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91_HB2198enr
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1 AN ACT to amend the Homelessness Prevention Act by
2 changing Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 13 and by adding
3 Sections 4.5 and 9.5.
4 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
5 represented in the General Assembly:
6 Section 5. The Homelessness Prevention Act is amended by
7 changing Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 13 and by adding
8 Sections 4.5 and 9.5 as follows:
9 (310 ILCS 70/2) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1302)
10 Sec. 2. Legislative findings. The General Assembly
11 finds that homelessness frequently results from a temporary
12 economic crisis such as a temporary loss of employment,
13 medical emergency, or loss or interruption of public
14 benefits. It is also found that the prevention of
15 homelessness, as opposed to providing temporary shelter or
16 offering other short-term solutions to persons who become
17 homeless, is cost-effective, preserves family self-respect
18 and helps to keep families intact.
19 The General Assembly also finds that short-term
20 interventions for the prevention of homelessness serve to
21 prevent the need for long-term assistance programs that are
22 more costly to taxpayers.
23 (Source: P.A. 86-1454.)
24 (310 ILCS 70/3) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1303)
25 Sec. 3. Definitions. As used in this Act:
26 (a) "Department" means the Department of Human Services
27 (acting as successor to the Illinois Department of Public Aid
28 under the Department of Human Services Act).
29 "Grantee" means a county, a township, a municipality, or
30 an Illinois not-for-profit corporation receiving grants
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1 authorized by this Act.
2 (b) "Household" means 2 or more persons residing
3 together, or a person living alone.
4 "Service area" means the county, township, municipality,
5 or other geographical area served by a grantee under this
6 Act.
7 (Source: P.A. 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)
8 (310 ILCS 70/4) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1304)
9 Sec. 4. Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program.
10 (a) The Department shall establish a family homelessness
11 prevention and assistance program to stabilize families in
12 their existing homes, to shorten the amount of time that
13 families stay in emergency shelters, and to assist families
14 with securing affordable transitional or permanent housing.
15 The Department shall make grants, from funds appropriated to
16 it from the Homelessness Prevention Fund, to develop and
17 implement homelessness prevention and assistance projects
18 under this Act. The Department is authorized to establish a
19 Homeless Prevention Demonstration Program, but only if the
20 State receives federal matching funds for expenditures made
21 by the State under the Emergency Food and Shelter Program
22 authorized by Section 12-4.5 of the Illinois Public Aid Code.
23 No funds from the Emergency Food and Shelter Program
24 authorized by Section 12-4.5 of the Illinois Public Aid Code
25 may be used for this demonstration program.
26 (b) To fund this demonstration program, there is created
27 in the State Treasury a fund to be known as the Homelessness
28 Prevention Fund. As permitted by Section 12-5 of the
29 Illinois Public Aid Code, the Department, with the consent of
30 the Governor, may deposit into the Homelessness Prevention
31 Fund any or all federal funds received as reimbursement for
32 food and shelter assistance under the Emergency Food and
33 Shelter Program authorized by Section 12-4.5 of the Illinois
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1 Public Aid Code. Moneys in the Fund, subject to
2 appropriation, may be expended for the purposes of this Act.
3 Under this demonstration program, grants shall be made on
4 behalf of households, in times of crisis, which might
5 otherwise become homeless. Grants may be made from funds
6 appropriated for the purposes of this Act the program and
7 from any federal funds or funds from other sources which are
8 made available for the purposes of this Act this program.
9 Grants shall be made under this Act the program only to the
10 extent that such funds are available. The Department may
11 limit the design and operation of the program to certain
12 areas of the State. The Department may administer the
13 program or may contract with a private nonprofit social
14 service agency to administer the program.
15 (Source: P.A. 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)
16 (310 ILCS 70/4.5 new)
17 Sec. 4.5. Grant eligibility. The Department shall award
18 grants to grantees that agree to focus their emergency
19 response systems on homeless prevention and securing
20 permanent or transitional housing for homeless households.
