Bill Text: NY A02303 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Increases from $300 to $600 the monthly rent subsidy payable for housing for a foster child living independently in certain circumstances; doesn't limit those from living with roommates.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - referred to children and families [A02303 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A02303-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          2303
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                   IN ASSEMBLY
                                    January 22, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by M. of A. HEVESI, JAFFEE, WRIGHT, JEAN-PIERRE -- read once
          and referred to the Committee on Children and Families
        AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to increasing  from
          $300  a  month  to  $600  a month the rent subsidy payable to a foster
          child living independently
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section  1.  Paragraph  (c)  of  subdivision 5 of section 409-a of the
     2  social services law, as amended by chapter 339 of the laws of  1993,  is
     3  amended to read as follows:
     4    (c)  Notwithstanding  any  other  provision  of  this section, where a
     5  social services official determines that a lack of adequate  housing  is
     6  the  primary factor preventing the discharge of a child or children from
     7  foster care including, but not limited to, children  with  the  goal  of
     8  discharge  to  independent living, preventive services shall include, in
     9  addition to any other payments  or  benefits  received  by  the  family,
    10  special  cash  grants  in  the  form  of  rent subsidies, including rent
    11  arrears, or any other assistance, sufficient to obtain adequate housing.
    12  Such rent subsidies or assistance shall not exceed the  sum  of  [three]
    13  six  hundred  dollars  per  month, shall not be provided for a period of
    14  more than three years, may be provided up to age twenty-four  for  youth
    15  discharged  from  foster  care, and shall be considered a special grant.
    16  Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to  limit  the  ability  of
    17  those  using  the rent subsidy to live with roommates. The provisions of
    18  this paragraph shall not be construed to limit such official's authority
    19  to provide other preventive services.
    20    § 2. Subdivision 7 of section 409-a of the  social  services  law,  as
    21  added by section 83 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as follows:
    22    7.  Notwithstanding  any  other provision of this section, if a social
    23  services official determines that a lack of adequate housing is a factor
    24  that may cause the entry of a child or children into foster care and the
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01043-01-9
        A. 2303                             2
     1  family has at least one service need other than lack of  adequate  hous-
     2  ing,  preventive services may include, in addition to any other payments
     3  or benefits received by the family, special cash grants in the  form  of
     4  rent  subsidies, including rent arrears, or any other assistance, suffi-
     5  cient to obtain adequate housing.  Such  rent  subsidies  or  assistance
     6  shall not exceed the sum of [three] six hundred dollars per month, shall
     7  not  be  provided for a period of more than three years, may be provided
     8  up to age twenty-four for youth discharged from foster care,  and  shall
     9  be  considered  a  special  grant.  Nothing in this subdivision shall be
    10  construed to limit the ability of those using the rent subsidy  to  live
    11  with  roommates. The provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed
    12  to limit such official's authority to provide other preventive services.
    13    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.