State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_HB2198enr

 
HB2198 Enrolled                                LRB9105224MWpc

 1        AN ACT  to  amend  the  Homelessness  Prevention  Act  by
 2    changing  Sections  2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 13 and by adding
 3    Sections 4.5 and 9.5.

 4        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 5    represented in the General Assembly:

 6        Section 5.  The Homelessness Prevention Act is amended by
 7    changing  Sections  2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 13 and by adding
 8    Sections 4.5 and 9.5 as follows:

 9        (310 ILCS 70/2) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1302)
10        Sec.  2.  Legislative  findings.   The  General  Assembly
11    finds that homelessness frequently results from  a  temporary
12    economic  crisis  such  as  a  temporary  loss of employment,
13    medical  emergency,  or  loss  or  interruption   of   public
14    benefits.   It   is   also  found  that  the  prevention   of
15    homelessness, as opposed to providing  temporary  shelter  or
16    offering  other  short-term  solutions  to persons who become
17    homeless, is cost-effective,  preserves  family  self-respect
18    and helps to keep families intact.
19        The   General   Assembly   also   finds  that  short-term
20    interventions for the prevention  of  homelessness  serve  to
21    prevent  the  need for long-term assistance programs that are
22    more costly to taxpayers.
23    (Source: P.A. 86-1454.)

24        (310 ILCS 70/3) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1303)
25        Sec. 3.  Definitions.  As used in this Act:
26        (a)  "Department" means the Department of Human  Services
27    (acting as successor to the Illinois Department of Public Aid
28    under the Department of Human Services Act).
29        "Grantee"  means a county, a township, a municipality, or
30    an  Illinois  not-for-profit  corporation  receiving   grants

 
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 1    authorized by this Act.
 2        (b)  "Household"   means   2  or  more  persons  residing
 3    together, or a person living alone.
 4        "Service area" means the county, township,  municipality,
 5    or  other  geographical  area  served by a grantee under this
 6    Act.
 7    (Source: P.A. 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)

 8        (310 ILCS 70/4) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1304)
 9        Sec. 4.  Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program.
10        (a)  The Department shall establish a family homelessness
11    prevention and assistance program to  stabilize  families  in
12    their  existing  homes,  to  shorten  the amount of time that
13    families stay in emergency shelters, and to  assist  families
14    with  securing  affordable transitional or permanent housing.
15    The Department shall make grants, from funds appropriated  to
16    it  from  the  Homelessness  Prevention  Fund, to develop and
17    implement homelessness  prevention  and  assistance  projects
18    under  this  Act. The Department is authorized to establish a
19    Homeless Prevention Demonstration Program, but  only  if  the
20    State  receives  federal matching funds for expenditures made
21    by the State under the Emergency  Food  and  Shelter  Program
22    authorized by Section 12-4.5 of the Illinois Public Aid Code.
23    No   funds  from  the  Emergency  Food  and  Shelter  Program
24    authorized by Section 12-4.5 of the Illinois Public Aid  Code
25    may be used for this demonstration program.
26        (b)  To fund this demonstration program, there is created
27    in  the State Treasury a fund to be known as the Homelessness
28    Prevention  Fund.   As  permitted  by  Section  12-5  of  the
29    Illinois Public Aid Code, the Department, with the consent of
30    the Governor, may deposit into  the  Homelessness  Prevention
31    Fund  any  or all federal funds received as reimbursement for
32    food and shelter assistance  under  the  Emergency  Food  and
33    Shelter  Program authorized by Section 12-4.5 of the Illinois
 
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 1    Public  Aid  Code.   Moneys   in   the   Fund,   subject   to
 2    appropriation,  may be expended for the purposes of this Act.
 3    Under this demonstration program, grants  shall  be  made  on
 4    behalf  of  households,  in  times  of  crisis,  which  might
 5    otherwise  become  homeless.   Grants  may be made from funds
 6    appropriated for the purposes of this  Act  the  program  and
 7    from  any federal funds or funds from other sources which are
 8    made available for the purposes of  this  Act  this  program.
 9    Grants  shall  be made under this Act the program only to the
10    extent that such funds are  available.   The  Department  may
11    limit  the  design  and  operation  of the program to certain
12    areas of  the  State.   The  Department  may  administer  the
13    program  or  may  contract  with  a  private nonprofit social
14    service agency to administer the program.
15    (Source: P.A. 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)

