Section 12. (a) There shall be within the department of veterans' services an office of veterans' homes and housing. The commissioner of veterans' services shall appoint an executive director of veterans' homes and housing who shall have: (i) at least 5 years of management, healthcare experience and (ii) military or other experience working with veterans. The duties of the executive director shall include, but not be limited to: (i) oversight of the office; and (ii) service as an advisor to the commissioner of veterans' services on matters relative to veterans' housing. The position of executive director shall be classified pursuant to section 45 of chapter 30. The executive director may, with the approval of the commissioner of veterans' services, appoint and remove any employees necessary to carry out the duties of the office. Unless otherwise provided by law, all such appointments and removals shall be made pursuant to chapter 31. The office shall: (i) coordinate and oversee implementation and enforcement of laws, regulations and policies relative to the veterans' homes and other housing for veterans; and (ii) investigate and make recommendations on best practices for providing housing for veterans. The executive director shall meet with the board of trustees of the Soldiers' Home in Massachusetts and the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke jointly at least twice per calendar year. The executive director shall have access to all property of the commonwealth under the oversight of the department of veterans services to carry out the duties of the office; provided, however, that the boards of trustees of the Soldiers' Home in Massachusetts and the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke shall not be subject to the control of the executive director; and provided further, that the executive director shall not have control over the day-to-day operations of the Soldiers' Home in Massachusetts or the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke.

(b) Annually, not later than November 1, the office shall submit a report to the general court on the state of the soldiers' homes. The report shall include findings relative to: (i) the quality of care provided at the homes; (ii) the financial status of the homes; (iii) the uniformity of programs at the homes; (iv) the capital needs of the homes; and (v) the status of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs' accreditation, including the efforts necessary to maintain compliance and the efforts necessary to become fully compliant with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs' standards at each soldiers' home. The report shall also include an analysis of activities of the office, including a summary of activities undertaken to implement uniform intake policies and procedures, patient and resident eligibility requirements and rate-setting functions between the Soldiers' Home in Massachusetts and the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke. The office shall submit the report to the governor and to the clerks of the house of representatives and senate and the clerks shall forward the report to the joint committee on veterans and federal affairs, the joint committee on public health and the joint committee on housing.