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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session
AMENDED
appropriation; emergency shelter beds; seniors
(NOW: emergency shelter beds; seniors)
Purpose
Requires the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) to provide emergency shelter beds in western Maricopa County to shelter and serve homeless seniors who are at least 55 years old.
Background
ADOH was established to address affordable housing issues in Arizona, including availability of affordable housing for low-income and medium-income families and special needs-adapted housing. ADOH is authorized to provide Arizonans with financial assistance, training and education and advisory assistance for the development of safe and affordable housing. ADOH is responsible for setting standards on quality and safety for manufactured homes, mobile homes and factory-built buildings (A.R.S. § 41-3953).
The Department of Economic Security (DES) administers economic, individual and family income management and rehabilitation services (A.R.S. § 41-1954). According to DES, temporary emergency shelter programs provide sleeping accommodations, case management, meals and supportive wrap-around services designed to assist individuals and families. In FY 2019, DES-contracted providers served 7,419 individuals in Maricopa County (Annual Report on Homelessness).
Provisions
1. Requires ADOH to provide emergency shelter beds in Western Maricopa County to shelter and serve homeless seniors who are at least 55 years old.
2. Requires ADOH to contract with a single Arizona nonprofit provider that:
a) has experience in sheltering 400 or more homeless individuals nightly in temporary shelter;
b) has at least 10 years of experience working with the chronically homeless in Maricopa County;
c) has experience in providing housing placement services under the Housing First Model; and
d) participates in the Coordinated Entry System pursuant to the requirements of the Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by the House of Representatives
1. Removes the $5,000,000 appropriation to DES.
2. Requires ADOH, rather than DES, to provide emergency shelter beds in Western Maricopa County.
2. Requires ADOH to contract with, rather than distribute monies to, a single Arizona nonprofit that meets the outlined criteria.
Senate Action House Action
APPROP 2/9/21 DP 8-1-1-0 HHS 3/15/21 DP 9-0-0-0
3rd Read 2/18/21 27-3-0 APPROP 3/17/21 DP 12-0-0-1
3rd Read 5/26/21 52-8-0
Prepared by Senate Research
June 2, 2021
LMM/DH/kja