21 The Department shall consider the extent to which the
22 proposed project activities demonstrate ways in which
23 existing resources in a service area may be more effectively
24 coordinated. Priority in awarding grants will be given to
25 applicants participating in an established continuum of care.
26
27 (310 ILCS 70/5) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1305)
28 Sec. 5. Eligibility for assistance. Grantees may offer
29 assistance to households in their service area when: No
30 household shall be eligible for assistance unless:
31 (a) (Blank); the household meets categorical eligibility
32 for the Aid to Families with Dependent Children Program and
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1 has an income equal to or less than the standard of need for
2 this program. The Department may establish, by rule, higher
3 income levels;
4 (b) the household is in imminent danger of eviction,
5 foreclosure or homelessness, or is currently homeless;
6 (c) the household documents a temporary economic crisis
7 beyond the household's control, evidenced by at least one of
8 the following conditions:
9 (1) loss of employment;
10 (2) medical disability or emergency;
11 (3) loss or delay of some form of public benefits;
12 (4) natural disaster;
13 (5) substantial change in household composition;
14 (6) victimization by criminal activity;
15 (7) illegal action by a landlord;
16 (8) displacement by government or private action;
17 or
18 (9) some other condition which constitutes a
19 hardship comparable to the other conditions enumerated
20 above;
21 (d) all other federal, State or local housing subsidies
22 are unavailable have been exhausted; and
23 (e) the applicant demonstrates an ability to meet the
24 prospective rental obligation after the assistance has been
25 granted based on current or anticipated income.
26 (Source: P.A. 86-1454.)
27 (310 ILCS 70/6) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1306)
28 Sec. 6. Forms of assistance. Assistance offered to
29 households by grantees under the demonstration program shall
30 include but not be limited to the following:
31 (a) payment of a rent arrearage in an amount established
32 as necessary to defeat the eviction, but shall in no event be
33 greater than 3 months of rental arrears; or
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1 (b) payment of a rent deposit or security deposit and
2 payment of not more than 2 months rent;.
3 (c) payment of utility bills and arrearages; or
4 (d) support services, where appropriate, to prevent
5 homelessness or repeated episodes of homelessness.
6 (Source: P.A. 86-1454.)
7 (310 ILCS 70/8) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1308)
8 Sec. 8. Payment of assistance. Assistance provided
9 under this Act may be paid to a landlord, utility company, or
10 other vendor who provides housing or other services to an
11 applicant for assistance.
12 (Source: P.A. 86-1454.)
13 (310 ILCS 70/9) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1309)
14 Sec. 9. Staff accepting applications; training and
15 experience. A grantee's staff accepting applications from
16 households for assistance under the program shall be trained
17 or experienced in the following: the operation of the
18 program and any regulations adopted in relation to the
19 program by the Department; identification of federal, State
20 and local agencies and services which are relevant to the
21 program and the program's clients; dissemination of
22 information relating to the program; intake, screening and
23 referral procedures; and other areas to be determined by the
24 Department. If the Department contracts with a private
25 entity for the operation of the program, the Department shall
26 ensure that the staff of the entity have experience and
27 training as specified in this Section.
28 (Source: P.A. 86-1454.)
29 (310 ILCS 70/9.5 new)
30 Sec. 9.5. Consultation. Grantees shall consult on a
31 regular basis with the local established continuum of care in
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1 preparing the project proposal and in the design,
2 implementation, and evaluation of the project.
3 (310 ILCS 70/13) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1313)
4 Sec. 13. Report. The Department shall report on program
5 activities that provide assistance or services to homeless
6 persons under this Act as part of its annual report to the
7 General Assembly. The Department shall conduct an evaluation
8 of the program and present the findings from the evaluation
9 in a report to the General Assembly and the Governor no later
10 than 5 months after the first fiscal year of operation.
11 (Source: P.A. 86-1454.)
12 (310 ILCS 70/7 rep.)
13 Section 10. The Homelessness Prevention Act is amended
14 by repealing Section 7.
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