District Of Columbia 2023-2024 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B25-0047 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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4	4	Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie Chairman Phil Mendelson 2
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8	8	Councilmember Anita Bonds Councilmember Brooke Pinto 6
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12	12	Councilmember Christina Henderson Councilmember Janeese Lewis George 10
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15	15	A BILL 13
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18	18	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 16
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20	20	18
21	21	To amend the Homeless Services Reform Act of 2005 to reform the Rapid Re-Housing Program 19
22	22	to ensure that individuals and families do not pay more than 30% of their income toward 20
23	23	rent, to require the assessment of Rapid Re-Housing participants for the receipt of 21
24	24	permanent housing vouchers, to make case management services for Rapid Re-Housing 22
25	25	participants optional, and to establish eligibility and prioritization criteria for Targeted 23
26	26	Affordable Housing vouchers. 24
27	27	25
28	28	BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 26
29	29	act may be cited as the “Rapid Re-Housing Reform Amendment Act of 2023”. 27
30	30	Sec. 2. The Homeless Services Reform Act of 2005, effective October 22, 2005 (D.C. 28
31	31	Law 16-35; D.C. Official Code § 4–751.01 et seq.) is amended as follows: 29
32	32	(a) The table of contents is amended by adding section designations for sections 32 and 30
33	33	33 to read as follows: 31
34	34	“Sec. 32. Rapid Re-housing Reform. 32
35	35	“Sec. 33. Targeted Affordable Housing Eligibility and Prioritization.”. 33
36	36	(b) Section 2 (D.C. Official Code § 4–751.01) is amended as follows: 34 2
37	37
38	38	(1) Paragraph (27C) is amended by striking the phrase “Rapid Re-Housing and 35
39	39	permanent supportive housing.” and inserting the phrase “permanent supportive housing and 36
40	40	targeted affordable housing.” in its place. 37
41	41	(2) By adding a new paragraph (39A) to read as follows: 38
42	42	“(39A) “Targeted affordable housing” means a program that provides rental assistance 39
43	43	for an unrestricted period of time to assist individuals or families experiencing homelessness, or 40
44	44	at-risk of experiencing homelessness, in obtaining and maintaining permanent housing.”. 41
45	45	(c) Section 6(b)(4) (D.C. Official Code § 4–753.01(b)(4)) is amended to read as follows: 42
46	46	“(A) Rapid Re-Housing programs for the purpose of providing housing 43
47	47	relocation and stabilization services and time-limited rental assistance to help a homeless 44
48	48	individual or family move as quickly as possible into permanent housing and achieve stability in 45
49	49	that housing; or 46
50	50	“(B) Targeted affordable housing for the purposes of providing rental 47
51	51	assistance for an unrestricted period of time to assist individuals or families experiencing 48
52	52	homelessness, or at-risk of experiencing homelessness, to obtain and maintain permanent 49
53	53	housing; or 50
54	54	“(C) Permanent supportive housing for the purpose of providing eligible 51
55	55	individuals and families experiencing chronic homelessness or at risk of experiencing chronic 52
56	56	homelessness, with ongoing housing and supportive service.”. 53
57	57	(d) A new section 32 is added to read as follows: 54
58	58	“Sec. 32. Rapid Re-housing Reform. 55
59	59	“(a) An individual or a head of a household shall pay no more than 30% of their income 56
60	60	toward rent while participating in the Rapid Re-Housing Program. 57 3
61	61
62	62	“(b)(1)(A) No later than 6 months after an individual or family is determined to be 58
63	63	eligible for Rapid Re-Housing, the Mayor shall determine whether each individual or family is 59
64	64	eligible for a permanent rental subsidy, including permanent supportive housing and targeted 60
65	65	affordable housing. 61
66	66	“(B) The Department shall share a determination of eligibility with the 62
67	67	individual or family within 5 business days of making a determination. 63
68	68	“(2)(A) For individuals or families already participating in Rapid Re-Housing that 64
69	69	the Department intends to exit from the program pursuant to § 4–754.36b, the Department shall 65
70	70	determine the individual or family’s eligibility for permanent supportive housing or targeted 66
71	71	affordable housing at least 3 months before the proposed exit date. 67
72	72	“(B) The Department shall share a determination of eligibility with the 68
73	73	individual or family within 5 business days of making a determination. 69
74	74	“(3)(A) The Department shall provide individuals or families determined to be 70
75	75	eligible for, or already participating in, Rapid Re-Housing with information on home ownership 71
