SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 1619, 1718, 1851 PRINTER'S NO. 2615
No. 1353 Session of 1985
INTRODUCED BY CAWLEY, KUKOVICH, IRVIS, MANDERINO, OLIVER,
DOMBROWSKI, RICHARDSON, KOSINSKI, CAPPABIANCA, TIGUE,
PISTELLA, WAMBACH, DeWEESE, BLAUM, LINTON, BELARDI, ACOSTA,
VAN HORNE, WIGGINS, BARBER, SERAFINI, STEVENS, CLYMER,
COSLETT, HASAY, EVANS, FATTAH, CARN, MICHLOVIC, DAWIDA,
STABACK, McCALL, FREEMAN, PIEVSKY, GALLAGHER, O'DONNELL,
TELEK, JOSEPHS, DURHAM, ARTY, JAROLIN, PRESTON, DEAL, PERZEL,
GRUITZA, McHALE, ROEBUCK, FOX AND HARPER, JUNE 3, 1985
SENATOR TILGHMAN, APPROPRIATIONS, IN SENATE, AS AMENDED,
DECEMBER 9, 1985
AN ACT
1 Providing for the establishment, operation and administration of <--
2 an intervention program for the homeless; and making
3 appropriations.
4 MAKING APPROPRIATIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND <--
5 THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE TO ESTABLISH LOW-COST
6 SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Short title. <--
10 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania
11 Homeless Intervention Program.
12 Section 2. Legislative findings and declaration of policy.
13 (a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares that:
14 (1) Increasing numbers of people in communities across
15 this Commonwealth are unable to secure housing for themselves
16 due to insufficient income or lack of appropriate housing
1 options and are consequently living on the street, in other
2 public spaces or in emergency shelters.
3 (2) The crisis of widespread homelessness threatens the
4 safety, welfare, comfort and security of the people of this
5 Commonwealth.
6 (b) Declaration.--Therefore, it is the policy of this
7 Commonwealth:
8 (1) To provide assistance to ensure a decent and healthy
9 standard of living for needy persons who reside in this
10 Commonwealth.
11 (2) That it is more fiscally responsible to enable those
12 who are vulnerable to becoming homeless to retain possession
13 of independent housing and to avert homelessness, and to
14 address through intervention those circumstances most likely
15 to result in homelessness, such as reductions in income,
16 significant barriers to employment, disabling mental illness
17 or addictive disease and personal crisis, in order to
18 maintain individual self-sufficiency.
19 (3) That it is more fiscally responsible and socially
20 desirable to provide suitable permanent housing for those who
21 are homeless rather than to provide only emergency shelter.
22 (4) That intervention be made available to individuals
23 and families who are at imminent risk of homelessness and to
24 homeless individuals and families, and that assistance be
25 provided to facilities providing services to such individuals
26 as set forth in this act.
27 Section 3. Definitions.
28 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
29 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
30 context clearly indicates otherwise:
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1 "Bridge housing." Permanent living quarters for three months
2 to one year for eligible individuals enrolled in job training
3 and counseling programs.
4 "Chronically mentally ill." Persons who have been
5 institutionalized in a psychiatric hospital in this Commonwealth
6 or elsewhere; persons who, upon clinical evaluation, are found
7 to have a longstanding mental illness and who have required and
8 are expected to require extensive treatment and access to
9 multiple services; and persons with major psychiatric disorders
10 whose treatment plan contains long-term goals attainable only
11 through long-term treatment.
12 "Community-based housing for the homeless chronically
13 mentally ill." Alternative housing to accommodate chronically
14 mentally ill persons who desire to and are able to live
15 independently in single rooms and persons who need custodial
16 care and support in the community on an ongoing basis.
17 "Department." The Department of Public Welfare of the
18 Commonwealth.
19 "Families." Family units, including single-parent
20 households, couples and two-parent families, for whom
21 homelessness has generally been caused by family dissolution,
22 financial crisis or displacement.
