HOUSE BILL NO. 5266
An act to create the office of veteran homelessness; to provide for the identification, coordination, alignment, and acquisition of available resources and available programs for homeless veterans in this state; to provide support and programs to secure housing for homeless veterans in this state or otherwise address veteran homelessness; to provide for the powers and duties of certain state governmental officers and entities; and to make appropriations and prescribe certain conditions for the appropriations.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 1. This act may be cited as the "veteran homelessness act".
(a) "Available programs" means state, federal, and local programs related to addressing veteran homelessness or underlying issues related to homelessness, including, but not limited to, mental health, substance use disorders, and lack of transferable job skills, that are available to veterans in this state.
(b) "Available resources" means state, federal, and local resources available for homeless veterans in this state.
(c) "Department" means the department of military and veterans affairs.
(d) "Department director" means the director of the department.
(e) "Homeless" or "homelessness" means homeless as that term is defined in 42 USC 11302.
(f) "Office" means the office of veteran homelessness created in section 5.
(g) "Office director" means the director of the office appointed under section 5.
(h) "Veteran" means that term is defined in section 1 of 1965 PA 190, MCL 35.61.
(i) "Veteran homelessness fund" means the veteran homelessness fund created in section 7.
Sec. 5. (1) The office of veteran homelessness is created in the department.
(2) The department director shall appoint the office director who shall manage the operations of the office.
(3) The office shall do all of the following:
(a) Identify available resources and available programs to support homeless veterans in this state.
(b) Coordinate available resources to ensure the best utilization of those resources for homeless veterans in this state.
(c) Align and target available programs to ensure the best utilization of those programs for homeless veterans in this state.
(d) Maintain a website that describes the available resources, the available programs, and the services provided by the office.
(e) Provide outreach services to veterans in this state to advise them of available resources, available programs, and services provided by the office.
(f) Assist veterans in obtaining available resources or participating in available programs.
(g) Support and participate in interdepartmental coordination on efforts essential to the office's mission.
(h) Assist in the development and monitor the implementation of state and federal laws, rules, regulations, and budgets relating to the office's mission.
(i) As issues emerge, recommend changes in state and federal law, rules, regulations, policies, guidelines, practices, procedures, and budgets relating to the office's mission.
(4) The office may do any of the following:
(a) Identify, coordinate, align, and acquire private resources and programs available for homeless veterans.
(b) Establish additional programs and resources to address veteran homelessness.
(c) Perform other duties related to the office's mission as determined by the office director.
Sec. 7. (1) The veteran homelessness fund is created in the state treasury.
(2) The state treasurer may deposit money and other assets received from any other source in the fund. The state treasurer shall direct the investment of money in the fund and credit interest and earnings from the investments to the fund.
(3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year remains in the fund and does not lapse to the general fund.
(4) The department is the administrator of the fund for audits of the fund.
(5) The department shall expend money from the fund, on appropriation, only for the creation, implementation, and administration of the office and its activities.
(6) For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, $1,000,000.00 is appropriated to the department and shall be deposited in the fund. Money deposited in the fund under this subsection is appropriated and available for expenditure for the purposes described in subsection (5).
(7) As used in this section, "fund" means the veteran homelessness fund.
Sec. 9. (1) Not later than January 1 of each year, the office shall submit a report on its operations to the senate and house of representatives appropriations committees, the senate veterans and emergency services committee, and the house of representatives families and veterans committee.
(2) The report under subsection (1) must include all of the following information:
(a) An analysis of the scope of homelessness among this state's veteran population, including the estimated number of homeless veterans, by county.
(b) Challenges to securing housing for homeless veterans or otherwise addressing veteran homelessness.
(c) A summary of the available resources and available programs for homeless veterans in this state.
(d) A summary of federal policy initiatives by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs that are intended to address homelessness.
(e) A description of the activities of the office in the previous fiscal year to support homeless veterans or eliminate homelessness among veterans.
(f) An identification of the needs of homeless veterans in this state that are not adequately addressed by available resources or available programs and recommendations for new resources or programs.
(g) Recommendations for future partnerships or activities that could assist in eliminating homelessness among veterans in this state.
(h) Any other policy recommendations for future legislative action.
(i) Any other relevant information or recommendations regarding issues related to veteran homelessness in this state, as determined by the office director.