1997 Minnesota Statutes

     268.38 Transitional housing programs. 

    Subdivision 1.    Definitions.  For the purpose of this 
 section the following terms have the meanings given:  

    (a) "Transitional housing" means housing designed for 
 independent living and provided to a homeless person or family 
 at a rental rate of at least 25 percent of the family income for 
 a period of up to 24 months.  If a transitional housing program 
 is associated with a licensed facility or shelter, it must be 
 located in a separate facility or a specified section of the 
 main facility where residents can be responsible for their own 
 meals and other daily needs.  

    (b) "Support services" means an assessment service that 
 identifies the needs of individuals for independent living and 
 arranges or provides for the appropriate educational, social, 
 legal, advocacy, child care, employment, financial, health care, 
 or information and referral services to meet these needs.  

    (c) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of economic 
 security. 

    Subd. 2.    Establishment and administration.  A 
 transitional housing program is established to be administered 
 by the commissioner.  The commissioner may make grants to 
 eligible recipients or enter into agreements with community 
 action agencies or other public or private nonprofit agencies to 
 make grants to eligible recipients to initiate, maintain, or 
 expand programs to provide transitional housing and support 
 services for persons in need of transitional housing, which may 
 include up to six months of follow-up support services for 
 persons who complete transitional housing as they stabilize in 
 permanent housing.  The commissioner shall ensure that money 
 appropriated to implement this section is distributed as soon as 
 practicable.  The commissioner may make grants directly to 
 eligible recipients. 

    Subd. 3.    Eligible recipients.  A housing and 
 redevelopment authority established under section 469.003 or a 
 community action agency recognized under section 268.53 is 
 eligible for assistance under the program.  In addition, a 
 partnership, joint venture, corporation, or association that 
 meets the following requirements is also eligible:  

    (1) it is established for a purpose not involving pecuniary 
 gain to its members, partners, or shareholders; 

    (2) it does not pay dividends or other pecuniary 
 remuneration, directly or indirectly, to its members, partners, 
 or shareholders; and 

    (3) in the case of a private, nonprofit corporation, it is 
 established under and in compliance with chapter 317A.  

    Subd. 4.    Applications.  An eligible recipient may 
 apply to the commissioner, or to a nonprofit agency designated 
 by the commissioner, for a grant to initiate, maintain, or 
 expand a program providing transitional housing and support 
 services for persons in need of transitional housing.  The 
 application must include:  

    (1) a proposal for the provision of transitional housing 
 and support services, including program objectives, availability 
 of adequate funding, appropriateness of the proposed program for 
 the population to be served, and how the program will help 
 individuals to move into permanent housing; 

    (2) a proposed budget; 

    (3) a plan for collection of required data and the method 
 to be used for program evaluation; and 

    (4) evidence of the participation in the development of the 
 application of any agency or governmental body that will provide 
 essential services or assistance to the program. 

    Subd. 5.    Criteria for grant awards.  Criteria for the 
 award of grants must include:  

    (1) evidence that the application meets all program 
 requirements; 

    (2) evidence of the need of the applicant for state 
 assistance and of the need for the particular program; 

    (3) indication of long-range plans for future funding if 
 the need continues to exist for the service; and 

    (4) assurance that grants are awarded to as wide a variety 
 of programs as possible, with emphasis on programs that 
 concentrate on long-term solutions to individual housing 
 problems.  

    Subd. 6.    Programs designated.  At least two programs 
 funded must be located in the seven-county metropolitan area and 
 at least one program must be located outside of the metropolitan 
 area.  The commissioner may fund programs designed primarily to 
 serve families with children, single persons, and persons 
 leaving a shelter for family abuse. 

    Subd. 7.    Funding coordination.  Grant recipients 
 shall combine funds awarded under this section with other funds 
 from public and private sources.  

    Subd. 8.    Program information.  In order to collect 
 uniform data to better measure the nature and extent of the need 
 for transitional housing, grant recipients shall collect and 
 make available to the commissioner the following information:  

    (1) number of requests received for transitional housing, 
 including the number of persons requiring assistance; 

    (2) number of persons for whom services are provided, 
 listed by age; 

    (3) reasons for seeking assistance; 

    (4) length of stay; 

    (5) reasons for leaving the housing program; 

    (6) demand for support services; 

    (7) follow-up information on status of persons assisted, 
 including source of income and whether living independently, 
 employed, or in treatment, unless the information is not 
 available; and 

    (8) source of income on entering the program, prior 
 residence, race, and sex of persons assisted. 

    Subd. 9.    Private data.  Personal history information 
 and other information collected, used, or maintained by a grant 
 recipient from which the identity of any individual receiving 
 services may be determined is private data on individuals, as 
 defined in section 13.02, subdivision 12, and the grant 
 recipient shall maintain the data in accordance with the 
 provisions of chapter 13.  

    Subd. 10.  Deleted, 1995 c 233 art 2 s 56 

    Subd. 11. Repealed, 1996 c 339 s 10 

    Subd. 12.    Licensing requirements not applicable.  The 
 requirements of sections 245A.01 to 245A.16 do not apply to 
 transitional housing and support services funded under this 
 section unless the commissioner of human services determines 
 that the program is primarily a residential program within the 
 meaning of section 245A.02, subdivision 14.  

    HIST: 1984 c 640 s 32; 1984 c 654 art 5 s 42,58; 1Sp1985 c 13 
 s 301-305; 1Sp1985 c 14 art 9 s 75; 1987 c 291 s 204; 1989 c 47 
 s 1-6; 1989 c 209 art 2 s 1; 1989 c 304 s 137; 1991 c 199 art 2 
 s 18; 1994 c 483 s 1; 1995 c 14 s 1; 1997 c 200 art 4 s 2