42 U.S.C. § 11301 - Findings and purpose

• Cite as: 42 U.S.C. § 11301

(a) Findings

The Congress finds that-

(1) the Nation faces an immediate and unprecedented crisis due to the lack of shelter for a growing number of individuals and families, including elderly persons, handicapped persons, families with children, Native Americans, and veterans;

(2) the problem of homelessness has become more severe and, in the absence of more effective efforts, is expected to become dramatically worse, endangering the lives and safety of the homeless;

(3) the causes of homelessness are many and complex, and homeless individuals have diverse needs;

(4) there is no single, simple solution to the problem of homelessness because of the different subpopulations of the homeless, the different causes of and reasons for homelessness, and the different needs of homeless individuals;

(5) due to the record increase in homelessness, States, units of local government, and private voluntary organizations have been unable to meet the basic human needs of all the homeless and, in the absence of greater Federal assistance, will be unable to protect the lives and safety of all the homeless in need of assistance; and

(6) the Federal Government has a clear responsibility and an existing capacity to fulfill a more effective and responsible role to meet the basic human needs and to engender respect for the human dignity of the homeless.

(b) Purpose

It is the purpose of this chapter-

(1) to establish the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness;

(2) to use public resources and programs in a more coordinated manner to meet the critically urgent needs of the homeless of the Nation; and

(3) to provide funds for programs to assist the homeless, with special emphasis on elderly persons, handicapped persons, families with children, Native Americans, and veterans.

Cite as 42 U.S.C. § 11301

Source: Pub. L. 100-77, title I, §102, July 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 484; Pub. L. 108-199, div. G, title II, §216(2), Jan. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 394.

current through 6/13/2023

EDITORIAL NOTES

REFERENCES IN TEXT

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (b), was in the original "this Act", meaning Pub. L. 100-77, July 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 482, known as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out below and Tables.

AMENDMENTS

2004-Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 108-199 substituted "the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness" for "an Interagency Council on the Homeless".

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

SHORT TITLE OF 2009 AMENDMENT

Pub. L. 111-22, div. B, §1001(a), May 20, 2009, 123 Stat. 1663, provided that: "This division [enacting sections 11318, 11360, 11360a, 11361a, 11361b, 11363, 11364, 11372, 11372a, 11374, 11381 to 11384, and 11386a to 11386e of this title, redesignating part G of subchapter IV of this chapter as part D of subchapter IV of this chapter, amending sections 11302, 11311 to 11313, 11315, 11361, 11362, 11373 to 11376, 11378, 11386, 11387, 11388, and 11408 of this title, repealing sections 11318, 11372, 11374, 11377, 11381 to 11384, and 11389 of this title and parts D to F of subchapter IV of this chapter, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 11302 and 11311 of this title] may be cited as the 'Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009'."