| Account | Description | FY2016 Spending |
FY2017 GAA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7004-9316 | Residential Assistance for Families in Transition For a program to provide assistance in addressing obstacles to maintaining or securing housing for families with: (a) a household income not greater than 30 per cent of area median income who are homeless and moving into subsidized or private housing or are at risk of becoming homeless; or (b) a household income greater than 30 per cent but not more than 50 per cent of area median income who are homeless and moving into subsidized or private housing or are at risk of becoming homeless due to a significant reduction of income or increased expenses; provided, that assistance shall be administered by the department of housing and community development through contracts with the regional HomeBASE agencies; provided further, that not less than 50 per cent of the funds shall be provided to households with an income not greater than 30 per cent of area median income, subject to the department's discretion based on data reflecting program demand and usage; provided further, that in distributing 50 per cent of the funds, the department shall prioritize those families most likely to otherwise require shelter services under item 7004-0101; provided further, an amount not less than the fiscal year 2016 appropriation shall be made available to eligible families with children under the age of 21; provided further, that the amount of financial assistance shall not exceed $4,000 in any 12-month period; provided further, that the combined sum of benefits received by a family in a 12-month period from this item and item 7004-0108 shall not be more than the maximum level of short-term housing assistance in said item 7004-0108; provided further, that prior to authorizing a residential assistance payment for a family, the administering agency shall make a finding 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; 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; provided further, that the department shall report quarterly to the house and senate committees on ways and means detailing the: (a) number of families who applied for assistance; (b) number of families approved for assistance; (c) minimum, median and average amount of financial assistance awarded; (d) total amount of assistance awarded to date, including a breakdown by income category; and (e) number of families falling into each income category; provided further, that the department shall track a family's reason for assistance by the same categories used in item 7004-0101; provided further, that household assistance funds shall be advanced to the administering agencies at the end of each month and before the next month's disbursement, the amount of which shall be estimated based on the prior month's expenditure with a reconciliation not less than annually; and provided further, that for purposes of this item, "families" shall include households of all sizes and configurations including, but not limited to, families with children under the age of 21, elders, persons with disabilities and unaccompanied youth |
12,500,000 | 13,000,000 |
Veto Explanation: I am striking this language because it is not consistent with my House 2 recommendation.