STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4248
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 7, 2023
___________
Introduced by Sen. GOUNARDES -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to a pilot program to
increase enrollment, attendance, and success in college for students
experiencing homelessness
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 689-b
2 to read as follows:
3 § 689-b. Pilot program to increase enrollment, attendance, and success
4 in college for students experiencing homelessness. 1. The New York
5 state higher education services corporation, when monies therefore have
6 been appropriated by the legislature or are otherwise available, hereby
7 is authorized to establish a pilot program to increase the enrollment,
8 attendance, and success in college of students experiencing homeless-
9 ness. Campuses of the state university of New York and of the city
10 university of New York shall be eligible to apply for grants through the
11 pilot program and shall accommodate up to five hundred students. Appli-
12 cations and proposed activities must be coordinated with a university
13 liaison officer and the campus contact person designated for that
14 purpose. The department shall evaluate applications and award funds
15 based on quality, need, and compliance with the required and encouraged
16 elements outlined in this section.
17 2. (a) Applications for grants must include the following elements:
18 (i) staffing with sufficient capacity and authority to implement all
19 the proposed activities;
20 (ii) coordination with the local housing authority, the New York city
21 department of homeless services, the department of social services, and
22 public and private agencies that provide housing, shelter, or services
23 for homeless or low-income individuals or families;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08393-02-3
S. 4248 2
1 (iii) housing navigation services to assist students to find funding
2 for housing resources offered by the college and external housing
3 resources, including working with existing housing programs for homeless
4 or low-income individuals or families;
5 (iv) outreach to and services for students who are parents in partic-
6 ular, including housing services;
7 (v) collaboration with student organizations, opportunity programs, or
8 student support programs to identify and support students experiencing
9 homelessness;
10 (vi) plans to implement a questionnaire for all enrolling students
11 that will help determine whether enrolling students are experiencing
12 homelessness;
13 (vii) designated funding for housing, such as temporary dormitory
14 rooms while housing navigation services take place, housing in the
15 community, host homes, housing during academic breaks, and fees associ-
16 ated with housing, including application fees and move-in stipends for
17 furniture and supplies; and
18 (viii) financial literacy, soft skills, and life skills training,
19 provided by the applicant or in collaboration with a community agency.
20 (b) Applications for grants are encouraged to include the following
21 elements:
22 (i) plans to incorporate and appropriately supervise graduate-level
23 interns, particularly social work interns, to undertake appropriate
24 activities;
25 (ii) plans to develop relationships with landlords and incentives for
26 them to house college students, including in collaboration with existing
27 housing programs for homeless or low-income individuals or families; and
28 (iii) voluntary questions about homelessness on college application
29 forms.
30 (c) Applicants must submit an annual report of data regarding the
31 access to programs and services provided to students in the pilot
32 program that are necessary to meet their basic needs, including food,
33 housing, physical and mental health care, and related services.
34 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to the
35 academic year next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a
36 law.
