District Of Columbia 2023 2023-2024 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B25-0868 Engrossed / Bill

Filed 07/09/2024

                      	ENGROSSED ORIGINAL 
 
 
 
 
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A BILL 1 
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25-868  3 
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 5 
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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 
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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 
 
 
 
 
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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 
 
 
 
 
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“(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 
 
 
 
 
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“(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 
 
 
 
 
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“(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 
 
 
 
 
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 “(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 
 
 
 
 
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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