Bill Text: NY A05506 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes transition shelters for individuals released from prison for up to six months to provide housing counseling and prevent the risk of overdose.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to social services [A05506 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A05506-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          5506

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                     March 15, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M.  of  A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
          Committee on Social Services

        AN ACT to amend the social services law,  in  relation  to  establishing
          transition shelters for individuals released from prison

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new  section
     2  131-cc to read as follows:
     3    §  131-cc.  Transition shelters program. 1.  Notwithstanding any other
     4  provision of law to the contrary, each local  social  services  district
     5  shall  provide  a  shelter supplement to eligible individuals to prevent
     6  homelessness, provide housing counseling and prevent risk of overdose in
     7  accordance with this section.
     8    2. (a) Each local social services district  shall  provide  a  shelter
     9  supplement  to  eligible individuals and families as defined in subdivi-
    10  sion three of this section in an amount equal to eighty-five percent  of
    11  the  fair  market  rent  in  the district, as established by the federal
    12  department of housing and urban development,  for  the  particular  unit
    13  size.  The  shelter  supplement  shall  be  issued  by  the local social
    14  services district directly to the landlord or vendor.
    15    (b) A local social services district may also  provide  an  additional
    16  supplement  in excess of eighty-five percent of the fair market rent, up
    17  to one hundred percent of the fair  market  rent  in  the  district,  as
    18  established  by the federal department of housing and urban development.
    19  Provided, however, the cost of the additional supplement shall  be  paid
    20  by the local social services district.
    21    (c)  As part of the supplement referenced in this subdivision, when an
    22  eligible recipient, as defined in subdivision  three  of  this  section,
    23  incurs  separate  fuel  for  heating expenses, the local social services
    24  district shall provide additional  funds  to  cover  such  expenses,  in
    25  excess  of  the  amount  already  required for shelter costs pursuant to

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01303-01-3
        A. 5506                             2

     1  paragraph (a) of this  subdivision.  Such  heating  allowance  shall  be
     2  equivalent to the full amount of fuel for heating expenses, and shall be
     3  made  directly  to  the  vendor on behalf of the recipient. Any expenses
     4  incurred by the local social services district that are (i) in excess of
     5  a  recipient's  fuel  for heating allowance authorized pursuant to para-
     6  graph (b) of subdivision two of section one hundred thirty-one-a of this
     7  title; (ii) made pursuant to section ninety-seven of  this  chapter;  or
     8  (iii)  to cover any arrears payments made to restore heating services or
     9  to prevent a shut-off, shall not be recoupable.
    10    3. Individuals who have been released from incarceration and  are  not
    11  currently receiving another shelter supplement shall be eligible for the
    12  shelter supplement provided under this section.
    13    4.  Local  social services districts shall provide the shelter supple-
    14  ment required under this section for up to six months. A shelter supple-
    15  ment may be provided for an additional length of time for good cause.
    16    5. Employees of a shelter created pursuant to this  section  shall  be
    17  trained  regarding  overdose  prevention and shall provide housing coun-
    18  seling to such eligible individuals.
    19    § 2. Section 153 of the social services law is amended by adding a new
    20  subdivision 13 to read as follows:
    21    13. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to  the  contrary,  one
    22  hundred  percent  of  costs  for shelter supplements including costs for
    23  heating expenses,  and  home  stability  support  services  required  by
    24  section  one  hundred  thirty-one-cc of this chapter shall be subject to
    25  reimbursement by the state, as follows:
    26    (a) by federal funds that can be properly  applied  to  such  expendi-
    27  tures; and
    28    (b) the remainder to be paid by state funds.
    29    §  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
    30  have become a law.