23 "Homeless." The condition of persons who have no residence,
24 owned or leased, in which they can sleep legally every night and
25 meet their basic needs in privacy and dignity.
26 "Program." The Pennsylvania Homeless Intervention Program
27 created in section 4.
28 "Resident." Any person within this Commonwealth,
29 notwithstanding lack of present residence, with no present
30 intention of definite and early removal, but not necessarily
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1 with the intention of remaining permanently. No person entering
2 this Commonwealth solely for the purposes of obtaining benefits
3 under this act shall be considered a resident.
4 "Short-term shelter." Facilities providing basic material
5 assistance that meets immediate needs, such as overnight
6 shelter, meals, clean clothing and showers.
7 "Substance abuser." A person whose addiction to alcohol or
8 drugs gradually results in isolation from traditional social
9 support systems and eventually results in homelessness. The term
10 includes persons whose addiction developed after they became
11 homeless.
12 "Unemployed adults." Single adults who have worked but are
13 now unemployed or who have never worked and who are ineligible
14 for year-round welfare and for whom homelessness has generally
15 been caused by lack of work. This population includes both
16 recently and chronically homeless persons.
17 Section 4. Pennsylvania Homeless Intervention Program.
18 (a) Creation.--There is hereby created the Pennsylvania
19 Homeless Intervention Program to be administered by the
20 department.
21 (b) Operation.--The program shall be administered and all
22 funds herein appropriated shall be disbursed by the department
23 in accordance with this act. Intervention shall be provided to
24 residents of this Commonwealth and shall include, but shall not
25 be limited to:
26 (1) Provision of community-based housing for chronically
27 mentally ill individuals who are homeless.
28 (2) Provision of payments for rent or other housing
29 costs to keep individuals or families who are facing imminent
30 homelessness in their own homes, to pay for short-term
19850H1353B2615 - 4 -
1 shelter until a permanent residence is established and to pay
2 for housing costs to assist homeless individuals and families
3 to reestablish a permanent residence. Efforts shall be made
4 to move them from short-term shelter to permanent housing as
5 soon as possible. The department shall seek matching funds
6 from the appropriate Federal authorities to the fullest
7 extent possible under the law.
8 (3) Provision of contracts with nonprofit organizations
9 for bridge housing for unemployed adults or substance abusers
10 who have recently completed a detoxification program, so long
11 as the department, in entering such contracts, shall provide
12 $2 for each $1 of non-State funds which have been committed
13 to such projects.
14 (4) Provision of job training or basic and vocational
15 education for homeless unemployed adults through local
16 private industry councils or other appropriate agencies.
17 (5) Provision of stipends for housing, necessary
18 transportation costs and other basic expenses for up to one
19 year for unemployed adults lacking income who are
20 participating in basic or vocational education or job
21 training programs or are participating in a plan for
22 stabilization, including job search.
23 (6) Creation of housing for homeless very low-income
24 unemployed adults.
25 Section 5. Guidelines and regulations.
26 (a) One-year exemption from review.--In order to facilitate
27 the speedy implementation of this program, the department shall
28 have the power and authority to promulgate, adopt and use
29 guidelines which shall be published in the Pennsylvania
30 Bulletin. The guidelines shall not be subject to review pursuant
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1 to section 205 of the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.769, No.240),
2 referred to as the Commonwealth Documents Law, sections 204(b)
3 and 301(10) of the act of October 15, 1980 (P.L.950, No.164),
4 known as the Commonwealth Attorneys Act, or the act of June 25,
5 1982 (P.L.633, No.181), known as the Regulatory Review Act, and,
6 except as provided in subsection (c), shall be effective for a
7 period not to exceed one year from the effective date of this
8 act.
9 (b) Expiration of exemption.--Except as provided in
10 subsection (c), after the expiration of the one-year period, all
11 guidelines shall expire and shall be replaced by regulations
12 which shall have been promulgated, adopted and published as
13 provided by law.
