S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8124
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 31, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. HUNTER -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Veterans' Affairs
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the executive law, the state finance law, the social
   services law, and the mental hygiene law, in relation to  establishing
   the veterans' housing program

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section  366-a
 to read as follows:
   §  366-A. VETERANS' HOUSING. 1. AS USED IN THIS SECTION: A.  "VETERAN"
 MEANS A RESIDENT OF THIS STATE, WHO HAS SERVED IN THE  ACTIVE  MILITARY,
 NAVAL  OR AIR SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES OR THE NATIONAL GUARD AND WHO
 HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM SUCH SERVICE WITHOUT REGARD TO  THE  DURATION  OF
 SERVICE OR MANNER OF DISCHARGE, OR CITIZENSHIP.
   B.  "TRANSITIONAL  HOUSING"  MEANS  TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR VETERANS AND
 SHALL INCLUDE BRIDGE HOUSING AND SERVICE-INTENSIVE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
   C. "BRIDGE HOUSING" MEANS TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IN WHICH A VETERAN  MAY
 AWAIT PERMANENT HOUSING PLACEMENT. NO VETERAN SHALL BE REQUIRED TO SPEND
 MORE THAN NINETY DAYS IN BRIDGE HOUSING.
   D.  "SERVICE-INTENSIVE  HOUSING"  MEANS  TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IN WHICH
 VETERANS ARE PROVIDED SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO ACTIVELY  SEEK  PERMANENT
 HOUSING.  SERVICE-INTENSIVE HOUSING SHALL PROVIDE VETERANS WITH GENERAL-
 IZED CASE-MANAGEMENT, CLINICALLY APPROPRIATE CARE, AND JOB TRAINING.
   E.  "PERMANENT  HOUSING" MEANS LONG-TERM HOUSING AND SHALL NOT INCLUDE
 BRIDGE HOUSING OR SERVICE-INTENSIVE HOUSING. PERMANENT  HOUSING  MAY  BE
 SUPPORTED THROUGH A LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL HOUSING PROGRAM.
   F. "HOMELESS" MEANS A PERSON WHO IS UNDOMICILED OR UNSHELTERED, AND IS
 UNABLE TO SECURE PERMANENT OR STABLE HOUSING WITHOUT SPECIAL ASSISTANCE,
 AS DETERMINED BY THE DIVISION.
   2. THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE DIVISION A VETERANS' HOUSING
 PROGRAM TO BE DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED BY THE STATE DIRECTOR IN CONSUL-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD11443-01-7

