ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
eviction
prevention program
(NOW: program; eviction prevention)
Establishes an Eviction Prevention and Emergency Homeless Housing Services Program and an Eviction Prevention and Homeless Housing Services Program Fund to provide financial assistance and services designed to prevent eviction and foreclosure and provide homeless housing services. Transfers an additional $1 million of unclaimed property proceeds to the housing trust fund for use by the program.
Background
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care program in Arizona is an ongoing local community-based planning process for the identification of housing and supportive-services needs. The planning process identifies existing housing and services for homeless people as well as the unmet needs and gaps in services, prioritizes the identified gaps and creates a strategy for funding projects that address the highest priorities. The process results in a submission to HUD that outlines the results of the planning process and requests funding for a variety of projects addressing the identified needs of the homeless in Arizona. As a result of homeless planning efforts as part of the HUD Continuum of Care process throughout Arizona, it was determined that eviction prevention was number one priority in fourteen counties for the past two years and there was a significant need for additional program resources to combat homelessness.
According to the Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness, eviction prevention and early intervention can prevent homelessness, enhance stability and help people move toward sustainable employment and economic self-sufficiency. H.B. 2385 establishes an Eviction Prevention and Emergency Homeless Housing Services Program and an Eviction Prevention and Homeless Housing Services Program Fund to provide financial assistance and services designed to prevent eviction and foreclosure and provide homeless housing services.
H.B. 2385 authorizes the transfer of an additional $1 million of unclaimed property proceeds to the housing trust fund for use by the program. Because these funds are currently deposited in the state general fund, this legislation will have a negative fiscal impact to the state general fund.
1. Establishes an eviction prevention and emergency homeless housing services program (program), to be administered by DOC in consultation with DES.
2. Sets forth the assistance programs that may be included in the program.
3. Specifies that programs that encourage participants to engage in community services may be given preference.
4. Specifies that program participants are eligible for eviction prevention and homeless housing assistance only once in a 12-month period.
5. Requires the Director, on or before December 31, to submit an annual eviction prevention and homeless housing services report to the Governor and the Legislature, detailing specified information.
6. Establishes the eviction prevention and homeless housing services program fund, to be administered by DOC, to provide financial assistance and services designed to prevent eviction and foreclosure and provide homeless housing services.
7. Authorizes a portion of the housing trust fund monies to be deposited into the program fund for use by the program.
8. Stipulates that the program fund is to consist of monies legislatively appropriated and monies transferred to the housing trust fund from the proceeds of sales of abandoned properties and unclaimed properties. Specifies that monies in the program fund are subject to legislative appropriation and are non-lapsing.
9. Transfers an additional $1,000,000 of unclaimed property proceeds to the housing trust fund to be used exclusively for eviction prevention and homeless housing services.
10. Requires DOC to distribute monies in the program fund statewide on a needs-based formula determined by DOC.
11. Requires the State Treasurer, on the Director’s notice, to invest and divest monies in the program fund. Requires investment earnings to be credited to the program fund.
12. Terminates the program on July 1, 2010.
13. Carries forward the provisions of this legislation after the effective date of S.B. 1517 and H.B. 2615, relating to the Arizona Department of Housing (DOH) once they are enacted into law.
14. Makes technical and conforming changes.
15. Provides for a general effective date.
Amendments
Adopted by the Commerce Committee
Carries forward the provisions of H.B. 2385 after the effective date of S.B. 1517 and H.B. 2615, relating to DOH once they are enacted into law.
House Action Senate Action
HS 2/06/01 DPA/SE 10-0-0-0 COM 3/21/01 DPA 4-0-2
APPROP 2/27/01 DPA/SE 9-2-1-4 APPROP 3/27/01 DP 10-0-2
3rd Read 3/12/01 39-14-7-0
Prepared by Senate Staff
March 27, 2001