This bill mandates that Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP) agencies remain operational during public health emergencies and ensures funding for these agencies. It defines a "populous county" as any county with a population of 350,000 or more, based on the latest federal census. The Department of Community Affairs is tasked with providing funding to support the establishment of one HPP agency in each populous county to effectively manage and implement the program.

Additionally, the bill allows the Commissioner of Community Affairs to notify the State Treasurer and the Joint Budget Oversight Committee if federal funding related to the COVID-19 pandemic is insufficient to fully establish the agency in a populous county. In such cases, the Commissioner may request that the Legislature allocate funds from the General Fund or other state sources to cover the shortfall. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon enactment.