Budget Amendment ID: FY2014-S3-309

ECO 309

Maintaining Access to Emergency Shelter for Certain Homeless Families

Mr. Donnelly and Ms. Spilka and Ms. Lovely moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 7004-0101, by striking out the words “provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department shall immediately provide shelter for up to 30 days to families who appear to be eligible for such shelter based on statements provided by the family and any other information in the possession of the department, but who need additional time to obtain any third-party verifications reasonably required by the department; provided further, that shelter benefits received under the preceding proviso shall not render a family ineligible under any regulation providing that families who previously received shelter are ineligible for shelter benefits for a period of 12 months; provided further, that families receiving such shelter benefits who are found not to be eligible for continuing shelter benefits shall be eligible for aid pending a timely appeal pursuant to chapter 23B of the General Laws;” and inserting in place thereof the following words:-

"provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department shall immediately provide shelter for up to 30 days to (i) families who appear to be eligible for such shelter based on statements provided by the family and any other information in the possession of the department, but who need additional time to obtain any third-party verifications reasonably required by the department,  and (ii) families who otherwise appear eligible except for not yet appearing to meet the eligibility criteria under category (iv) in item 7004-0101 and who present credible statements or other credible evidence that they are within 24 hours of having to enter a housing situation covered by category (iv); provided further, that shelter benefits received under the preceding proviso shall not render a family ineligible under any regulation providing that families who previously received shelter are ineligible for shelter benefits for a period of 12 months; provided further, that families placed pursuant to subsection (ii) in the presumptive placement proviso shall remain eligible for emergency shelter beyond the 30 days if their eligibility is otherwise verified and if the department has been unable to identify other feasible alternative housing for them, without regard to the fact that they did not satisfy the requirements of category (iv) at the time of presumptive placement;"