Tina Smith (D-MN)
Building and Maintaining Homeless Shelters Act
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Building and Maintaining Homeless Shelters Act. It amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to set up a competitive grant program. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development will award these grants to help shelters and permanent supportive housing. The funds are meant for physical infrastructure needs and increasing shelter and housing capacity nationwide. The bill authorizes $500,000,000 to be appropriated for each of the fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
Yes· 3 of 19
- Scored +9
Is this likely to reduce homelessness?
The primary purpose of the grant program is to fund the construction and rehabilitation of shelters and permanent supportive housing to combat homelessness.
- Scored +8
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill targets individuals and families experiencing homelessness and severe poverty by expanding shelter and permanent supportive housing.
- Scored +8
Does this make housing cost less?
The legislation directly funds the construction and expansion of permanent supportive housing and emergency shelters nationwide.
The opposite
- Scored -4
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill authorizes $500,000,000 in appropriations annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, which increases federal expenditures.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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State governments, local governments, Indian tribal governments, tribally designated housing entities, public housing agencies, and tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations can receive grants to build, rehabilitate, or acquire shelters and permanent supportive housing as outlined in Section 496(c)(1)(A). This is a positive step because it provides funding to organizations working directly on the ground to expand housing options.
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Funds can be used for specific physical infrastructure improvements like energy efficiency updates, mobile health clinics, day centers, safe parking programs, and non-congregate shelters under Section 496(c)(1)(C). This benefits individuals experiencing homelessness by offering diverse, practical resources tailored to different safety, health, and shelter needs.
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The program includes specific funding set-asides, requiring at least 5 percent to go to Indian tribal governments or tribally designated housing entities and at least 40 percent to go to eligible entities located in rural areas under Section 496(f) and Section 496(g). This ensures that tribal communities and rural areas are not left behind and receive guaranteed shares of the funding.
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The Secretary is prohibited from discriminating against faith-based groups, but is also explicitly banned from making awards to eligible entities that discriminate based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex stereotype under Section 496(e). This protects vulnerable individuals from being denied help based on who they are.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorship organizations are explicitly excluded from being an eligible entity that can receive these grants under Section 495(1)(B). While this keeps funds focused on structured agencies and organizations, it means independent people or sole proprietors cannot directly access these grants for private shelter solutions.
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The bill mandates that any construction project using grant money must use materials that comply with domestic content procurement preferences and pay laborers and mechanics a prevailing rate of wage under Section 496(h). While this supports domestic manufacturing and fair worker pay, these strict rules might increase overall project costs or slow down how quickly shelters can be built.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill targets individuals and families experiencing homelessness and severe poverty by expanding shelter and permanent supportive housing. Would children be better off under this? — The legislation allows prioritization for families and youth experiencing homelessness, improving housing stability for children. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill includes a dedicated 5 percent funding set-aside for Indian tribal governments and tribally designated housing entities. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill guarantees that at least 40 percent of appropriated funds are awarded to eligible entities located in rural areas. Would LGBTQ people be better off under this? — The legislation protects vulnerable individuals by banning grants to entities that discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity and permits prioritization for LGBTQ+ individuals. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Youth experiencing homelessness are included in the groups that can be prioritized for support and housing under the grant program. Would union members be better off under this? — The bill mandates that laborers and mechanics employed on grant-funded construction projects must be paid a prevailing rate of wage.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to reduce homelessness? — The primary purpose of the grant program is to fund the construction and rehabilitation of shelters and permanent supportive housing to combat homelessness. Does this make housing cost less? — The legislation directly funds the construction and expansion of permanent supportive housing and emergency shelters nationwide. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — By expanding shelter capacity and permanent housing options, the bill provides critical resources to lift individuals out of homelessness and severe poverty. Does this expand the rights of LGBTQ people? — The legislation explicitly prohibits awarding grants to entities that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, while allowing prioritization for LGBTQ+ individuals. Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill includes specific set-asides for tribal governments and permits prioritization for Black, Indigenous, and people of color experiencing homelessness.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill mandates a rural set-aside of at least 40 percent of appropriated grant funds to support housing and shelter infrastructure in rural communities. Does this put more money into wind, solar and other renewable power? — Grant funds are explicitly permitted to be used for energy efficiency improvements in shelter and permanent supportive housing buildings.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill provides substantial grant funding for the construction, rehabilitation, and infrastructure development of shelters, creating new jobs in the building and labor sectors. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Eligible 501(c)(3) organizations and contractors involved in shelter construction stand to benefit from the grant program. Is this likely to grow the economy? — Investing in capital construction and infrastructure improvements provides a moderate boost to local economic activity. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill authorizes $500,000,000 in appropriations annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, which increases federal expenditures.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Grant funds can be utilized for capital costs relating to physical infrastructure like mobile health clinics and day centers, improving access to care for homeless individuals.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill establishes a new federally administered competitive grant program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development with specific federal requirements.
- 9/24/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
- Introduced in Senate