14 (c) Exception.--The General Assembly may provide for an
15 extension of the guidelines adopted pursuant to subsection (a),
16 if the Leadership Committee established pursuant to sections 3
17 and 4 of the act of December 22, 1981 (P.L.508, No.142), known
18 as the Sunset Act, extends the guidelines adopted pursuant to
19 subsection (a).
20 Section 6. Funding of the program.
21 (a) Appropriation.--The following funds, or as much thereof
22 as may be necessary, are hereby appropriated to the Department
23 of Public Welfare to carry out the provisions of the items in
24 section 4(b) during State fiscal year 1985-1986:
25 (1) For provision of
26 community-based housing for
27 homeless individuals who are
28 chronically mentally ill. These
29 funds shall be categorical
30 community mental health funds for
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1 innovative housing alternatives.
2 The department shall insure that
3 community mental health services
4 are available and offered to the
5 chronically mentally ill residents.
6 State appropriation........ 1,164,000
7 (2) For provision of rent or
8 other housing assistance and for
9 short-term shelter.
10 Federal appropriation...... 3,000,000
11 State appropriation........ 1,750,000
12 (3) For provision of bridge
13 housing.
14 State appropriation........ 2,000,000
15 (4) For vocational education
16 or job training for unemployed
17 adults.
18 State appropriation........ 3,000,000
19 (5) For stipends for housing,
20 transportation and other basic
21 needs for unemployed adults.
22 State appropriation........ 2,000,000
23 (6) For development of housing
24 for very low-income unemployed
25 adults.
26 State appropriation........ 3,500,000
27 (b) Additional funding.--The appropriations herein made are
28 in addition to any other appropriations that may be made by the
29 General Assembly. Subject to specific appropriation by the
30 General Assembly, the department may augment the appropriations
19850H1353B2615 - 7 -
1 made herein with Federal funds.
2 (c) Future appropriations.--Any general or Federal funds
3 provided for the program in subsequent fiscal years shall be
4 appropriated in the general appropriations acts for the fiscal
5 years in amounts deemed appropriate by the General Assembly.
6 Section 7. Effective date.
7 This act shall take effect July 1, 1985, or immediately,
8 whichever is later.
9 SECTION 1. HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. <--
10 (A) BRIDGE HOUSING.--THE SUM OF $2,000,000 IS HEREBY
11 APPROPRIATED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE FOR THE FISCAL
12 YEAR 1985-1986 FOR THE CREATION AND OPERATION OF BRIDGE HOUSING
13 FACILITIES FOR THE HOMELESS. BRIDGE HOUSING FACILITIES SHALL
14 PROVIDE SHORT-TERM HOUSING AND ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE SUPPORTIVE
15 SERVICES SUCH AS HEALTH CARE, SOCIAL SERVICES, EDUCATION AND JOB
16 TRAINING TO ENABLE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS, UNEMPLOYED ADULTS,
17 SUBSTANCE ABUSERS OR OTHER LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS TO ACHIEVE
18 SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
19 (B) SINGLE-ROOM OCCUPANCY HOUSING.--THE SUM OF $3,500,000 IS
20 HEREBY APPROPRIATED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS TO
21 ESTABLISH LOW-COST SINGLE-ROOM OCCUPANCY HOUSING FACILITIES FOR
22 HOMELESS AND OTHER LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS THROUGH RENOVATION OF
23 EXISTING BUILDINGS. SINGLE-ROOM OCCUPANCY HOUSING FACILITIES
24 SHALL HAVE COOPERATIVE ARRANGEMENTS WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH AND
25 SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF CHRONICALLY
26 MENTALLY ILL INDIVIDUALS AND OTHER POPULATIONS WITH SPECIAL
27 NEEDS. THIS APPROPRIATION SHALL NOT LAPSE UNTIL JUNE 30, 1987.
28 SECTION 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.
29 THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
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