South OC Times

U.S. Rep. Young Kim (CA-40) has joined forces with Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), Robert Garcia (CA-42), and Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) to introduce the Transitional Housing Protection for the Homeless Act.

This bipartisan proposal aims to redefine chronic homelessness in current law, thereby ensuring more individuals experiencing homelessness can access necessary resources. The legislation also seeks to assist transitional housing providers in offering more comprehensive services.

“Rising housing costs only make life harder for our homeless population to get back on their feet. We must ensure our most vulnerable can receive support,” said Kim. “The Transitional Housing Protection for the Homeless Act aims to bridge the gap in affordable housing and provide hope to those struggling. I’m proud to help lead this bipartisan, commonsense bill and will keep working to support our communities.”

Chavez-DeRemer emphasized the need for stability: “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.”

Garcia highlighted the importance of not letting people "slip through the cracks" during transition periods: “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 homeless.’ 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."

Pettersen addressed Colorado's specific challenges: “Colorado is facing a housing crisis that has pushed many people into homelessness. Finding temporary housing or accessing transitional housing should not preclude people experiencing homelessness from receiving assistance that can lead to long-term stable housing.”

The act mandates that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):

1. Update its definition of chronic homelessness to include individuals who have experienced homelessness for at least one year — whether continuously or cumulatively within three years.

2. Include individuals residing in transitional housing for fewer than 90 days as chronically homeless if they met original criteria before entering.

3. Implement these changes within 180 days of enactment.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness supports this proposal, stating it would amend HUD’s definition of "chronically homeless" and remove administrative burdens while ensuring those with prolonged histories of homelessness are eligible for necessary resources.

“The National Alliance to End Homelessness is pleased to endorse Representative Chavez-DeRemer’s bipartisan bill... This change will remove a significant burden both administratively for homeless services providers and will ensure that those with the longest histories of homelessness are not locked out of receiving the help they need,” stated a representative from the organization.