START Housing Act of 2025
The START Housing Act of 2025 (Supporting Transition And Recovery Through Housing Act of 2025) reauthorizes and expands a HUD-backed pilot program designed to help people recovering from substance use disorders secure and maintain stable housing. The bill extends the pilot’s authorization window to 2026–2031 (replacing the prior 2019–2023 period) and clarifies interagency coordination by involving HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development and the Office of Special Needs Assistance. It prioritizes funding to states with the greatest need, using specific metrics such as unemployment rates, labor force participation, overdose death rates, and the share of unsheltered homelessness. The bill also strengthens program design by requiring low-barrier access and an expectation that participants exit with stable housing, codifies that funds must supplement rather than replace existing funding, requires state consultations with Continuums of Care and Public Housing Agencies, and authorizes limited technical assistance and best-practice dissemination. In short, the bill aims to expand and target federal support for housing and recovery services for individuals with substance use disorders, while increasing coordination, safeguarding current funding levels, and promoting exit planning to stable housing.
Key Points
- 1Reauthorization and expansion: Extends the recovery housing pilot program through 2026–2031 and removes previous time-limit constraints, ensuring the program remains active and funded during this period.
- 2Priority allocation to high-need states: Among states, priority is given to those with the greatest need, determined by (i) highest unemployment rates (2019–2023), (ii) lowest labor force participation (2019–2023), (iii) highest age-adjusted overdose death rates (CDC data), and (iv) highest rates of unsheltered homelessness (most recent annual point-in-time count, per McKinney-Vento Act).
- 3Program design requirements: Adds language to ensure the program operates with low barriers to entry and that participants have access to stable housing upon exiting the program.
- 4Supplement not supplant and planning: Requires that funds under the section supplement, not supplant, existing state/local housing and recovery funding. States must consult with Continuums of Care and Public Housing Agencies to assess needs and develop plans for implementing funds and transitioning participants to other housing at the end of eligibility.
- 5Technical assistance and outreach: authorizes the Secretary to use up to 2% of these funds for technical assistance, publication of best practices, and outreach to grantees or potentially eligible participants.