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
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7756--A
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 26, 2015
___________
Introduced by M. of A. HEVESI, CLARK -- 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 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:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03828-02-6
A. 7756--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, may be provided
11 up to age twenty-four for youth discharged from foster care, and shall
12 be considered a special grant. Nothing in this subdivision shall be
13 construed to limit the ability of those using the rent subsidy to live
14 with roommates. The provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed
15 to limit such official's authority to provide other preventive services.
16 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
