Bills
| 3.23.22

Should People Leaving Addiction Treatment Have Access to Transitional Housing Using Section 8 Vouchers? (H.R. 5735)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 5735?

(Updated June 7, 2020)

This bill — known as the THRIVE Act — would create a five-year pilot program in the aimed at expanding housing options for individuals who are transitioning out of addiction treatment for opioid use or other substance abuse disorders and require additional support. The program, which would be administered by the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), would set aside Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers for supportive and transitional housing non-profits that have evidence-based models of recovery and life-skills training.

The number of vouchers would be the lesser of 10,000 vouchers or .05 percent of all vouchers. Eligible recipients would receive 12-24 months of assistance, after which the provider would be able to transfer the voucher assistance to a newly selected eligible recipient.

The bill’s full title is the Transitional Housing for Recovery in Viable Environments Demonstration Program Act.

Argument in favor

Transitional housing has helped many Americans leaving addiction treatment get their lives back on track. Setting aside Section 8 Housing vouchers for transitional housing non-profits to help people recovering from opioid or other substance abuse is a worthwhile pilot project.

Argument opposed

Congress shouldn’t hand over Section 8 housing vouchers to non-profit providers of transitional housing to help people leaving addiction treatment. Instead, the federal government should spend the money to build and operate its own transitional housing program.

Impact

Eligible recipients of assistance under this bill; transitional housing non-profits; and HUD.

Cost of H.R. 5735

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) introduced this bill to expand housing options for individuals who are transitioning out of addiction treatment programs:

“It is critical that Congress do more to combat the opioid epidemic, especially in my home state of Kentucky where we have the third highest opioid overdose mortality rate in the nation... Transitional housing is a proven, evidence-based approach that has helped thousands of Americans maintain sobriety after completing rehab, gain valuable skills and job training, obtain employment, and eventually transition back into society to lead independent lives.”

This legislation passed the House Financial Services Committee on a 34-19 vote and has the support of eight cosponsors, all of whom are Republicans.


Media:

Summary by Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: Moussa81 / iStock)