S. 1667: Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2025, seeks to amend the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act primarily to better address the needs of homeless children, youth, and families. Here’s a breakdown of the main changes proposed by the bill:

Key Amendments to Definitions

• The bill modifies the definition of homelessness to remove certain criteria, making it easier to classify individuals as homeless under federal programs.
• The definition of homelessness is expanded to include those who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking.
• New definitions are added for children and youth identified as homeless under other federal programs.

Prioritization and Funding

• Programs would have to prioritize all individuals classified as homeless equally when awarding funding, rather than differentiating by specific needs or backgrounds.
• The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is required to ensure eligibility for all individuals meeting the criteria for homelessness under this bill.

Data Collection and Reporting

• Communities are mandated to submit annual data to HUD concerning the number and characteristics of homeless individuals and families.
• This data must be made publicly available and include specific counts of women experiencing homelessness, broken down by age, disability status, and duration of homelessness.
• The Secretary of HUD will report annually to Congress, summarizing activities and insights from the data collected.

Collaboration and Support Services

• The bill encourages collaboration between recipient organizations and local educational agencies, early care programs, and higher education institutions to provide comprehensive support for children and youth experiencing homelessness.
• Programs offering services to families or youth will need to demonstrate that children are enrolled in school and connected to appropriate services.

Implementation and Compliance

• Grants will be awarded based on demonstrated local needs rather than a one-size-fits-all approach determined by federal mandates.
• The bill promotes the use of proven practices and strategies in reducing homelessness and explicitly prohibits prioritizing any specific services or programs without local data justification.

Technical Adjustments

• Several technical amendments ensure the smooth implementation of the new definitions and requirements outlined in the bill.

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