1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to housing; establishing a school stability 
  1.3             initiative for homeless children; appropriating money; 
  1.4             amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 462A.204, by 
  1.5             adding a subdivision. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [SCHOOL STABILITY INITIATIVE.] 
  1.8      The purpose of this act is to provide stable, affordable 
  1.9   housing for homeless children and their families and to support 
  1.10  social service programs aimed at keeping these children in 
  1.11  school. 
  1.12     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 462A.204, is 
  1.13  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.14     Subd. 8.  [SCHOOL STABILITY DEMONSTRATION.] (a) The agency 
  1.15  in consultation with the interagency task force on homelessness 
  1.16  may establish a school stability demonstration project under the 
  1.17  family homeless prevention and assistance program.  The purpose 
  1.18  of the demonstration project is to secure stable housing for 
  1.19  families with school-age children who have moved frequently and 
  1.20  for unaccompanied youth.  For purposes of this subdivision, 
  1.21  "unaccompanied youth" are minors who are leaving foster care or 
  1.22  juvenile correctional facilities, or minors who meet the 
  1.23  definition of a child in need of services or protection under 
  1.24  section 260.015, subdivision 2a, but for whom no court finding 
  1.25  has been made pursuant to that statute. 
  2.1      (b) The agency shall make grants to family homeless 
  2.2   prevention and assistance projects in communities with a school 
  2.3   or schools that have a significant degree of student mobility. 
  2.4      (c) Each demonstration project must be designed to reduce 
  2.5   school absenteeism; stabilize children in one home setting, or 
  2.6   at a minimum, in one school setting; and reduce shelter usage.  
  2.7   Each demonstration project must include plans for the following: 
  2.8      (1) targeting of families with children under age 12 who, 
  2.9   in the last 12 months have either:  changed schools or homes at 
  2.10  least once or been absent from school at least 15 percent of the 
  2.11  school year and who have either been evicted from their housing; 
  2.12  are living in overcrowded or hazardous lead conditions in their 
  2.13  current housing; or are paying more than 50 percent of their 
  2.14  income for rent; 
  2.15     (2) targeting of unaccompanied youth in need of an 
  2.16  alternative residential setting; 
  2.17     (3) connecting families with the social services necessary 
  2.18  to maintain the family's stability in their home; 
  2.19     (4) connecting families with job training programs; and 
  2.20     (5) one or more of the following: 
  2.21     (i) provision of rental assistance for a specified period 
  2.22  of time, which may exceed 24 months provided they have applied 
  2.23  for section 8 housing assistance; or 
  2.24     (ii) development of permanent supportive housing or 
  2.25  transitional housing. 
  2.26     (d) Notwithstanding subdivision 2, grants under this 
  2.27  section may be used to acquire, rehabilitate, or construct 
  2.28  transitional or permanent housing. 
  2.29     (e) Each grantee under the demonstration project must 
  2.30  include representatives of the local school district or targeted 
  2.31  schools, or both, and of the local community correction agencies 
  2.32  on its advisory committee. 
  2.33     Sec. 3.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.34     $....... in fiscal year 2000 is appropriated from the 
  2.35  general fund to the housing development fund to administer 
  2.36  section 2.