Returning Home Act

Key Points

• Congress is proposing a new $100 million annual grant program to help people find and keep a place to live after they are released from prison, jail, or halfway houses. The goal is to prevent homelessness and help people successfully rejoin their communities.
• The program would provide up to 24 months of rental assistance to help people pay for a permanent home. It also includes a stipend for family members who take in a relative after their release, helping to ease the financial burden on households.
• To encourage landlords to participate, the bill offers financial incentives like "holding fees" and money to cover potential property damage. This is designed to make it easier for people with a criminal record to find a landlord willing to rent to them.
• In addition to housing, the program funds support services like mental health therapy, substance abuse treatment, and job training. It also helps people get necessary documents, like IDs, and provides moving assistance and security deposit coverage.
• The bill specifically targets people who are within one year of being released and are at risk of becoming homeless, as well as those who are already out but lack a stable place to live. It also changes official government language to use the word "individual" instead of "offender."

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.