HF 444

3rd Engrossment - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/02/2023 06:48pm

A bill for an act
relating to human services; modifying the Homeless Youth Act; appropriating
money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 256K.45, by adding a
subdivision.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 256K.45, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

Subd. 8.

Awarding of grants.

For grants awarded pursuant to a two-year grant contract,
the commissioner shall permit grant recipients to carry over any unexpended amount from
the first contract year to the second contract year.

Sec. 2. TITLE.

This act shall be known as the "Pathway Home Act."

Sec. 3. DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES APPROPRIATIONS.

Subdivision 1.

Emergency services grants.

$20,000,000 in fiscal year 2024 and
$20,000,000 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of human services to provide emergency services grants under Minnesota Statutes, section
256E.36. Grant allocation balances in the first year do not cancel but are available in the
second year. The base appropriation for this purpose is $35,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 and
$35,000,000 in fiscal year 2027.

Subd. 2.

Homeless Management Information System.

$250,000 in fiscal year 2024
and $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of human services to assist with the ongoing maintenance and improvement
of the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). The base appropriation for this
purpose is $1,140,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $1,140,000 in fiscal year 2027.

Subd. 3.

Homeless Youth Act grants.

$12,500,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $12,500,000
in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of human
services for the grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 256K.45, subdivision 1. This
appropriation is available until June 30, 2027. The base appropriation for this purpose is
$20,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $20,000,000 in fiscal year 2027.

Subd. 4.

Homeless youth; chosen family grants.

$2,000,000 in fiscal year 2024 is
appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of human services for grants to
providers serving homeless youth and youth at risk of homelessness in Minnesota to establish
or expand services that formalize situations where a caring adult whom a youth considers
chosen family allows the youth to stay at the adult's residence to avoid being homeless. This
is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2025.

Subd. 5.

Transitional housing programs.

$4,500,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $4,500,000
in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of human
services for transitional housing programs under Minnesota Statutes, section 256E.33.

Subd. 6.

Human services operations.

$1,204,422 in fiscal year 2024 and $1,392,968
in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of human
services for staffing costs related to the administration of grants in subdivisions 1 and 3 to
5. The general fund base for this appropriation is $1,392,968 in fiscal year 2026 and
$1,392,968 in fiscal year 2027.

Sec. 4. EMERGENCY SHELTER FACILITIES.

Subdivision 1.

Definitions.

(a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have
the meanings given.

(b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of human services.

(c) "Eligible applicant" means a statutory or home rule charter city, county, Tribal
government, not-for-profit corporation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code, or housing and redevelopment authority established under Minnesota Statutes, section
469.003.

(d) "Emergency shelter facility" or "facility" means a facility that provides a safe, sanitary,
accessible, and suitable emergency shelter for individuals and families experiencing
homelessness, regardless of whether the facility provides emergency shelter during the day,
overnight, or both.

Subd. 2.

Appropriation.

(a) $150,000,000 in fiscal year 2024 is appropriated from the
general fund to the commissioner for grants to eligible applicants for the acquisition of
property; site preparation, including demolition; predesign; design; construction; renovation;
furnishing; and equipping of emergency shelter facilities in accordance with subdivision 3.

(b) $397,633 in fiscal year 2024 and $800,824 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from
the general fund to the commissioner of human services for staffing costs related to the
administration of emergency shelter facilities grants in this section. The general fund base
for this appropriation is $765,336 in fiscal year 2026, $306,134 in fiscal year 2027, $306,134
in fiscal year 2028, and $0 in fiscal year 2029.

(c) Of the amount in paragraph (a), notwithstanding subdivision 3, up to $4,000,000 is
to design, construct, equip, and furnish the Simpson Housing Services shelter facility in the
city of Minneapolis.

Subd. 3.

Project criteria.

(a) The commissioner shall prioritize grants under this section
for projects that improve or expand emergency shelter facility options by:

(1) adding additional emergency shelter facilities by renovating existing facilities not
currently operating as emergency shelter facilities;

(2) adding additional emergency shelter facility beds by renovating existing emergency
shelter facilities, including major projects that address an accumulation of deferred
maintenance or repair or replacement of mechanical, electrical, and safety systems and
components in danger of failure;

(3) adding additional emergency shelter facility beds through acquisition and construction
of new emergency shelter facilities;

(4) improving the safety, sanitation, accessibility, and habitability of existing emergency
shelter facilities, including major projects that address an accumulation of deferred
maintenance or repair or replacement of mechanical, electrical, and safety systems and
components in danger of failure; and

(5) improving access to emergency shelter facilities that provide culturally appropriate
shelter and gender-inclusive shelter.

(b) A grant under this section may be used to pay for 100 percent of total project capital
expenditures or a specified project phase, up to $10,000,000 per project. For eligible
applicants seeking funding under this section for the acquisition and construction of new
emergency shelter facilities under paragraph (a), clause (3), the commissioner must give
priority to projects in which the eligible applicant will provide at least ten percent of total
project funding.

(c) All projects funded with a grant under this section must meet all applicable state and
local building codes at the time of project completion.

(d) The commissioner must use a competitive request for proposal process to identify
potential projects and eligible applicants on a statewide basis. At least 40 percent of the
appropriation under this section must be awarded to projects located in greater Minnesota.
If the commissioner does not receive sufficient eligible funding requests from greater
Minnesota to award at least 40 percent of the appropriation under this section to projects in
greater Minnesota, the commissioner may award the remaining funds to other eligible
projects.

(e) This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2028.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective July 1, 2023.