70049316 - Residential Assistance for Families in Transition

Account Description FY2009
GAA
FY2009  
Total  
Spending
  
7004-9316 Residential Assistance for Families in Transition
For a program to provide assistance for homeless families moving into subsidized or private housing and families at risk of becoming homeless due to a significant reduction of income or increase in expenses; provided, that the amount of financial assistance shall not exceed $3,000 per family; provided further, that funds may be used for security deposits, first and last month's rent, electric, gas, sewer and water utility payments for utility arrearages incurred on or after December 1, 2006; provided further, that assistance shall be administered by the department through contracts with the regional non-profit housing agencies; provided further, that no assistance shall be provided to any family with an income in excess of 50 per cent of the area median income; provided further, that prior to authorizing a residential assistance payment for a family, the non-profit housing agency shall make a finding that the family experienced a significant reduction of income or increase in expenses and has secured new income or a change in circumstances and that the payment will enable the family to retain its current housing, obtain new housing, or otherwise avoid homelessness; provided further, that in making these findings the agency shall, unless the facts of the case warrant otherwise, apply a presumption that the payment will enable a family to retain its housing, obtain new housing, or otherwise avoid homelessness if the family is paying less than or equal to 50 per cent of its income for that housing; provided further, that a family who is paying more than 50 per cent of its income for its housing shall be provided a fair opportunity to establish that a residential assistance payment will enable it to retain its housing, obtain new housing, or otherwise avoid homelessness; provided further, that residential assistance payments may be made through direct vendor payments according to standards to be established by the department; provided further, that the agencies shall establish a system for referring families approved for residential assistance payments who the agencies determine would benefit from these services to existing community-based programs that provide additional housing stabilization supports, including assistance in obtaining housing subsidies and locating alternative housing that is safe and affordable for those families; provided further, that the program shall be administered under guidelines established by the department; and provided further, that the department shall provide a status report to the secretary of administration and finance and the house and senate committees on ways and means no later than March 2, 2009, that includes, but is not limited to, all program expenditures, the number of recipients of the funds, the housing status of the recipients before and after receiving assistance, the purposes for which each family used the assistance, the administrative costs and other related costs of the program, including whether such recipient resided or continues to reside in state or federal public housing, and any other information necessary to determine the effectiveness of the program
5,500,000 5,500,000  

 
 
HISTORICAL SPENDING CATEGORIES ($000)
column definitions
SPENDING CATEGORY
FY2005
Expended

FY2006
Expended

FY2007
Expended

FY2008
Expended

FY2009
GAA
FY2009
Budget
Reductions
Operating Expenses 0 0 40 0 0 0
Public Assistance 2,000 4,960 4,960 5,000 5,500 0
TOTAL 2,000 4,960 5,000 5,000 5,500 0

 

FY2009 Spending Category Chart

Pie Chart: Public Assistance=100%