STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5018 2021-2022 Regular Sessions IN SENATE February 22, 2021 ___________ Introduced by Sens. PARKER, ADDABBO, BAILEY, COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs AN ACT to amend the executive law, the social services law, and the mental hygiene law, in relation to providing veterans' housing The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 354-f 2 to read as follows: 3 § 354-f. Veterans' housing. 1. For purposes of this section, the 4 following terms shall have the following meanings: a. "Veteran" means a 5 resident of this state, who has served in the active military, naval or 6 air service of the United States or the national guard and who has been 7 released from such service without regard to the duration of service or 8 manner of discharge, or citizenship; 9 b. "Transitional housing" means temporary housing for veterans and 10 shall include bridge housing and service-intensive transitional housing. 11 c. "Bridge housing" means transitional housing in which a veteran may 12 await permanent housing placement. No veteran shall be required to spend 13 more than ninety days in bridge housing. 14 d. "Service-intensive housing" means transitional housing in which 15 veterans are provided support and resources to actively seek permanent 16 housing. Service-intensive housing shall provide veterans with general- 17 ized case-management, clinically appropriate care, and job training. 18 e. "Permanent housing" means long-term housing and shall not include 19 bridge housing or service-intensive housing. Permanent housing may be 20 supported through a local, state, or federal housing program. 21 f. "Homeless" means a person who is undomiciled or unsheltered, and is 22 unable to secure permanent or stable housing without special assistance, 23 as determined by the division. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD09243-01-1S. 5018 2 1 g. "Housing first principles" means the approach articulated by the 2 United States department of housing and urban development that prior- 3 itizes placement of homeless individuals in housing without precondi- 4 tions and barriers to entry, such as sobriety, treatment or service 5 participation requirements. 6 2. In consultation with the division of housing and community renewal, 7 the office for temporary disability assistance, the office of mental 8 health, and the office for alcoholism and substance abuse, the division 9 shall ensure that homeless veterans are housed according to federal 10 housing first principles. 11 3. The division shall provide immediate housing to every homeless 12 veteran who requests to be housed. Such housing may be transitional 13 housing or permanent housing and shall not be contingent on sobriety, 14 minimum income requirements, absence of a criminal record, or any other 15 conditions deemed unnecessary by the state director. Long-term service- 16 intensive housing shall only be provided in limited instances and only 17 when the veteran specifically chooses to remain in service-intensive 18 housing despite the availability of permanent housing. Any veteran who 19 chooses long-term service-intensive housing shall be provided a monthly 20 review of all available services and housing options. Absent a veteran's 21 choice to remain in service-intensive housing, all homeless veterans 22 shall be placed in permanent housing at the first available opportunity 23 using federal housing first principles. 24 4. The division shall prepare and publish an annual report on its 25 website detailing the resources, plans, partnerships, and system capaci- 26 ty for housing homeless veterans. The report shall identify all sources 27 of data upon which it relied and shall contain recommendations on how to 28 better provide housing and related services to homeless veterans. 29 § 2. Section 353 of the executive law is amended by adding a new 30 subdivision 7-c to read as follows: 31 7-c. The division shall consult with the division of housing and 32 community renewal, the office of temporary disability assistance, the 33 office of mental health, and the office of alcoholism and substance 34 abuse to provide housing services to homeless veterans pursuant to 35 section three hundred fifty-four-f of this article. The division may 36 consult with members of the community devoted to helping veterans obtain 37 housing, employment and general services for the same purpose. 38 § 3. Section 20 of the social services law is amended by adding a new 39 subdivision 9 to read as follows: 40 9. The office of temporary and disability assistance shall consult 41 with the state director of the division of veterans affairs, the commis- 42 sioner of the division of housing and community renewal, the commission- 43 er of the office of temporary disability assistance, the commissioner of 44 the office of mental health, and the commissioner of the office of alco- 45 holism and substance abuse to provide housing services to homeless 46 veterans pursuant to section three hundred fifty-four-f of the executive 47 law. 48 § 4. Section 7.07 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new 49 subdivision (i) to read as follows: 50 (i) The office shall consult with the state director of the division 51 of veterans affairs, the commissioner of the division of housing and 52 community renewal, the commissioner of the office of temporary disabili- 53 ty assistance, and the commissioner of the office of alcoholism and 54 substance abuse to provide housing services to homeless veterans pursu- 55 ant to section three hundred fifty-four-f of the executive law.S. 5018 3 1 § 5. Section 19.07 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding a 2 new subdivision (n) to read as follows: 3 (n) The office shall consult with the state director of the division 4 of veterans affairs, the commissioner of the division of housing and 5 community renewal, the commissioner of the office of temporary disabili- 6 ty assistance, and the commissioner of the office of mental health to 7 provide housing services to homeless veterans pursuant to section three 8 hundred fifty-four-f of the executive law. 9 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.