PRINTER'S NO. 1033
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
227
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY BLAKE, GREENLEAF, TEPLITZ, FARNESE, SCAVELLO,
KITCHEN, YUDICHAK, SMITH, BREWSTER, TARTAGLIONE, WILLIAMS,
BROWNE, HUGHES, ALLOWAY, RAFFERTY, COSTA, BOSCOLA AND
McGARRIGLE, JUNE 11, 2015
REFERRED TO URBAN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING, JUNE 11, 2015
AN ACT
Establishing the Veterans' Housing Assistance Program; and
making appropriations.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be shall be known and may be cited as the
Preventing Veterans' Homelessness Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Agency." The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.
"Costs associated with rental." The total costs of rent and
utilities, per month, for a residential rental unit.
"Department." The Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs of the Commonwealth.
"Financial assistance." The rental voucher established under
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section 5(a).
"Homeless veteran." A veteran identified and determined by
the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to be homeless
or at imminent risk of becoming homeless according to guidelines
established by the department.
"Housing ombudsman." An individual designated by the
Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency to carry out the duties and
responsibilities under section 3(c)(1).
"Program." The Veterans' Housing Assistance Program
established under section 3.
"Veteran." An individual who served on active duty in the
United States Armed Forces, including any of the following:
(1) A reservist or member of the National Guard who was
discharged or released from the service under honorable
conditions.
(2) A reservist or member of the National Guard who
completed an initial term of enlistment or qualifying period
of service.
(3) A reservist or member of the National Guard who was
disabled in the line of duty during training.
Section 3. Veterans' Housing Assistance Program.
(a) Establishment.--There is established a Veterans' Housing
Assistance Program which shall be administered by the agency in
coordination with the department.
(b) Duties of department.--The department shall do all of
the following:
(1) Implement a program to identify homeless veterans
for purposes of enrolling them in the program.
(2) Coordinate with the agency to ensure that homeless
veterans are provided the opportunity to receive assistance
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from the agency's housing ombudsman or financial assistance
from the agency.
(3) Establish guidelines to assist with the
implementation of this act.
(c) Duties of agency.--The agency shall do all of the
following:
(1) Establish a housing ombudsman or contract with a
nonprofit organization to provide housing location,
relocation and stabilization services to homeless veterans,
including negotiating lease agreements with public agencies
or private landlords on behalf of a homeless veteran.
(2) Provide or contract with a third party to provide
credit counseling services to homeless veterans to resolve
personal credit issues that may have resulted in a negative
credit report.
(3) Award financial assistance to eligible homeless
veterans determined to be in need of financial assistance to
obtain housing.
(4) Establish guidelines to assist with the
implementation of this act.
Section 4. Enrollment.
(a) Procedure.--A veteran may enroll in the program by
filing an application with the department or the agency. A
veteran shall be eligible for enrollment if the veteran meets
all of the following:
(1) Is homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless
as defined in departmental guidelines established under
section 3.
(2) Cannot obtain adequate housing without the
assistance of the department and the agency.
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(b) Conditions.--The department may require an eligible
veteran to engage in or complete any of the following activities
as a condition of acceptance into the program:
(1) Mental health counseling, including treatment and
recovery support.
(2) Substance abuse treatment and recovery support,
including counseling, treatment planning, recovery coaching
and relapse prevention.
(3) Integrated, coordinated treatment for co-occurring
disorders.
(4) Health education, including referrals for medical
and dental care.
(5) Services or activities designed to promote self-
sufficiency, including:
(i) Job training.
(ii) Assistance in seeking employment.
(iii) Job placement services, including job
readiness, literacy and skills training.
(iv) Credit counseling services and remediation.
(v) Benefits advocacy.
(vi) Money management.
(vii) Parental skills and family support programs.
(viii) Other self-help programs deemed necessary by
the department.
Section 5. Financial assistance.
(a) Rental voucher.--The agency may award financial
assistance in accordance with section 3(c) to a veteran deemed
to be in need of the assistance based on the veteran's personal
finances. Financial assistance shall be awarded to an eligible
veteran in the form of a housing rental voucher payable to the
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lessor named in a leasing document executed between the veteran
and a landlord.
(b) Amount.--The monthly amount of the rental voucher may
not exceed the costs associated with the rental or $1,000,
whichever is less.
(c) Term.--Financial assistance shall be awarded to a
veteran for the term of the lease executed between the veteran
and the lessor or for 12 months from the effective date of the
lease, whichever is less.
Section 6. Renewal.
A veteran receiving financial assistance under section 5 may
seek an extension of the term of the financial assistance by
filing an application with the department. In determining
whether to extend the term of the financial assistance, the
department shall consider the following concerning the
veteran's:
(1) Employment status.
(2) Personal finances.
(3) Compliance with conditions of enrollment placed on
the veteran under section 4(b).
Section 7. Cooperation.
The department and the agency may cooperate with the United
States Department of Veterans Affairs or local public housing
authorities to carry out the provisions of this act. At the
discretion of the department and the agency, the cooperation may
include coordinating the program with an existing Federal
program that provides funding for housing for homeless veterans,
including the United States Department of Housing and Urban
Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program.
Section 8. Appropriations.
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(a) Agency.--The sum of $12,500,000 is appropriated from the
General Fund to the agency for the period of July 1, 2015, to
June 30, 2016, for purposes of providing financial assistance to
homeless veterans and carrying out the agency's responsibilities
under this act. Not more than $500,000 of the funds appropriated
under this section may be used for administrative costs incurred
by the agency to carry out this act.
(b) Department.--The sum of $500,000 is appropriated from
the General Fund to the department for the period of July 1,
2015, to June 30, 2016, for purposes of carrying out the
department's responsibilities under this act.
Section 9. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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