BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1177
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 1177 (Fong and Hill)
As Amended June 1, 2009
Majority vote
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONS 7-4 HUMAN SERVICES 5-2
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|Ayes:|Hayashi, Eng, Hernandez, |Ayes:|Beall, Ammiano, Hall, |
| |Nava, | |Portantino, Torres |
| |John A. Perez, Price, | | |
| |Ruskin | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Emmerson, Conway, Niello, |Nays:|Tom Berryhill, Logue |
| |Smyth | | |
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APPROPRIATIONS 12-5
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|Ayes:|De Leon, Ammiano, Charles | | |
| |Calderon, Davis, Fuentes, | | |
| |Hall, John A. Perez, Price, | | |
| |Skinner, Solorio, Torlakson, | | |
| |Krekorian | | |
| | | | |
|-----+-----------------------------+-+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Nielsen, Duvall, Harkey, | | |
| |Miller, | | |
| |Audra Strickland | | |
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SUMMARY : Requires various state agencies to meet quarterly to
coordinate efforts on homelessness, and requires the Governor to
designate a lead agency. Specifically, this bill :
1)Creates the California Interagency Council on Homelessness
(council), whose mission is to construct cross-agency and
community cooperation in responding to homelessness, to use a
more efficient and supportive method in implementing
evidence-based approaches to address homelessness, and, to the
extent possible, plan to end homelessness in the state.
2)Requires the Governor to designate a lead agency to seek all
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available federal funding, including, but not limited to,
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act grant and technical
assistance funds, for purposes of funding the council and its
activities.
3)Requires the council meet at least quarterly, and include:
a) At least one representative with decision making
authority from each of the following:
i) The State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs;
ii) The Department of Community Services and
Development;
iii) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation;
iv) The State Department of Education;
v) The State Department of Health Care Services;
vi) The Department of Housing and Community Development;
vii) The California Housing Finance Agency;
viii) The State Department of Mental Health;
ix) The State Department of Social Services;
x) The California Tax Credit Allocation Committee; and,
xi) The Department of Veterans Affairs.
b) A representative of the Governor's office;
c) A representative from the Senate, to be appointed by the
President pro Tempore of the Senate, or his or her
designee;
d) A representative from the Assembly, to be appointed by
the Speaker of the Assembly, or his or her designee;
e) Two members of the philanthropic community from
organizations that are active in homelessness issues, to be
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appointed by the Governor;
f) Representatives of at least two stakeholder
organizations, to be appointed by the Governor; and,
g) At least two people who have experienced homelessness,
to be appointed by the Governor.
4)Requires the Governor to appoint a chairperson and
vice-chairperson from among the members of the council.
5)States that all members of the council shall serve without
compensation, unless private, philanthropic or other nonstate
funding resources are available, or unless the Legislature
makes a future appropriation, to operate, manage, or conduct
the business of the council.
6)Requires all reports or documents created by the council to be
submitted at least annually specified Legislative committees.
7)Requires the council to:
a) Act as the lead for coordinating and planning the
state's response to homelessness, including, but not
limited to, coordinating funding that the state receives
from the federal government for the prevention or reduction
of homelessness or for services delivered to people who are
homeless or at risk of homelessness;
b) Solicit input and suggestions from stakeholders, the
business community, the concerned public, and other
governmental agencies on the most effective strategies to
address homelessness;
c) Identify best practices from other states in combating
homelessness;
d) Create a plan for council actions by the end of the
first year after the initial meeting, with annual review,
to implement recommendations for policy, regulatory, and
resource changes needed to accomplish objectives, as well
as each agency's responsibilities on the council;
e) Publish a plan to reduce or end homelessness within
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three years;
f) Collaborate on planning for discharge of people likely
to become homeless after leaving institutions, including,
but not limited to, prisons, crisis health care facilities,
and foster care;
g) Create, not later than January 1, 2015, a centralized
database on homelessness, provided federal funds or other
nonstate moneys are available for that purpose;
h) Assist, not later than January 1, 2017, in the
coordination of a statewide continuum of care, provided
funds are available; and,
i) Identify private and public funding partnerships.
8)Requires the council to operate within the current budget of
each department and agency represented, as specified. Each
department and agency shall cooperate with the council and
furnish it with information and assistance that is necessary
or useful to further the purposes of this chapter.
9)Makes Legislative findings and declarations.
10)Defines the following terms:
a) "At risk of homelessness" means a history of
homelessness and an income of 30% or below the area median
income;
b) "Council" means the California Interagency Council on
Homelessness;
c) "Homelessness" means a condition where a person lacks a
fixed, regular, or adequate nighttime residence or who has
a primary nighttime residence that is either a supervised
publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide
temporary living accommodations or a public or private
place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular
sleeping accommodation for a human being. Homelessness
also applies to a person who is exiting an institutional
setting and is at risk of homelessness, or is living in
transitional or temporary housing; and,
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d) "Stakeholder organization" means a nonprofit or
faith-based organization whose primary mission is to
prevent or end homelessness, to provide services or health
care to people who are homeless, or to create housing for
people who are homeless.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, cost pressure for the lead agency in the range of
$350,000 per year. It is likely, however, that once the council
is established and operates as a continuum of care or
establishes a continuum of care for the state, federal funds
would be available to offset the costs of the council.
COMMENTS : According to information from the sponsor, California
Supportive Housing, California has the largest homeless
population in the nation, but is the only large state without an
interagency council on homelessness. More than 10 California
agencies administer programs affecting homelessness, but there
is no official coordination to ensure greatest efficiencies.
Corporation for Supportive Housing reports that although 12% of
the nation's residents live in California, about 26% of the
nation's homeless population resides in California. With these
statistics, California not only has the highest population of
homeless people, but the highest ratio of homeless people.
Whereas the national incidence of homelessness is one in 400,
one of every 105 Californians is homeless on any given night.
The health, personal, and economic challenges that chronically
homeless individuals and families face and the lack of
effective, coordinated services to address these problems often
lead to a vicious cycle of housing instability and health
deterioration. Health conditions of those experiencing
long-term homelessness often prevent housing stability, while
persistent homelessness impedes access to needed health and
employment services. Consequently, people who are chronically
homeless cycle through costly emergency-driven public
systems-emergency shelters, emergency rooms, detoxification
centers, criminal justice facilities-without getting the ongoing
care they need to address severe mental illness, substance abuse
disorders, or chronic health conditions. People who experience
multiple episodes or homelessness, who are chronically homeless,
or who frequently use avoidable crisis services use a
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disproportionate share of public resources.
Analysis Prepared by : Sarah Huchel / B. & P. / (916) 319-3301
FN: 0001296