Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee House Bill HB0063 Compare Versions

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

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2	2	<BillNo> <Sponsor>
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4	4	HOUSE BILL 63
5	5	By Cepicky
6	6
7	7
8	8	HB0063
9	9	000039
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12	12	AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5;
13	13	Title 9; Title 13 and Title 71, Chapter 5, relative to
14	14	housing programs.
15	15
16	16	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
17	17	SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, Chapter 5, is amended by adding
18	18	the following as a new part:
19	19	71-5-1601.
20	20	There is created the Housing Opportunity and Pathways to Education (HOPE)
21	21	pilot program. The purposes of the pilot program are to:
22	22	(1) Support homeless families and those at risk of homelessness;
23	23	(2) Develop a comprehensive support system to transition families from
24	24	street-level homelessness to stable, permanent housing;
25	25	(3) Partner with local nonprofit organizations to address the housing,
26	26	educational, healthcare, economic, and community integration needs of
27	27	participants in the program; and
28	28	(4) Coordinate services for participants from the various federal, state,
29	29	and local entities that support homeless families.
30	30	71-5-1602.
31	31	The Tennessee housing development agency shall develop and manage the
32	32	HOPE pilot program.
33	33	71-5-1603.
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38	38	The Tennessee housing development agency shall establish a facility in each
39	39	county in which the HOPE pilot program is implemented. The facility must include space
40	40	for:
41	41	(1) A clinic for health appointments, including mental health and therapy;
42	42	(2) A community room for supportive meetings;
43	43	(3) Classrooms for adult learning programs;
44	44	(4) Tutoring rooms for children; and
45	45	(5) A child-safe room.
46	46	71-5-1604.
47	47	(a) The Tennessee housing development agency shall:
48	48	(1) Hire skilled, clinically licensed social workers for case management;
49	49	(2) Develop eligibility requirements for participants;
50	50	(3) Develop an application form; and
51	51	(4) Create four (4) levels of graduated services to be provided to
52	52	participants based on need and each participant's progress through the program.
53	53	(b) The levels of services created pursuant to subdivision (a)(4) must include,
54	54	but are not limited to:
55	55	(1) Level one:
56	56	(A) Assistance with obtaining identification documentation;
57	57	(B) Food and clothing assistance;
58	58	(C) Creation of an extreme weather plan for the participant;
59	59	(D) Provision of mail services;
60	60	(E) Access to a locker, shower, and laundry facilities;
61	61	(F) Access to a mobile clinic for primary care, mental health care,
62	62	dental care, and vision care;
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64	64
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67	67	(G) Contacts for legal aid services; and
68	68	(H) Voluntary child placement;
69	69	(2) Level two:
70	70	(A) Provision of transitional housing, including pet-friendly
71	71	housing;
72	72	(B) Community participation;
73	73	(C) Food and clothing assistance;
74	74	(D) Life coaching;
75	75	(E) Transportation;
76	76	(F) Access to a mobile clinic for primary care, mental health care,
77	77	dental care, and vision care; and
78	78	(G) Voluntary child placement;
79	79	(3) Level three:
80	80	(A) Supportive housing;
81	81	(B) Community participation;
82	82	(C) Food and clothing assistance;
83	83	(D) Life coaching;
84	84	(E) Transportation;
85	85	(F) Employment assistance;
86	86	(G) Established primary care; and
87	87	(H) Reintegration with children, if placed in some other custodial
88	88	environment, with educational support; and
89	89	(4) Level four:
90	90	(A) Stable, permanent housing;
91	91	(B) Establishment of an escrow account;
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96	96	(C) Community participation;
97	97	(D) Food and clothing assistance;
98	98	(E) Life coaching;
99	99	(F) Transportation;
100	100	(G) Employment assistance and job training;
101	101	(H) Mental health services;
102	102	(I) Continued health care;
103	103	(J) An education plan; and
104	104	(K) Reintegration with children, if placed in some other custodial
105	105	environment, with educational support.
106	106	71-5-1605.
107	107	Subject to appropriations, the Tennessee housing development agency shall
108	108	provide grants to local nonprofit organizations for participation in the HOPE pilot
109	109	program.
110	110	71-5-1606.
111	111	(a) Upon receipt of a completed application form, the Tennessee housing
112	112	development agency shall determine if the applicant meets the eligibility requirements
113	113	within five (5) business days.
114	114	(b) Once an applicant has been accepted for participation in the HOPE pilot
115	115	program, each state and local entity and each participating nonprofit organization shall
116	116	respond to requests for services from the Tennessee housing development agency
117	117	within five (5) business days of the request.
118	118	71-5-1607.
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123	123	(a) The Tennessee housing development agency shall, in coordination with the
124	124	department of safety, establish a streamlined identification documentation process for
125	125	participants in the program.
126	126	(b) A participant in the program may use the address of the central program
127	127	facility as the participant's official address for purposes of acquiring identification
128	128	documentation for the duration of the participant's involvement in the program.
129	129	(c) The Tennessee housing development agency shall assign a post office box
130	130	within the central program facility for each participant in the program if the participant is
131	131	using the central program facility as an address.
132	132	(d) Central program facility staff shall assist participants in gathering and
133	133	verifying necessary documentation for obtaining identification.
134	134	(e) A designated liaison at the central program facility shall oversee the
135	135	identification documentation application process, ensuring all applications are complete
136	136	and accurate before submission.
137	137	(f) If additional documentation is required, the liaison shall assist participants in
138	138	obtaining the necessary documents promptly.
139	139	(g) Central program facility staff shall maintain records of all identification
140	140	documentation applications and follow up on any pending or delayed applications.
141	141	71-5-1608.
142	142	The pilot program created pursuant to this part expires July 1, 2030.
143	143	71-5-1609.
144	144	This part applies in a county with a population of not less than one hundred
145	145	thousand (100,000) and not more than one hundred one thousand (101,000), according
146	146	to the 2020 or a subsequent federal census.
147	147	SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.