as homeless under any other federal program" and "other federal statute," while updating criteria for chronically homeless individuals and adding references to disabilities and trafficking.
- Requires public availability of community-wide Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) data on an annual basis, including counts of homeless individuals and families, patterns of assistance, and breakdowns by age, disability, and length of homelessness.
- Modifies grant application and scoring processes in sections 422, 427, and 428 to base awards on local needs-based plans, prohibit national prioritization of subpopulations or housing models unless justified by local data, and emphasize collaboration with educational agencies and early childhood programs.
- Adds requirements for service providers to connect children and youth to school, Head Start, career programs, and independent student status verification.
- Updates reporting requirements in section 434 to include data from this Act and other federal statutes, with analysis of potential duplication in counts.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Expands the scope of who qualifies as homeless by lengthening the "doubling up" timeframe and incorporating verified individuals from other federal programs without additional HUD action.
- Eliminates certain prior restrictions and clauses in definitions and grant criteria, such as specific time-in-shelter requirements and some subpopulation weightings.
- Introduces mandatory public release of HMIS data and new coordination elements for assessment systems, including age-appropriate criteria for children and youth.
- Shifts emphasis from federal priorities to local plans and cost-effectiveness in grant scoring, removing incentives that could favor specific subpopulations or models.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: Increases data reporting and public transparency obligations for HUD and local continuums of care; requires updated guidance and application processes to ensure equal eligibility.
- On citizens: Broadens access to housing and services for families, unaccompanied youth, and children, particularly those in doubled-up situations or involved with other federal programs like education or child care.
- On international relations: None identified in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Homeless children, youth, families, and unaccompanied individuals.
- Local communities, collaborative applicants, and service providers operating under the McKinney-Vento Act.
- Federal agencies including HUD, the Department of Education, and programs under listed statutes (e.g., Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, Head Start).
- Local educational agencies, early care providers, and institutions of higher education.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The rule of construction and equal-priority provisions may limit administrative discretion in funding decisions and require consistent application across program components.
- Expanded definitions and data requirements could affect eligibility determinations and point-in-time counts, with explicit measures to address potential duplication.
- Emphasis on local assessments and prohibitions on certain national weightings may alter how federal resources are allocated without creating new constitutional issues.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
Cosponsors (7)
Rep. Bynum, Janelle S. [D-OR-5], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7], Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Lee, Susie [D-NV-3]
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-03: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, 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.
- 2025-12-03: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, 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.
- 2025-12-03: Introduced in House
- 2025-12-03: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2025 — issued 2025-12-03 — PDF (19 pages)