ENGROSSED ORIGINAL 1 A BILL 1 2 25-868 3 4 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 5 6 ____________________ 7 8 9 To amend the Homeless Services Reform Act Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Support Act of 2024, the 10 Fiscal Year 2024 Revised Local Budget Act of 2024, and the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget 11 Support Emergency Act of 2024 to establish grounds for an extension to the 12 Family Re-Housing Stabilization Program (FRSP), whereby the Department or its 13 designee will thoroughly consider the totality of the participant's circumstances, including 14 their progress and eligibility for affordable housing, should funding be available in the 15 program to do so. 16 17 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 18 Act may be cited as the “Family Re-Housing Stabilization Program Protection Temporary 19 Amendment Act of 2024”. 20 Sec. 2. Sec. 5062(a) of the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Support Act of 2024, passed on 2nd 21 reading on June 25, 2024 (Enrolled version of B25-0784), is amended to read as follows: 22 “(a) Section 7(b)(4)(B) of the Homeless Services Reform Act, effective October 22, 23 2005 (D.C. Law 16-35; D.C. Official Code § 4–753.01(b)(4)(B)), is amended as follows: 24 (1) The existing text is designated as sub-subparagraph (i). 25 (2) New sub-subparagraphs (ii), (iii), and (iv) are added to read as follows: 26 “(ii) Notwithstanding other law, provided that funding be available 27 within the Family Re-Housing Stabilization Program (“FRSP”) to implement this sub-28 subparagraph and sub-subparagraphs (iii) and (iv) of this subparagraph, the Department of 29 ENGROSSED ORIGINAL 2 Human Services, or the Department’s designee, shall consider requests for FRSP assistance 30 extending past 12 months if: 31 “(I) The participant has requested an extension in writing; 32 “(II) The participant has made a good faith effort towards 33 the achievement of goals set forth in an individualized plan with the aim of a targeted 34 progression towards exit from the supports of FRSP, as observed by the service provider at 35 consistent intervals, but cannot yet sustain housing stability independently of the program; and 36 “(III) The participant has not yet been approved for 37 permanently affordable housing. 38 “(iii) When making a determination of whether to grant a 39 participant in FRSP an extension beyond 12 months, the Department or Department's designee 40 shall: 41 “(I) Consider the totality of the circumstances; and 42 “(II) Grant extensions of time in increments not greater 43 than 6 months, with regular formal reviews every 3 months to ensure that participants are given 44 the support necessary to exit the program with stable housing.” 45 “(iv) If a requested extension of FRSP assistance by a participant is 46 denied, the participant shall be given 30 days written notice prior to the final subsidy payment 47 explicitly setting forth the reason for the denial of additional assistance and inform the 48 participant that: 49 ENGROSSED ORIGINAL 3 “(I) The FRSP participant has a right to appeal the 50 determination through a fair hearing and administrative review, including deadlines for 51 requesting an appeal; and 52 “(II) The FRSP participant has a right to continuation of 53 FRSP services pending the outcome of any fair hearing requested within 15 days of receipt of 54 written notice of a termination”.” 55 Sec. 3. Section 11(a) of the Fiscal Year 2024 Revised Local Budget Adjustment 56 Emergency Act of 2024, passed on June 12, 2024 (Enrolled version of Bill 25-787), is amended 57 to read as follows: 58 Sec. 2. “(a) Section 7(b)(4)(B) of the Homeless Services Reform Act, effective October 59 22, 2005 (D.C. Law 16-35; D.C. Official Code § 4–753.01(b)(4)(B)), is amended as follows: 60 (1a) The existing text is designated as sub-subparagraph (i). 61 (2b) New sub-subparagraphs (ii), and (iii), and (iv) are added to read as follows: 62 “(ii) Notwithstanding other law, provided that funding be available 63 within the Family Re-Housing Stabilization Program (“FRSP”) to implement this sub-64 subparagraph and sub-subparagraphs (iii) and (iv) of this subparagraph, Tthe Department of 65 Human Services, or the Department’s designee, shall consider requests for Family Re-Housing 66 Stabilization Program (FRSP) assistance extending past 12 months if: 67 “(I) There is funding available within FRSP; 68 “(II) The participant has requested an extension in writing; 69 ENGROSSED ORIGINAL 4 “(III) The participant has made a good faith effort towards 70 the achievement of goals set forth in an individualized plan with the aim of a targeted 71 progression towards exit from the supports of FRSP, as observed by the Service Provider at 72 consistent intervals, but cannot yet sustain housing stability independently of the program; and 73 “(IIIV) The participant has not yet been approved for 74 permanently affordable housing. 