H.R. 7432 · Passed House · Families

Fostering the Future Act

Sponsor: Darin LaHood (R-IL)

What it does

• Expands the Chafee foster care program to allow states to use federal funding for supportive housing services for youth up to age 26 who have experienced foster care.
• Permits use of Chafee funds to support youth seeking to obtain or retain housing who receive assistance under HUD's Section 8 Family Unification Program.
• Requires HHS and HUD to jointly develop and issue guidance to align and coordinate housing supportive services between child welfare agencies and public housing authorities.
• Mandates HHS report on foster youth receiving federal housing assistance, including outcomes on housing stability and homelessness rates.

Official summary

Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act This bill expands states' permissible uses of federal funds under the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (Chafee program) to include supportive housing services. The Chafee program is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Children's Bureau and provides funding to support youth and young adults who are in, or were formerly in, foster care with their transition to adulthood. The program is funded through formula grants awarded to child welfare agencies in states, certain territories, and participating tribes. The bill allows states to use such funds to provide supportive services (e.g., financial counseling) for youth up to the age of 26 who are seeking to obtain or retain housing and who have experienced foster care and receive assistance under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 Family Unification Program. Additionally, HHS and HUD must jointly develop and issue guidance to state public child welfare agencies and public housing authorities to improve alignment and coordination of housing supportive services. HHS, in consultation with HUD, also must…

Latest action

May 20, 2026: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Committee: Senate Finance