Plain English Breakdown
The official text states the program aims to help people 'exit homelessness and remain stably housed,' which implies a focus on those currently homeless or at risk, though it does not explicitly exclude others with recent incarceration histories.
Reentry Housing and Workforce Development Program
This law creates a new program within the Department of Housing and Community Development to provide grants for housing and job services to people with recent histories of incarceration.
What This Bill Does
- Establishes the Reentry Housing and Workforce Development Program in the Department of Housing and Community Development.
- Requires the department to begin providing grants by July 1, 2026, if the Legislature provides funding.
- Provides grants for innovative or evidence-based housing, housing services, and employment interventions.
- Creates a referral process involving prisons (Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation) and counties to connect participants with programs.
- Requires grant recipients to use funds for long-term rental assistance in permanent housing, landlord incentives, and services to help access permanent supportive housing.
- Mandates that the department sign five-year contracts with awarded organizations that can renew automatically.
- Requires program recipients to submit annual reports to the department.
- Requires an independent evaluator to assess program outcomes and report findings to legislative committees.
Who It Names or Affects
- People with recent histories of incarceration who are experiencing homelessness or at risk
- The Department of Housing and Community Development
- Organizations applying for grants under the new program
- Landlords receiving incentives through the program
Terms To Know
- Appropriation
- Money that the Legislature officially sets aside to fund a specific purpose.
- Incarceration
- The state of being held in prison or jail.
- Permanent supportive housing
- Long-term affordable homes that offer services to help people stay housed and employed.
Limits and Unknowns
- The program can only start giving money if the Legislature approves funding.
- The law does not state how much total money will be available for grants.
- Specific criteria used to score grant applications are mentioned but not detailed in this summary.