75 “(iii) When making a determination of whether to grant a 76 participant in FRSP an extension beyond 12 months, the Department or Department's designee 77 shall: 78 “(I) Consider the totality of the circumstances; and 79 “(II) Grant extensions of time in increments not greater 80 than 6 months, with regular formal reviews every 3 months to ensure that participants are given 81 the support necessary to exit the program with stable housing.” 82 “(iv) If a requested extension of FRSP assistance by a participant is 83 denied, the participant shall be given 30 days written notice prior to the final subsidy payment 84 explicitly setting forth the reason for the denial of additional assistance and inform the 85 participant that: 86 “(I) The FRSP participant has a right to appeal the 87 determination through a fair hearing and administrative review, including deadlines for 88 requesting an appeal; and 89 ENGROSSED ORIGINAL 5 “(II) The FRSP participant has a right to continuation of 90 FRSP services pending the outcome of any fair hearing requested within 15 days of receipt of 91 written notice of a termination”.” 92 Sec. 4. Sec. 5062(a) of the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2024, 93 passed on June 25, 2024 (Enrolled version of B25-0875), is amended to read as follows: 94 “(a) Section 7(b)(4)(B) of the Homeless Services Reform Act, effective October 22, 95 2005 (D.C. Law 16-35; D.C. Official Code § 4–753.01(b)(4)(B)), is amended as follows: 96 (1) The existing text is designated as sub-subparagraph (i). 97 (2) New sub-subparagraphs (ii), (iii), and (iv) are added to read as follows: 98 “(ii) Notwithstanding other law, provided funding be available 99 within the Family Re-Housing Stabilization Program (“FRSP”) to implement this sub-100 subparagraphs and sub-subparagraphs (iii) and (iv) of this subparagraph, the Department of 101 Human Services, or the Department’s designee, shall consider requests for FRSP assistance 102 extending past 12 months if: 103 “(I) The participant has requested an extension in writing; 104 “(II) The participant has made a good faith effort towards 105 the achievement of goals set forth in an individualized plan with the aim of a targeted 106 progression towards exit from the supports of FRSP, as observed by the service provider at 107 consistent intervals, but cannot yet sustain housing stability independently of the program; and 108 ENGROSSED ORIGINAL 6 “(III) The participant has not yet been approved for 109 permanently affordable housing. 110 “(iii) When making a determination of whether to grant a 111 participant in FRSP an extension beyond 12 months, the Department or Department's designee 112 shall: 113 “(I) Consider the totality of the circumstances; and 114 “(II) Grant extensions of time in increments not greater 115 than 6 months, with regular formal reviews every 3 months to ensure that participants are given 116 the support necessary to exit the program with stable housing.” 117 “(iv) If a requested extension of FRSP assistance by a participant is 118 denied, the participant shall be given 30 days written notice prior to the final subsidy payment 119 explicitly setting forth the reason for the denial of additional assistance and inform the 120 participant that: 121 “(I) The FRSP participant has a right to appeal the 122 determination through a fair hearing and administrative review, including deadlines for 123 requesting an appeal; and 124 “(II) The FRSP participant has a right to continuation of 125 FRSP services pending the outcome of any fair hearing requested within 15 days of receipt of 126 written notice of a termination”.” 127 Sec. 3. Applicability. 128 ENGROSSED ORIGINAL 7 This act shall apply as of July 10, 2024. 129 Sec. 54. Fiscal impact statement. 130 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director as the fiscal impact 131 statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 132 October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 133 Sec. 65. Effective date. 134 (a) This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by 135 the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review 136 as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved 137 December24, 1973 (87 Stat. 788; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the 138 District of Columbia Register. 139 (b) This act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect. 140