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.
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.