42 U.S.C. § 11361a — Preventing involuntary family separation

(a) In general After the expiration of the 2-year period that begins upon May 20, 2009 , and except as provided in subsection (b), any project sponsor^* receiving funds under this subchapter to provide emergency shelter, transitional housing^*, or permanent housing^* to families with children under age 18 must not deny admission to any family based on the age of any child under age 18. (b) Exception Despite the requirement under subsection (a), project^* sponsors of transitional housing receiving funds under this subchapter may target transitional housing resources to families with children of a specific age only if the project sponsor— (1) operates a transitional housing program that has a primary purpose of implementing an evidence-based practice that requires that housing units be targeted to families with children in a specific age group; and (2) provides such assurances, as the Secretary^* must require, that an equivalent appropriate alternative living arrangement for the whole family or household unit has been secured.