Bill Text: NY A01777 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Amended

---

Bill Title: Increases from $300 to $725 the monthly rent subsidy payable for housing for a foster child living independently in certain circumstances.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-05-20 - print number 1777c [A01777 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-A01777-Amended.html

---

                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         1777--C

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 11, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M. of A. HEVESI, JEAN-PIERRE, DICKENS, GONZALEZ-ROJAS --
          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 --
          again reported from said committee with amendments, ordered  reprinted
          as  amended  and  recommitted to said committee -- again reported from
          said committee with  amendments,  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 $725 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 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  seven hundred twenty-five dollars per month, shall not be provided for a
    14  period of more than three years, may be provided up to  age  twenty-four
    15  for youth discharged from foster care, and shall be considered a special
    16  grant. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to limit the ability
    17  of  those using such rent subsidy to live with roommates. The provisions

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01456-04-2
        A. 1777--C                          2

     1  of this paragraph shall  not  be  construed  to  limit  such  official's
     2  authority to provide other preventive services.
     3    §  2.  Subdivision  7  of section 409-a of the social services law, as
     4  amended by chapter 624 of the laws  of  2019,  is  amended  to  read  as
     5  follows:
     6    7.  Notwithstanding  any  other provision of this section, if a social
     7  services official determines that a lack of adequate housing is a factor
     8  that may cause the entry of a child or children into foster care and the
     9  family has at least one service need other than lack of  adequate  hous-
    10  ing,  preventive services may include, in addition to any other payments
    11  or benefits received by the family, special cash grants in the  form  of
    12  rent  subsidies, including rent arrears, or any other assistance, suffi-
    13  cient to obtain adequate housing.  Such  rent  subsidies  or  assistance
    14  shall  not  exceed  the sum of [three] seven hundred twenty-five dollars
    15  per month, shall not be provided for a period of more than three  years,
    16  may  be  provided up to age twenty-four for youth discharged from foster
    17  care, and shall be considered a special grant. Nothing in this  subdivi-
    18  sion  shall  be  construed to limit the ability of those using such rent
    19  subsidy to live with roommates. The provisions of this  paragraph  shall
    20  not  be  construed  to  limit such official's authority to provide other
    21  preventive services.
    22    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.