S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
5517
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
May 14, 2015
___________
Introduced by Sen. AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to increasing the
value of rent subsidies to be included as a part of preventive
services
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 5 of section 409-a of the
social services law, as amended by chapter 339 of the laws of 1993, is
amended to read as follows:
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, where a
social services official determines that a lack of adequate housing is
the primary factor preventing the discharge of a child or children from
foster care including, but not limited to, children with the goal of
discharge to independent living, preventive services shall include, in
addition to any other payments or benefits received by the family,
special cash grants in the form of rent subsidies, including rent
arrears, or any other assistance, sufficient to obtain adequate housing.
Such rent subsidies or assistance shall not exceed the sum of [three]
SIX hundred dollars per month, shall not be provided for a period of
more than three years, and shall be considered a special grant. The
provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to limit such offi-
cial's authority to provide other preventive services.
S 2. Subdivision 7 of section 409-a of the social services law, as
added by chapter 83 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as follows:
7. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, if a social
services official determines that a lack of adequate housing is a factor
that may cause the entry of a child or children into foster care and the
family has at least one service need other than lack of adequate hous-
ing, preventive services may include, in addition to any other payments
or benefits received by the family, special cash grants in the form of
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08267-01-5
S. 5517 2
rent subsidies, including rent arrears, or any other assistance, suffi-
cient to obtain adequate housing. Such rent subsidies or assistance
shall not exceed the sum of [three] SIX hundred dollars per month, shall
not be provided for a period of more than three years, and shall be
considered a special grant. The provisions of this paragraph shall not
be construed to limit such official's authority to provide other preven-
tive services.
S 3. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
have become a law.