76	76	programs, including the Home Purchase Assistance Program. 72
77	77	“(B) If an individual or family requests an application for a home 73
78	78	ownership program, the Department shall refer the individual or family to an appropriate 74
79	79	community-based organization within 5 business days 75
80	80	“(3) If an individual or family entering into or participating in Rapid Re-Housing 76
81	81	is determined to be eligible for permanent supportive housing or targeted affordable housing, the 77
82	82	individual or family shall not be exited from Rapid Re-Housing until the family receives a 78
83	83	voucher and is leased up with a housing provider who accepts the voucher; provided, that this 79
84	84	shall not apply to an individual or family who has sufficient income to cover the cost of a rental 80 4
85	85
86	86	unit they have secured in the District. For purposes of this paragraph, an individual or family 81
87	87	does not have sufficient income to cover the cost of a rental unit if more than 30% of the 82
88	88	individual or head of households’ income would be used to pay rent. 83
89	89	“(c) Case management for individuals or families determined to be eligible for or 84
90	90	participating in Rapid Re-Housing shall be voluntary and available upon oral or written request; 85
91	91	provided, that an individual or an individual in a family deemed to be eligible for or participating 86
92	92	in Rapid Re-Housing who receives income through Temporary Assistance to Needy Families 87
93	93	shall not receive case management through Rapid Re-Housing. 88
94	94	(e) A new section 33 is added to read as follows: 89
95	95	“Sec. 33. Targeted Affordable Housing Eligibility and Prioritization. 90
96	96	“(a) Individuals or families who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or participating in 91
97	97	a Continuum of Care program shall be eligible for targeted affordable housing. 92
98	98	“(b) Individuals or families determined to be eligible for targeted affordable housing shall 93
99	99	be prioritized in the following order: 94
100	100	“(1) Individuals or families who will be exited from the Rapid Re-Housing 95
101	101	program and do not have sufficient income to cover the cost of a market rate rental unit of 96
102	102	appropriate size for the individual or family. 97
103	103	“(2)(A) Individuals or families in Rapid Re-Housing who are not eligible or 98
104	104	prioritized for permanent supportive housing and do not have sufficient income to cover the cost 99
105	105	of a rental unit of appropriate size for the participant or participant family. 100
106	106	“(B) Individuals or families in this category should be prioritized based on 101
107	107	the length of time that the participant has been in Rapid Re-Housing, with individuals or families 102
108	108	who have been in the program longer selected first. 103 5
109	109
110	110	“(3) Emergency shelter residents who have previously participated in Rapid Re-104
111	111	housing but are not eligible or prioritized for permanent supportive housing and do not have 105
112	112	sufficient income to cover the cost of a rental unit of appropriate size for the individual 106
113	113	participant or participant family; and 107
114	114	“(4) All other eligible applicants. 108
115	115	“(c)(1) The Department shall accept applications for targeted affordable housing from 109
116	116	any participant in a Continuum of Care program in the form of oral or written request for 110
117	117	consideration. 111
118	118	“(2) The Department shall document any written or oral requests for targeted 112
119	119	affordable housing in the participant’s file. 113
120	120	“(d) The Department shall provide timely written notice of eligibility pursuant to § 4-114
121	121	754.33. 115
122	122	“(e) Individuals or families shall have the opportunity to appeal adverse action decisions 116
123	123	pursuant to § 4-753.41 and § 4-753.42. 117
124	124	“(f) For purposes of subsection (b) and (c) of this section, Continuum of Care 118
125	125	participants, including emergency shelter residents and individuals and families in Rapid Re-119
126	126	Rehousing, do not have sufficient income to cover the cost of a rental unit if more than 30% of 120
127	127	the individual or head of household’s income would be used to pay rent.”. 121
128	128	Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 122
129	129	The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 123
130	130	impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 124
131	131	approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 125
132	132	Sec. 4. Effective date. 126 6
133	133
134	134	This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 127
135	135	Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 128
136	136	provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 129
137	137	24, 1973, (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 130
138	138	Columbia Register. 131