§ 11386 — Program Requirements

(a) The Secretary shall require that each application include reasonable assurances that the applicant will own or have control of a site for the proposed project not later than the expiration of the 12-month period beginning upon notification of an award for grant assistance, unless the application proposes providing supportive housing assistance under section 11383(a)(3) of this title or housing that will eventually be owned or controlled by the families and individuals served. An applicant may obtain ownership or control of a suitable site different from the site specified in the application. If any recipient or project sponsor fails to obtain ownership or control of the site within 12 months after notification of an award for grant assistance, the grant shall be recaptured and reallocated under this part. (b) The Secretary may not provide assistance for a proposed project under this part unless the collaborative applicant involved agrees— (1) to ensure the operation of the project in accordance with the provisions of this part; (2) to monitor and report to the Secretary the progress of the project; (3) to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that individuals and families experiencing homelessness are involved, through employment, provision of volunteer services, or otherwise, in constructing, rehabilitating, maintaining, and operating facilities for the project and in providing supportive services for the project; (4) to require certification from all project sponsors that— (A) they will maintain the confidentiality of records pertaining to any individual or family provided family violence prevention or treatment services through the project; (B) the address or location of any family violence shelter project assisted under this part will not be made public, except with written authorization of the person responsible for the operation of such project; (C) they will establish policies and practices that are consistent with, and do not restrict the exercise of rights provided by, part B of subchapter VI [42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.], and other laws relating to the provision of educational and related services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness; (D) in the case of programs that provide housing or services to families, they will designate a staff person to be responsible for ensuring that children being served in the program are enrolled in school and connected to appropriate services in the community, including early childhood programs such as Head Start, part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.], and programs authorized under part B of subchapter VI of this chapter (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.); and (E) (5) if a collaborative applicant is a unified funding agency under section 11360a(g) of this title and receives funds under this part to carry out the payment of administrative costs described in section 11383(a)(11) of this title, to establish such fiscal control and fund accounting procedures as may be necessary to assure the proper disbursal of, and accounting for, such funds in order to ensure that all financial transactions carried out with such funds are conducted, and records maintained, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; (6) to monitor and report to the Secretary the provision of matching funds as required by section 11386d of this title; (7) to take the educational needs of children into account when families are placed in emergency or transitional shelter and will, to the maximum extent practicable, place families with children as close as possible to their school of origin so as not to disrupt such children’s education; and (8) to comply with such other terms and conditions as the Secretary may establish to carry out this part in an effective and efficient manner. (c) Each homeless individual or family residing in a project providing supportive housing may be required to pay an occupancy charge in an amount determined by the recipient or project sponsor providing the project, which may not exceed the amount determined under section 1437a(a) of this title. Occupancy charges paid may be reserved, in whole or in part, to assist residents in moving to permanent housing. (d) Flood protection standards applicable to housing acquired, rehabilitated, constructed, or assisted under this part shall be no more restrictive than the standards applicable under Executive Order No. 11988 (May 24, 1977) to the other programs under this subchapter. (e) The Secretary shall, by regulation, require each recipient or project sponsor to provide for the participation of not less than 1 homeless individual or former homeless individual on the board of directors or other equivalent policymaking entity of the recipient or project sponsor, to the extent that such entity considers and makes policies and decisions regarding any project, supportive services, or assistance provided under this part. The Secretary may grant waivers to applicants unable to meet the requirement under the preceding sentence if the applicant agrees to otherwise consult with homeless or formerly homeless individuals in considering and making such policies and decisions. (f) No assistance received under this part (or any State or local government funds used to supplement such assistance) may be used to replace other State or local funds previously used, or designated for use, to assist homeless persons. (g) If an individual or family who receives assistance under this part (not including residents of an emergency shelter) from a recipient violates program requirements, the recipient may terminate assistance in accordance with a formal process established by the recipient that recognizes the rights of individuals receiving such assistance to due process of law, which may include a hearing.