New York Senate Bill S06127 Latest Draft

   
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6127 2023-2024 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE March 30, 2023 ___________ Introduced by Sens. PARKER, ADDABBO, BAILEY, COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs AN ACT to amend the veterans' services law, the social services law, and the mental hygiene law, in relation to providing veterans' housing The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The veterans' services law is amended by adding a new 2 section 6-a to read as follows: 3 § 6-a. Veterans' housing. 1. For purposes of this section, the follow- 4 ing terms shall have the following meanings: 5 a. "Transitional housing" means temporary housing for veterans and 6 shall include bridge housing and service-intensive transitional housing. 7 b. "Bridge housing" means transitional housing in which a veteran may 8 await permanent housing placement. No veteran shall be required to spend 9 more than ninety days in bridge housing. 10 c. "Service-intensive housing" means transitional housing in which 11 veterans are provided support and resources to actively seek permanent 12 housing. Service-intensive housing shall provide veterans with general- 13 ized case-management, clinically appropriate care, and job training. 14 d. "Permanent housing" means long-term housing and shall not include 15 bridge housing or service-intensive housing. Permanent housing may be 16 supported through a local, state, or federal housing program. 17 e. "Homeless" means a person who is undomiciled or unsheltered, and is 18 unable to secure permanent or stable housing without special assistance, 19 as determined by the department. 20 f. "Housing first principles" means the approach articulated by the 21 United States department of housing and urban development that prior- 22 itizes placement of homeless individuals in housing without precondi- 23 tions and barriers to entry, such as sobriety, treatment or service 24 participation requirements. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD07589-01-3 
 S. 6127 2 1 2. In consultation with the division of housing and community renewal, 2 the office for temporary disability assistance, the office of mental 3 health, and the office of addiction services and supports, the depart- 4 ment shall ensure that homeless veterans are housed according to federal 5 housing first principles. 6 3. The department shall provide immediate housing to every homeless 7 veteran who requests to be housed. Such housing may be transitional 8 housing or permanent housing and shall not be contingent on sobriety, 9 minimum income requirements, absence of a criminal record, or any other 10 conditions deemed unnecessary by the state director. Long-term service- 11 intensive housing shall only be provided in limited instances and only 12 when the veteran specifically chooses to remain in service-intensive 13 housing despite the availability of permanent housing. Any veteran who 14 chooses long-term service-intensive housing shall be provided a monthly 15 review of all available services and housing options. Absent a veteran's 16 choice to remain in service-intensive housing, all homeless veterans 17 shall be placed in permanent housing at the first available opportunity 18 using federal housing first principles. 19 4. The department shall prepare and publish an annual report on its 20 website detailing the resources, plans, partnerships, and system capaci- 21 ty for housing homeless veterans. The report shall identify all sources 22 of data upon which it relied and shall contain recommendations on how to 23 better provide housing and related services to homeless veterans. 24 § 2. Section 20 of the social services law is amended by adding a new 25 subdivision 9 to read as follows: 26 9. The office of temporary and disability assistance shall consult 27 with the commissioner of veterans' services, the commissioner of the 28 division of housing and community renewal, the commissioner of the 29 office of temporary disability assistance, the commissioner of the 30 office of mental health, and the commissioner of the office of addiction 31 services and supports to provide housing services to homeless veterans 32 pursuant to section six-a of the veterans' services law. 33 § 3. Section 7.07 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new 34 subdivision (i) to read as follows: 35 (i) The office shall consult with the commissioner of veterans' 36 services, the commissioner of the division of housing and community 37 renewal, the commissioner of the office of temporary disability assist- 38 ance, and the commissioner of the office of addiction services and 39 supports to provide housing services to homeless veterans pursuant to 40 section six-a of the veterans' services law. 41 § 4. Section 19.07 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding a 42 new subdivision (o) to read as follows: 43 (o) The office shall consult with the commissioner of veterans' 44 services, the commissioner of the division of housing and community 45 renewal, the commissioner of the office of temporary disability assist- 46 ance, and the commissioner of the office of mental health to provide 47 housing services to homeless veterans pursuant to section six-a of the 48 veterans' services law. 49 § 5. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same 50 manner as section 2 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, takes 51 effect.