Bill Text: NY A04258 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

New York Assembly Bill 4258 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Relates to providing rent subsidies to individuals living with roommates.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-12-12 - signed chap.624 [A04258 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A04258-Introduced.html

                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          4258
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                   IN ASSEMBLY
                                    February 1, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced by M. of A. HEVESI -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Children and Families
        AN  ACT  to amend the social services law, in relation to providing rent
          subsidies to individuals living with roommates
          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  hundred  dollars  per  month, shall not be provided for a period of more
    14  than three years, and shall be considered a special grant.   Nothing  in
    15  this  paragraph  shall  be construed to limit the ability of those using
    16  such rent subsidy to live with roommates. The provisions of  this  para-
    17  graph  shall  not  be  construed  to  limit such official's authority to
    18  provide other preventive services.
    19    § 2. Subdivision 7 of section 409-a of the  social  services  law,  as
    20  added by chapter 83 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as follows:
    21    7.  Notwithstanding  any  other provision of this section, if a social
    22  services official determines that a lack of adequate housing is a factor
    23  that may cause the entry of a child or children into foster care and the
    24  family has at least one service need other than lack of  adequate  hous-
    25  ing,  preventive services may include, in addition to any other payments
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01054-01-9

        A. 4258                             2
     1  or benefits received by the family, special cash grants in the  form  of
     2  rent  subsidies, including rent arrears, or any other assistance, suffi-
     3  cient to obtain adequate housing.  Such  rent  subsidies  or  assistance
     4  shall  not  exceed the sum of three hundred dollars per month, shall not
     5  be provided for a period of more than three years, and shall be  consid-
     6  ered  a special grant. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to
     7  limit the ability of those using such rent subsidy to  live  with  room-
     8  mates.  The provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to limit
     9  such official's authority to provide other preventive services.
    10    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.