(a) The Secretary, in connection with the conduct of compensated work therapy programs, may operate residences and facilities as therapeutic housing.
(b) The Secretary may use such procurement procedures for the purchase, lease, or other acquisition of residential housing for purposes of this section as the Secretary considers appropriate to expedite the opening and operation of transitional housing and to protect the interests of the United States.
(c) A residence or other facility may be operated as transitional housing for veterans described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1710(a) of this title under the following conditions:
(1) Only veterans described in those paragraphs and a house manager may reside in the residence or facility.
(2) Each resident, other than the house manager, shall be required to make payments that contribute to covering the expenses of board and the operational costs of the residence or facility for the period of residence in such housing.
(3) In order to foster the therapeutic and rehabilitative objectives of such housing (A) residents shall be prohibited from using alcohol or any controlled substance or item, (B) any resident violating that prohibition may be expelled from the residence or facility, and (C) each resident shall agree to undergo drug testing or such other measures as the Secretary shall prescribe to ensure compliance with that prohibition.
(4) In the establishment and operation of housing under this section, the Secretary shall consult with appropriate representatives of the community in which the housing is established and shall comply with zoning requirements, building permit requirements, and other similar requirements applicable to other real property used for similar purposes in the community.
(5) The residence or facility shall meet State and community fire and safety requirements applicable to other real property used for similar purposes in the community in which the transitional housing is located, but fire and safety requirements applicable to buildings of the Federal Government shall not apply to such property.
(d) The Secretary shall prescribe the qualifications for house managers for transitional housing units operated under this section. The Secretary may provide for free room and subsistence for a house manager in addition to, or instead of payment of, a fee for the services provided by the manager.
(e)(1) The Secretary may operate as transitional housing under this section-
(A) any suitable residential property acquired by the Secretary as the result of a default on a loan made, guaranteed, or insured under chapter 37 of this title;
(B) any suitable space in a facility under the jurisdiction of the Secretary that is no longer being used (i) to provide acute hospital care, or (ii) as housing for medical center employees; and
(C) any other suitable residential property purchased, leased, or otherwise acquired by the Secretary.
(2) In the case of any property referred to in paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary shall-
(A) transfer administrative jurisdiction over such property within the Department from the Veterans Benefits Administration to the Veterans Health Administration; and
(B) transfer from the General Post Fund to the Loan Guaranty Revolving Fund under chapter 37 of this title an amount (not to exceed the amount the Secretary paid for the property) representing the amount the Secretary considers could be obtained by sale of such property to a nonprofit organization or a State for use as a shelter for homeless veterans.
(3) In the case of any residential property obtained by the Secretary from the Department of Housing and Urban Development under this section, the amount paid by the Secretary to that Department for that property may not exceed the amount that the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development would charge for the sale of that property to a nonprofit organization or a State for use as a shelter for homeless persons. Funds for such charge shall be derived from the General Post Fund.
(f) The Secretary shall prescribe-
(1) a procedure for establishing reasonable payment rates for persons residing in transitional housing; and
(2) appropriate limits on the period for which such persons may reside in transitional housing.
(g) The Secretary may dispose of any property acquired for the purpose of this section. The proceeds of any such disposal shall be credited to the General Post Fund.
(h) Funds received by the Department under this section shall be deposited in the General Post Fund. The Secretary may distribute out of the fund such amounts as necessary for the acquisition, management, maintenance, and disposition of real property for the purpose of carrying out such program. The Secretary shall manage the operation of this section so as to ensure that expenditures under this subsection for any fiscal year shall not exceed by more than $500,000 proceeds credited to the General Post Fund under this section. The operation of the program and funds received shall be separately accounted for, and shall be stated in the documents accompanying the President's budget for each fiscal year.
(Added
2001-