S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    735
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. HEVESI, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, SIMON, SHIMSKY, FORREST,
   GIBBS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Children and Fami-
   lies
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation  to  expanding  the
   age  range  for  eligibility  for the rent subsidy payable to a foster
   child living independently
 
   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 section 1 of part BB of chapter 56 of
 the laws of 2023, 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 seven
 hundred twenty-five dollars per month, shall not be provided for a peri-
 od of more than three years, MAY BE PROVIDED UP TO AGE  TWENTY-FOUR  FOR
 YOUTH  DISCHARGED  FROM  FOSTER  CARE, and shall be considered a special
 grant. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to limit the ability
 of those using such rent subsidy to live with roommates. The  provisions
 of  this  paragraph  shall  not  be  construed  to limit such official's
 authority to provide other preventive services.
   § 2. Subdivision 7 of section 409-a of the  social  services  law,  as
 amended  by  section  2 of part BB of chapter 56 of the laws of 2023, is
 amended to read as follows:

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD01532-01-5
 A. 735                              2
 
   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
 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 seven hundred twenty-five dollars per month,
 shall  not  be  provided  for  a period of more than three years, MAY BE
 PROVIDED UP TO AGE TWENTY-FOUR FOR YOUTH DISCHARGED  FROM  FOSTER  CARE,
 and  shall  be  considered  a special grant. Nothing in this subdivision
 shall be construed to limit the ability of those using such rent subsidy
 to live with roommates. The provisions of this paragraph  shall  not  be
 construed to limit such official's authority to provide other preventive
 services.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.