 A. 8124                             2
 
 TATION  WITH  THE  DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL, THE OFFICE
 FOR TEMPORARY DISABILITY ASSISTANCE, THE OFFICE OF  MENTAL  HEALTH,  AND
 THE  OFFICE  FOR  ALCOHOLISM  AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES. SUCH PROGRAM
 SHALL  PROVIDE  HOUSING  PLACEMENT  TO  ANY  VETERAN WHO IS EXPERIENCING
 UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, AND WHO REQUESTS SUCH ASSISTANCE.
   3. THE DIVISION SHALL ESTABLISH A SYSTEM TO IDENTIFY HOMELESS VETERANS
 IN NEW YORK STATE AND SHALL ENGAGE  IN  OUTREACH  SERVICES  TO  HOMELESS
 VETERANS  AND  VETERANS  AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THE
 VETERANS' HOUSING PROGRAM AND TO PROVIDE HOUSING SERVICES TO SUCH VETER-
 ANS.
   4. THE DIVISION SHALL PROVIDE  IMMEDIATE  HOUSING  TO  EVERY  HOMELESS
 VETERAN  WHO  REQUESTS  TO  BE  HOUSED. SUCH HOUSING MAY BE TRANSITIONAL
 HOUSING OR PERMANENT HOUSING AND SHALL NOT BE  CONTINGENT  ON  SOBRIETY,
 MINIMUM  INCOME REQUIREMENTS, ABSENCE OF A CRIMINAL RECORD, OR ANY OTHER
 CONDITIONS DEEMED UNNECESSARY BY THE STATE DIRECTOR.
   A. LONG-TERM SERVICE-INTENSIVE  HOUSING  SHALL  ONLY  BE  PROVIDED  IN
 LIMITED  INSTANCES  AND  ONLY  WHEN  THE VETERAN SPECIFICALLY CHOOSES TO
 REMAIN IN SERVICE-INTENSIVE HOUSING DESPITE THE AVAILABILITY  OF  PERMA-
 NENT  HOUSING. ANY VETERAN WHO CHOOSES LONG-TERM SERVICE-INTENSIVE HOUS-
 ING SHALL BE PROVIDED A MONTHLY REVIEW OF  ALL  AVAILABLE  SERVICES  AND
 HOUSING OPTIONS.
   B.  ABSENT  A VETERAN'S CHOICE TO REMAIN IN SERVICE-INTENSIVE HOUSING,
 ALL HOMELESS VETERANS SHALL BE PLACED IN PERMANENT HOUSING AT THE  FIRST
 AVAILABLE  OPPORTUNITY USING THE HOUSING FIRST PRINCIPLES ESTABLISHED BY
 THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
   § 2. Subdivision 4 of section 99-v of the state finance law, as  added
 by chapter 428 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
   4.  Moneys  of  the fund shall be expended only for the assistance and
 care of homeless veterans, for housing and housing-related expenses,  as
 PROVIDED  IN SECTION THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX-A OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW, AND
 AS determined by the division of [veterans] VETERANS' affairs.
   § 3. Section 353 of the executive law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 7-c to read as follows:
   7-C.  THE  DIVISION  SHALL  CONSULT  WITH  THE DIVISION OF HOUSING AND
 COMMUNITY RENEWAL, THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY  DISABILITY  ASSISTANCE,  THE
 OFFICE  OF  MENTAL  HEALTH,  AND  THE OFFICE OF ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE
 ABUSE SERVICES TO ESTABLISH AND PROVIDE  HOUSING  SERVICES  TO  HOMELESS
 VETERANS  PURSUANT TO SECTION THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX-A OF THIS ARTICLE.
 THE DIVISION MAY CONSULT WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY DEVOTED TO  HELP-
 ING  VETERANS  OBTAIN  HOUSING,  EMPLOYMENT AND GENERAL SERVICES FOR THE
 SAME PURPOSE.
   § 4. Section 20 of the social services law is amended by adding a  new
 subdivision 9 to read as follows:
   9.  THE  OFFICE  OF  TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE SHALL CONSULT
 WITH THE STATE DIRECTOR  OF  THE  DIVISION  OF  VETERANS'  AFFAIRS,  THE
 COMMISSIONER  OF  THE  DIVISION  OF  HOUSING  AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL, THE
 COMMISSIONER OF THE  OFFICE  OF  TEMPORARY  DISABILITY  ASSISTANCE,  THE
 COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH, AND THE COMMISSIONER OF THE
 OFFICE  OF  ALCOHOLISM  AND  SUBSTANCE  ABUSE  SERVICES TO ESTABLISH AND
 PROVIDE HOUSING SERVICES TO HOMELESS VETERANS PURSUANT TO SECTION  THREE
 HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX-A OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW.
   § 5. Section 7.07 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision (g) to read as follows:
   (G)  THE  OFFICE SHALL CONSULT WITH THE STATE DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION
 OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS, THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DIVISION  OF  HOUSING  AND
 COMMUNITY RENEWAL, THE COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY DISABILI-

 A. 8124                             3
 
 TY  ASSISTANCE,  AND  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF THE OFFICE OF ALCOHOLISM AND
 SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES TO ESTABLISH AND PROVIDE  HOUSING  SERVICES  TO
 HOMELESS  VETERANS  PURSUANT TO SECTION THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX-A OF THE
 EXECUTIVE LAW.
   §  6.  Section  19.07 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding a
 new subdivision (l) to read as follows:
   (L) THE OFFICE SHALL CONSULT WITH THE STATE DIRECTOR OF  THE  DIVISION
 OF  VETERANS'  AFFAIRS,  THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DIVISION OF HOUSING AND
 COMMUNITY RENEWAL, THE COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY DISABILI-
 TY ASSISTANCE, AND THE COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF  MENTAL  HEALTH  TO
 ESTABLISH  AND PROVIDE HOUSING SERVICES TO HOMELESS VETERANS PURSUANT TO
 SECTION THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX-A OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW.
   § 7. This act shall take effect immediately.