Bill Text: NY A04329 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Amended

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Bill Title: Increases the value of rent subsidies included as a part of preventive services from an amount not to exceed three hundred dollars per month to an amount not to exceed six hundred dollars per month.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-26 - reported referred to ways and means [A04329 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A04329-Amended.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         4329--A

                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    February 4, 2019
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M.  of A. HEVESI, DeSTEFANO -- read once and referred to
          the Committee on Children and Families -- recommitted to the Committee
          on Children and Families in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 --
          committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as  amended  and
          recommitted to said committee

        AN  ACT  to amend the social services law, in relation to increasing the
          value of rent subsidies  to  be  included  as  a  part  of  preventive
          services

          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 624 of the laws of 2019, 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, and shall be considered a special grant. Nothing
    15  in 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  amended  by  chapter  624  of  the  laws  of 2019, is amended to read as
    21  follows:

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01044-02-0
        A. 4329--A                          2

     1    7. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section,  if  a  social
     2  services official determines that a lack of adequate housing is a factor
     3  that may cause the entry of a child or children into foster care and the
     4  family  has  at least one service need other than lack of adequate hous-
     5  ing,  preventive services may include, in addition to any other payments
     6  or benefits received by the family, special cash grants in the  form  of
     7  rent  subsidies, including rent arrears, or any other assistance, suffi-
     8  cient to obtain adequate housing.  Such  rent  subsidies  or  assistance
     9  shall not exceed the sum of [three] six hundred dollars per month, shall
    10  not  be  provided  for  a  period of more than three years, and shall be
    11  considered a  special  grant.  Nothing  in  this  subdivision  shall  be
    12  construed  to limit the ability of those using such rent subsidy to live
    13  with roommates. The provisions of this paragraph shall not be  construed
    14  to limit such official's authority to provide other preventive services.
    15    §  3. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
    16  the date on which it shall have become a law.