SB 406-FN-A - AS INTRODUCED
2024 SESSION
24-3003
05/08
SENATE BILL 406-FN-A
AN ACT relative to emergency housing assistance and making an appropriation therefor.
SPONSORS: Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Altschiller, Dist 24; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Chandley, Dist 11; Sen. Prentiss, Dist 5; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Rep. D. Paige, Carr. 1
COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services
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ANALYSIS
This bill directs the department of health and human services to establish a homelessness prevention pilot program, to be administered through municipalities and community action programs. The bill also makes an appropriation to the department of health and human services to assist municipalities in providing emergency housing assistance and preventing homelessness.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
24-3003
05/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
AN ACT relative to emergency housing assistance and making an appropriation therefor.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraph; Homelessness Prevention Pilot Program. Amend RSA 161:2 by inserting after paragraph XVIII the following new paragraph:
XVIII-a. Housing Assistance; Homelessness Prevention. Develop a homeless prevention pilot program to be administered by municipalities and community action programs. Subject to available funding, the pilot program shall address homelessness in specific communities throughout the state based on the unique needs of the community and the population experiencing homelessness. The goal of the program shall be to enable social service providers to tailor assistance to the unique needs of the individual or family experiencing homelessness, pursuant to an individualized service plan. The department shall adopt rules under RSA 541-A, relative to program administration, including eligibility criteria, service plan options, and fund disbursement.
2 Housing Expenses for Homeless People; Appropriation. The sum of $5,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024 is hereby appropriated to the department of health and human services for residents experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. No later than August 1, 2024, the department shall distribute funding to local governments to assist with eviction prevention, rehousing, or shelter accommodation. The sum distributed to municipalities shall be based on each municipality’s share of total Medicaid enrollees as of April 30, 2024. Municipalities shall use the funds to make payments to homeless shelters, overnight lodging providers offering discounted rates, or landlords, as applicable, to accommodate residents experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness in their community. The governor shall determine if any discretionary funds appropriated in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2, or any other federal funds, can be used for this purpose, and the department shall expend such federal funds for this purpose. Any remainder shall be appropriated from the general fund. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for the general fund portion of such sum from any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated. The funds appropriated in this section may be considered unanticipated money under RSA 31:95-b and may be accepted and expended pursuant to RSA 31:95-b, II through IV, whether or not a political subdivision has adopted the provisions of RSA 31:95-b. The department of health and human services shall partner with the New Hampshire Local Welfare Administrators Association to provide information and training on best practices for homeless prevention and response.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect June 30, 2024.
24-3003
Revised 1/30/24
SB 406-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to emergency housing assistance and making an appropriation therefor.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ X ] Local [ ] None
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Estimated State Impact - Increase / (Decrease) | ||||||
| FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | ||
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | None | |||||
Expenditures | $0 | $5 million | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | General Fund Federal ARPA funds | |||||
Appropriations | $5 million | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | General Fund Federal ARPA funds | |||||
• Does this bill provide sufficient funding to cover estimated expenditures? [X] Yes • Does this bill authorize new positions to implement this bill? [X] No | ||||||
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Estimated Political Subdivision Impact - Increase / (Decrease) | ||||||
| FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | ||
County Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
County Expenditures | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Local Revenue | $0 | $4.9 million | $0 | $0 | ||
Local Expenditures | $0 | $4.9 million | $0 | $0 | ||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill establishes a homelessness prevention pilot program, to be administered by municipalities and community action programs. The bill appropriates $5 million to the Department of Health and Human Services for the purpose of distributing funds to municipalities to assist with eviction prevention, rehousing, and shelter accommodation. The funds are to come first from federal American Rescue Plan Act or other federal money, while any remaining sums shall be a charge against the general fund. The bill appropriates the funds on June 30, 2024 (the last day of fiscal year 2024); however, any general funds appropriated would lapse at the close of that same fiscal year. As a result, the Department would not be able to distribute the funds to municipalities since the bill contains no language allowing the Department to carry the funds forward into FY25. The Department states that to provide coordination and management of the pilot program, it will need to hire a new program specialist IV at a cost of $93,000 in FY25. The Department assumes the cost of the position will be deducted from the appropriation provided in the bill, resulting in municipalities receiving approximately $4.9 million. Since the bill establishes a pilot program subject to funding, it is assumed for the purposes of this fiscal note that the costs will be incurred in FY25 only.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Health and Human Services