Senate Bill S8632

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8632

SPONSOR: KAVANAGH
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring shel-
ter allowances be set at up to one hundred percent of the fair market
rent for the local social services district

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill would ensure that individuals can access safe and stable hous-
ing by allowing those receiving shelter allowances to receive up to 100%
of the fair market rent for their area.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one of this bill amends the social services law by adding a new
section 131-cc which would allow local social service districts to pay
shelter allowances equal to the actual rent obligation of the recipient
up to 100% of their area fair market rent.

              

Section two of the bill sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Individuals receiving temporary assistance are provided with a monthly
shelter allowance that can be used to cover their housing costs. The
shelter allowance varies depending on household size, county of resi-
dence and other factors and is based on a schedule set by the Office of
Temporary and Disability Assistance (01DA). However, the allowance
amounts have not been updated in recent years and are inadequate to
cover the actual cost of housing in New York State. The shelter allow-
ance for adult-only households was last increased in 1988; for house-
holds with children the shelter allowance was last increased in 2003. As
a result, a three-person household with children in Essex County, for
example, would be eligible to receive a maximum shelter allowance of
$268 per month, while the fair market rent for a two-bedroom home in
Essex county is $844.

The fair market rent, an amount determined annually by the United States
Department of Housing and Urban Development, is already used to deter-
mine allowances for numerous other housing subsidy and benefits
programs. In 2021, legislation was signed into law to increase the New
York State Family Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement
(FHEPS) program voucher to 1005 of fair market rent, providing families
at risk of homelessness with a voucher that more closely reflects the
actual cost of housing in their area. The shelter allowance amounts, as
determined by IDA, are no longer adequate and are forcing families to
use other allowances that should cover food and other necessities to
help cover their housing costs.  This legislation would help reduce
housing instability and homelessness by allowing shelter allowances to
cover up to 100* of fair market rent for the individual's area.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become a law.