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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 01171995 - 1.21 1 . 21 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 5 L Contra f. FROM: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator ��;�., j`, < Costa County r,> r DATE: "(e Us' r January 12, 1995 SUBJECT: AMENDMENT TO THE COUNTY'S 1995 LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM - GENERAL ASSISTANCE SHARED HOUSING ADJUSTMENT SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: AMEND the 1995 Legislative Program for the County which the Board of Supervisors ,approved on December 20, 1994 to add item # 15 agreeing to sponsor or support the efforts of others to enact legislation which would restore to counties the ability to adjust General Assistance grants to reflect shared housing arrangements . BACKGROUND: Between September 15, 1992 and December 31, 1994, counties have had the ability to adopt a grant level for General Assistance recipients which adjusted the grant downward when the General Assistance recipient was living with one or more additional persons . The language in Welfare and Institutions Code S 17001 .5(a) (2 ) (A) is attached. The assumption is that when several people are living in a home the cost for each is less than it would be if each individual were living on his or her own. This statutory authority expired on December 31, 1994 . Efforts were made in 1994 to get the Legislature to extend the deadline for the shared housing provision. While the Legislature agreed to extend several measures to control General Assistance costs, the Legislature refused to extend the shared housing provision. In order to reflect the reality of living situations and contain costs in the General Assistance Program, it is important that this shared housing provision be restored. It is, therefore, recommended that the Board of Supervisors agree to sponsor on its own or support the efforts of other counties or organizations like CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Y APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE S 1: ym/�Z—Z&_ ACTION OF BOARD ON January 1 7., 1 9 9 5 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED e!f OTHER VOTE F SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. JAN 171995 ATTESTED Contact: PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF cc: See Page 2 SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BY 'J ' e�.�.�✓ DEPUTY % -2- CSAC to restore this provision. This issue has been discussed with representatives from the State Administration who have indicated that the Administration will sponsor a General Assistance bill this year and will agree to include shared housing in this bill . cc: Acting Social Service Director County Counsel Les Spahnn, Heim, Noack, Kelly & Spahnn Bank of California Center 770 L Street, Suite 960 Sacramento, CA 95814 a/ 1 SEC. 14. Section 17001.5 is added to the Welfare and Institutions' Code, to read: 17001.5. (a) Notwithstanding any other'provision of law, including; but not limited to, Section 17000.5, the board of'supervisors of each county, or the agency authorized by the county charter, may do any of the following: (1) (A) Adopt residency requirements for purposes of determining a persons's eligibili- ty for general assistance. Any residence requirement under this paragraph shall not exceed 15 days. (B) Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to authorize the adoption of a requirement that an applicant or recipient have an address 'or' to require a homeless person to acquire an address. (2) (A) Establish a standard of general:Assistance for applicants and recipients who share .housing with one or more unrelated persons or with one or more persons who are not Iegally responsible for the applicant or recipient. The standard of general assistance aid established pursuant to Section 17000.5 for a single adult recipient may. be-reduced pursuant to this paragraph by not more,than the following percentages, as .appropriate:- (i) Fifteen percent if the recipient shares housing with one other person described in this.subparagraph. (ii):Twenty percent if the.recipient shares housing with two other,persons described in this subparagraph. (iii) Twenty-five percent if the recipient shares housing with three or more other persons described in this subparagraph. (B) Any standard of aid adopted pursuant to,this paragraph shall constitute a sufficient standard of aid for any recipient who shares housing. (C) Counties with shared housing reductions larger than the amounts specified in subparagraph (A) as of August 19, 1992, may continue to 'apply, those adjustments. (3) Discontinue aid under this part for a period of not more than 180 days with respect to any recipient r who is able bodied and mentally competent and has received aid under this part for three months if the recipient engages in any of the following conduct: (A) Fails, or refuses, without good cause, to participate in a qualified job training, program, participation of which is a condition of receipt of assistance. (B) After completion of a job training program, fails, or refuses, without good cause, to accept an offer of appropriate employment. (C) Persistently fails, or refuses, without good cause, to cooperate with the county in its efforts to do anv of thA fnllnarinrc• (i) Enroll the recipient in a job training program. {ii} After completion'of,a job'training program, locate and secure appropriate employ- ment for the recipient. (D) For purposes of this paragraph, Iack of.good cause may ,be demonstrated by a showing of any of-the`following: (i) The willful failure, or refusal, of the 'recipient to participate in a job training program , accept appropriate employment, or cooperate in enrolling'in a training program or locatirieni to : g p �ent ? (ii) Not:less than three separate acts of negligent failure of the recipient to engage in . any of the activities described in clause (i). {4} Not yithstanding;paragraph (3), discontinue aid to, or�sanction, recipients for failure or refusal without good cause to follow program requirements.' For.purposes .of this subdivision, lack of good cause may, be demonstrated by a showing of,either (A),willful failure or refusal of-the'recipient to follow program requirements, or'(B) not Iless than three separate acts of:negligent failure'of the recipient to follow pro grarri requirements. (b) This,section shall remain in effect until January 1, 1995, and shall have"no force or effect"on' "or after.that date, unless a later, enacted statute, `which is enacted before. January 1, 1995,`deletes or extends that date: ,y