# The Returning Home Act: What It Does

This bill creates a new federal grant program designed to help people who have been incarcerated find stable housing after they're released. The program, called the Reentry Rental Assistance and Housing Services Grant Program, would provide up to $100 million per year to organizations working with formerly incarcerated individuals who are at risk of becoming homeless or struggling to find a place to live.

The money can be used in several practical ways. Organizations can use at least 60 percent of their grant funding to pay for up to 24 months of rental assistance—essentially covering someone's rent while they get back on their feet. The remaining funds can go toward supportive services like help finding a place to live, connecting people with mental health treatment or job training, assistance with security deposits and moving costs, and even financial incentives to convince landlords to rent to formerly incarcerated people. The bill also allows some funding to help family members who are housing someone recently released from prison, jail, or a juvenile facility.

The program targets three specific groups: people still incarcerated who are within a year of release and at risk of homelessness, people currently homeless while on parole or supervised release, and people who are homeless or housing-insecure after being released. Importantly, the bill prioritizes grants to organizations that use a "housing first" approach—meaning they help people get stable housing quickly without requiring them to jump through many hoops first. The bill also prevents law enforcement agencies from receiving these grants, ensuring the money goes to community organizations and nonprofits rather than police or probation departments. Additionally, the bill changes the language throughout existing law from "offender" to "individual," reflecting a shift in how the criminal justice system refers to formerly incarcerated people.