Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

BILL AS INTRODUCED                                                           H.814
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                                        H.814
 Introduced by Representatives Cina of Burlington, Cole of Hartford, Headrick
                  of Burlington, Logan of Burlington, Priestley of Bradford, and
                  Sammis of Castleton
 Referred to Committee on
 Date:
 Subject: Mental health; housing; community reentry after incarceration
 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to provide grant
 funds for community-based services that provide supportive and transitional
 housing to individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and who
 are justice-involved.
    An act relating to supportive and transitional housing for justice-involved
    individuals
 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
 Sec. 1. FINDINGS
    The General Assembly finds that:
         (1) the lack of affordable housing is one of the reasons that justice-
 involved individuals are incarcerated past their minimum sentencing dates in
 Vermont;
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     BILL AS INTRODUCED                                                        H.814
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       (2) the lack of housing is one of several social determinants of health
 and criminal behavior that could lead to greater recidivism and harm to public
 health;
       (3) safe housing has positive health impacts; and
       (4) the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of
 Health Policy recognizes the benefits of securing permanent supportive
 housing through the Housing First model, which is an evidence-based program
 utilized in Vermont through a partnership between the Agency of Human
 Services and community-based partners.
 Sec. 2. INTENT AND PURPOSE
    (a) It is the intent of the General Assembly to promote transformative
 justice and recovery by investing in housing and shelter for justice-involved
 individuals simultaneously with support from community-based services.
    (b) The purpose of this is act is to:
       (1) reinvest the appropriations of the State from incarceration into
 community care by providing additional grant funds to community-based
 services to provide supportive and transitional housing to individuals who are
 justice-involved; and
       (2) assess the current and projected needs for supportive and transitional
 housing and community-based services in Vermont.
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     BILL AS INTRODUCED                                                       H.814
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 Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION; SUPPORTIVE AND TRANSITIONAL
         HOUSING FOR JUSTICE-INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS; HOUSING
         FIRST EXPANSION
    In fiscal year 2025, $1,313,044.00 is appropriated from the General Fund to
 the Agency of Human Services to provide a grant to Pathways Vermont. This
 grant shall augment the funds provided to Pathways Vermont in 2023 Acts and
 Resolves No. 78, Sec. B.338.1. The grant provided pursuant to this section
 shall be used to provide supportive and transitional housing to individuals who
 are homeless or at risk of homelessness and who are being released from
 incarceration or who were previously incarcerated. Pathways Vermont shall
 use this grant to prioritize housing women and transgender, genderqueer, and
 gender expansive individuals.
 Sec. 4. APPROPRIATION; SUPPORTIVE AND TRANSITIONAL
         HOUSING FOR JUSTICE-INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS; RISK
         MITIGATION EXPANSION
    In fiscal year 2025, $500,000.00 is appropriated from the General Fund to
 the Vermont State Housing Authority. This grant shall augment the funds
 provided to the Vermont State Housing Authority for the Landlord Relief
 Program in fiscal year 2024. The grant provided pursuant to this section shall
 be used to provide supportive and transitional housing to individuals who are
 homeless or at risk of homelessness and who are being released from VT LEG #372509 v.2
     BILL AS INTRODUCED                                                        H.814
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 incarceration or were previously incarcerated. The Vermont State Housing
 Authority shall use this grant to prioritize housing to women and transgender,
 genderqueer, and gender expansive individuals.
 Sec. 5. APPROPRIATION; SUPPORTIVE AND TRANSITIONAL
         HOUSING FOR JUSTICE-INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS; LAND
         ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY
    In fiscal year 2025, $1,000,000.00 is appropriated from the General Fund to
 the Land Access and Opportunity Board to provide grants to community-based
 service providers for assistance with the purchase of real property for the
 creation of supportive and transitional housing. The grants provided pursuant
 to this section shall be used by community-based service providers to provide
 supportive and transitional housing to individuals who are homeless or at risk
 of homelessness and who are justice-involved. The Land Access and
 Opportunity Board shall use these grants to prioritize housing for groups who
 have been historically disadvantaged, including individuals who are Black,
 Indigenous, or a Person of Color; individuals with disabilities; individuals who
 are LGBTQ+; and women. These grants shall also prioritize the work of peer-
 based services and organizations led by individuals with lived experience. The
 grants shall prioritize the use of the Housing First model.
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     BILL AS INTRODUCED                                                       H.814
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 Sec. 6. REPORT; SUPPORTIVE AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING
    On or before January 15, 2025, the Agencies of Human Services and of
 Commerce and Community Development shall jointly submit a written report
 to the House Committees on General and Housing, on Health Care, and on
 Human Services; to the Senate Committees on Economic Development,
 Housing and General Affairs and on Health and Welfare; and to the Land
 Access Opportunity Board regarding the current and future needs for
 supportive and transitional housing in Vermont. The report shall recommend
 strategies to:
       (1) integrate supportive and transitional housing units into new housing
 developments;
       (2) incentivize the conversion of existing housing stock and other real
 property into supportive and transitional housing;
       (3) promote public-private partnerships that create supportive and
 transitional housing;
       (4) expand the use of peer-based services in supportive and transitional
 housing;
       (5) modify State housing plans, policies, and programs to promote
 supportive and transitional housing; and
       (6) identify State property that can be used for supportive and
 transitional housing in partnership with community-based service providers.
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    BILL AS INTRODUCED                                      H.814
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 Sec. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE
   This act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.
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