Findings and purpose

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; 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; the causes of homelessness are many and complex, and homeless individuals have diverse needs; 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; 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 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. to establish the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness; to use public resources and programs in a more coordinated manner to meet the critically urgent needs of the homeless of the Nation; and to provide funds for programs to assist the homeless, with special emphasis on elderly persons, handicapped persons, families with children, Native Americans, and veterans. Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this division [May 20, 2009], the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall promulgate regulations governing the operation of the programs that are created or modified by this division [see Short Title of 2009 Amendment note above]. This section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this division.” a lack of affordable housing and limited scale of housing assistance programs are the primary causes of homelessness; and homelessness affects all types of communities in the United States, including rural, urban, and suburban areas. to consolidate the separate homeless assistance programs carried out under title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act [42 U.S.C. 11360 et seq.] (consisting of the supportive housing program and related innovative programs, the safe havens program, the section 8 [42 U.S.C. 1437f] assistance program for single-room occupancy dwellings, and the shelter plus care program) into a single program with specific eligible activities; to codify in Federal law the continuum of care planning process as a required and integral local function necessary to generate the local strategies for ending homelessness; and to establish a Federal goal of ensuring that individuals and families who become homeless return to permanent housing within 30 days.” The Congress finds that— It is the purpose of this chapter— The Congress finds that— The purposes of this division [see Short Title of 2009 Amendment note above] are— (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.))