Budget Amendment ID: FY2013-S4-288

ECO 288

Preserving Access to Emergency Shelter for Homeless Children

Mr. Donnelly and Ms. Spilka and Messrs. Eldridge, Michael O. Moore, Rodrigues and Joyce and Ms. Clark and Ms. Fargo and Mr. Brownsberger and Ms. Creem and Ms. Jehlen and Messrs. Finegold, DiDomenico, Rush and Keenan and Ms. Chang-Diaz and Messrs. Petruccelli, Rosenberg, Wolf, Montigny and Kennedy and Ms. Chandler, Ms. Donoghue and Ms. Candaras and Mr. McGee moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 7004-0101, by striking out  the words “provided further, that those families that shall be eligible for assistance through a temporary emergency family shelter shall be: (i) families that are at risk of domestic abuse in their current housing situation; (ii) families that, through no fault of their own, are homeless due to fire, flood or natural disaster; (iii) families that, through no fault of their own, have been subject to eviction from their most recent housing due to foreclosure, condemnation or nonpayment of rent caused by a significant increase in expenses due to a change in household composition or caused by a documented loss of income within the past 12 months directly as a result of loss of a job, reduction in hourly pay rate, employment hours or unemployment benefits, documented medical condition or diagnosed disability; and (iv) families who are in a housing situation where they are not the primary lease holder and there is substantial health and safety risk to the family that is likely to result in significant harm should the family remain in said housing situation; provided further, that said health and safety risk shall be determined by the department of children and families through risk assessments;”

and inserting in place thereof the following words:-

provided further, that eligibility criteria in fiscal year 2013 shall be the same as the eligibility criteria in fiscal year 2011; provided further, that funds from this item may  be used for the department of children and families to conduct health and safety risk assessments to determine if a family’s current living situation does not qualify as feasible, alternative housing;

and further by striking out the words “provided further, that families receiving benefits under this item shall have 30 per cent of their income set aside in a savings account;” and inserting in place thereof the following words:-

provided further, that families receiving benefits under this item shall have 30 per cent of their income set aside in a savings account, subject to reasonable exceptions as set forth in departmental regulations in effect in fiscal year 2012;

and further by striking out the words “30 days before promulgating” and inserting in place thereof the words “60 days before promulgating”