16        (310 ILCS 70/4.5 new)
17        Sec. 4.5.  Grant eligibility. The Department shall  award
18    grants  to  grantees  that  agree  to  focus  their emergency
19    response  systems  on  homeless   prevention   and   securing
20    permanent  or  transitional  housing for homeless households.
21    The  Department  shall  consider  the  extent  to  which  the
22    proposed  project  activities  demonstrate  ways   in   which
23    existing  resources in a service area may be more effectively
24    coordinated.  Priority in awarding grants will  be  given  to
25    applicants participating in an established continuum of care.
26    

27        (310 ILCS 70/5) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1305)
28        Sec.  5.  Eligibility for assistance.  Grantees may offer
29    assistance to households  in  their  service  area  when:  No
30    household shall be eligible for assistance unless:
31        (a)  (Blank); the household meets categorical eligibility
32    for  the  Aid to Families with Dependent Children Program and
 
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 1    has an income equal to or less than the standard of need  for
 2    this  program.  The Department may establish, by rule, higher
 3    income levels;
 4        (b)  the household is in  imminent  danger  of  eviction,
 5    foreclosure or homelessness, or is currently homeless;
 6        (c)  the  household documents a temporary economic crisis
 7    beyond the household's control, evidenced by at least one  of
 8    the following conditions:
 9             (1)  loss of employment;
10             (2)  medical disability or emergency;
11             (3)  loss or delay of some form of public benefits;
12             (4)  natural disaster;
13             (5)  substantial change in household composition;
14             (6)  victimization by criminal activity;
15             (7)  illegal action by a landlord;
16             (8)  displacement  by  government or private action;
17        or
18             (9)  some  other  condition  which   constitutes   a
19        hardship  comparable  to  the other conditions enumerated
20        above;
21        (d)  all other federal, State or local housing subsidies
22    are unavailable have been exhausted; and
23        (e)  the applicant demonstrates an ability  to  meet  the
24    prospective  rental  obligation after the assistance has been
25    granted based on current or anticipated income.
26    (Source: P.A. 86-1454.)

27        (310 ILCS 70/6) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1306)
28        Sec. 6.  Forms  of  assistance.   Assistance  offered  to
29    households  by grantees under the demonstration program shall
30    include but not be limited to the following:
31        (a)  payment of a rent arrearage in an amount established
32    as necessary to defeat the eviction, but shall in no event be
33    greater than 3 months of rental arrears; or
 
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 1        (b)  payment of a rent deposit or  security  deposit  and
 2    payment of not more than 2 months rent;.
 3        (c)  payment of utility bills and arrearages; or
 4        (d)  support  services,  where  appropriate,  to  prevent
 5    homelessness or repeated episodes of homelessness.
 6    (Source: P.A. 86-1454.)

 7        (310 ILCS 70/8) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1308)
 8        Sec.  8.  Payment  of  assistance.   Assistance  provided
 9    under this Act may be paid to a landlord, utility company, or
10    other  vendor  who  provides  housing or other services to an
11    applicant for assistance.
12    (Source: P.A. 86-1454.)

13        (310 ILCS 70/9) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1309)
14        Sec.  9.  Staff  accepting  applications;  training   and
15    experience.   A  grantee's  staff accepting applications from
16    households for assistance under the program shall be  trained
17    or  experienced  in  the  following:   the  operation  of the
18    program and  any  regulations  adopted  in  relation  to  the
19    program  by  the Department; identification of federal, State
20    and local agencies and services which  are  relevant  to  the
21    program   and   the   program's   clients;  dissemination  of
22    information relating to the program;  intake,  screening  and
23    referral  procedures; and other areas to be determined by the
24    Department.  If  the  Department  contracts  with  a  private
25    entity for the operation of the program, the Department shall
26    ensure  that  the  staff  of  the  entity have experience and
27    training as specified in this Section.
28    (Source: P.A. 86-1454.)

29        (310 ILCS 70/9.5 new)
30        Sec. 9.5.  Consultation.  Grantees  shall  consult  on  a
31    regular basis with the local established continuum of care in
 
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 1    preparing   the   project   proposal   and  in  the   design,
 2    implementation, and evaluation of the project.

 3        (310 ILCS 70/13) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1313)
 4        Sec. 13.  Report.  The Department shall report on program
 5    activities that provide assistance or  services  to  homeless
 6    persons  under  this  Act as part of its annual report to the
 7    General Assembly. The Department shall conduct an  evaluation
 8    of  the  program and present the findings from the evaluation
 9    in a report to the General Assembly and the Governor no later
10    than 5 months after the first fiscal year of operation.
11    (Source: P.A. 86-1454.)

12        (310 ILCS 70/7 rep.)
13        Section 10.  The Homelessness Prevention Act  is  amended
14    by repealing Section 7.

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