SF 311

1st Engrossment - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/26/2015 08:48am

A bill for an act
relating to housing; establishing a competitive grant program for rental subsidies
for exploited women and children; appropriating money for a competitive grant
program.

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

Section 1. new text begin EXPLOITED WOMEN AND CHILDREN RENTAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Rental assistance program. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of housing finance
shall establish a competitive grant program to serve women and children from Asian and
other emerging ethnic communities who are at risk of being homeless who have been
victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, international abusive marriage, or
a forced marriage. The commissioner shall award grants to nonprofits that can provide
linguistically and culturally appropriate services or who have a plan to partner with an
organization that can provide appropriate services and that have the capacity to serve
immigrant women and children. At least one grant must be to a program that serves an
area outside of the seven-county metro area. The grant recipients must:
new text end

new text begin (1) provide rental assistance to pregnant women or women with custody over a
minor child at risk of being homeless and who are victims of domestic violence, sexual
assault, trafficking, an international abusive marriage, or a forced marriage;
new text end

new text begin (2) require the participant to pay 30 percent of the participant's income toward
the rent;
new text end

new text begin (3) allow the families to choose their own housing, including single-family homes,
townhomes, and apartments;
new text end

new text begin (4) give priority to families with more than four children and to heads of household
that are recent immigrants or refugees and have limited English proficiency;
new text end

new text begin (5) provide rental assistance for up to 24 months;
new text end

new text begin (6) provide linguistically and culturally appropriate victim advocacy and supportive
services or partner with a program that can provide appropriate services; and
new text end

new text begin (7) require participants in the program to actively seek employment or activities that
will assist them in gaining future employment.
new text end

new text begin For the purposes of this section, supportive services can include educational, social, legal
advocacy, child care, employment assistance, money management, mental health, health
care, or other services. Organizations providing services to emerging ethnic communities
are eligible to receive grants and can partner with other organizations to provide services.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Program information. new text end

new text begin All grant recipients must collect and make
available to the commissioner of housing finance aggregate data to assist the agency
in the evaluation of the program.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated
from the housing trust fund to the commissioner of housing finance for grants to the
exploited women and children rental assistance program.
new text end

new text begin (b) $250,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $250,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated
from the general fund to the commissioner of human services for grants to recipients of
funding under the exploited women and children rental assistance program to provide
supportive services. Organizations selected by grant recipients to provide supportive
services are also eligible for grants under this section.
new text end