California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 585


Introduced by Assembly Member Fox

February 20, 2013


An act to add and repeal Section 713 of the Military and Veterans Code, relating to veterans, and making an appropriation therefor.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 585, as introduced, Fox. Homeless veterans’ assistance pilot program.

Under existing law, the Department of Veterans Affairs has specified powers and duties relating to various programs serving veterans, including establishing housing projects. Existing law requires the department to include specified information in its strategic plan related to homeless veterans.

This bill would establish, until January 1, 2018, the Homeless Veterans’ Housing Assistance Pilot Program, in up to 4 counties that agree to participate. The bill would provide that the pilot program would be administered at the state level by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, in consultation with the Department of Housing and Community Development, and would prescribe the department’s responsibilities in this regard. This bill would require the department to provide $100,000 to each county for purposes of the pilot program, from which the county would provide a monthly stipend of $500 to eligible homeless veterans. The bill would appropriate $5,000,000 from the General Fund to the Homeless Veterans’ Housing Assistance Fund, which the bill would create, for purposes of the pilot program.

Vote: 23. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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SECTION 1.  

Section 713 is added to the Military and Veterans
2Code
, to read:

3

713.  

(a) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as the
4Homeless Veterans’ Housing Assistance Pilot Program.

5(b) The department in consultation with the Department of
6Housing and Community Development, shall establish a four-year
7pilot program in up to four counties, to provide assistance to
8homeless veterans as provided in this section. Under the program,
9each county that agrees to participate in the program shall provide
10a monthly housing stipend of five hundred dollars ($500) to eligible
11veterans identified by the county.

12(c) The department shall serve as the lead agency for the pilot
13program. The department’s responsibilities shall include, but shall
14not be limited to, all of the following:

15(1) Development of criteria for the selection of the pilot program
16counties.

17(2) Selection of the pilot program counties to participate in the
18pilot program.

19(3) Providing, or arranging for, technical assistance to
20participating counties.

21(4) Development of specific performance outcome measures
22by which the program can be evaluated.

23(d) (1)The sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) is hereby
24appropriated from the General Fund to the Homeless Veterans’
25Housing Assistance Fund, which is hereby created, to implement
26the pilot program created by this section. Moneys in the fund shall
27be allocated by the department as provided in paragraph (2).

28(2) Of the funds appropriated pursuant to this section, one
29hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) shall be allocated to each
30participating county for the purposes of providing the housing
31stipend described in subdivision (b).

32(e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2018,
33and as of that date is repealed.



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