Chapter 24-A - DEPARTMENT OF HOMELESS SERVICES

Section 610.

Section 610.

  §  610.  Department;  commissioner.  There  shall  be  a department of
homeless services, the head  of  which  shall  be  the  commissioner  of
homeless services.

Section 611.

Section 611.

§ 611. Deputies. The commissioner shall appoint at least one deputy.

Section 612.

Section 612.

  §  612.  Powers  and duties. a. The commissioner shall have the powers
and perform the duties of a commissioner of social  services  under  the
social   services   law  for  the  purpose  of  fulfilling  his  or  her
responsibilities under this chapter. In the performance of  his  or  her
functions, the commissioner shall:
  1.  be  responsible  for transitional housing and services provided by
the  city  for  eligible  homeless   families   and   individuals.   The
commissioner  shall encourage the participation of and receive proposals
from the public and private sectors for the development of  transitional
housing   and   services  for  homeless  families  and  individuals.  In
performing such duties, the commissioner may develop and issue  requests
for  proposals  and  evaluate responses thereto, negotiate, award, enter
into and administer contracts, loans  or  other  agreements,  award  and
administer  grants  and  obtain  all necessary approvals. For-profit and
not-for-profit entities shall be eligible to submit  proposals,  bid  on
contracts and other agreements, and apply for grants and loans;
  2.  develop,  maintain and, where necessary, strengthen the system for
the provision of transitional housing and services for homeless families
and individuals;
  3. in consultation with other appropriate governmental agencies,  plan
housing for homeless families and individuals;
  4.  maintain,  repair  and  rehabilitate  transitional  housing owned,
operated or managed by the department;
  5. establish performance criteria, goals and objectives  with  respect
to contract providers and monitor and evaluate such performance;
  6.  participate  in  the  development of prevention programs to assist
families  and  individuals  who  are  in  imminent  danger  of  becoming
homeless;
  7.  in  consultation  with  other  appropriate  governmental agencies,
develop and operate outreach programs to identify  and  assist  families
and   individuals   who  are  homeless  and  living  in  public  spaces.
Notwithstanding any outreach programs developed  or  operated  by  other
city agencies, and outreach programs developed or operated by any entity
pursuant  to  a  contract  with  the  department, the commissioner shall
retain  a  substantial  outreach  workforce  within   the   department's
full-time  staff.  Beginning  on the first day of September, 1998 and on
the first day  of  each  succeeding  calendar  quarter  thereafter,  the
commissioner  shall  report  to the speaker of the council in writing on
the outreach programs operated by the department, by other city agencies
or by entities  contracting  with  the  department.  Such  report  shall
include,  but  not  be  limited  to,  the  number of contacts during the
reporting period, the  number  of  placements  in  transitional  housing
resulting  from such contacts during the reporting period and the number
of referrals of persons so contacted to programs or services during  the
reporting period;
  8. direct and supervise the management, operations, budget and funding
of services for homeless individuals and families;
  9. work directly with the mayor's office of management and budget with
regard  to  the  funding  and  administration  of  the city's budget for
services to homeless families and individuals; and
  10. advise and assist the mayor with respect to matters pertaining  to
homeless families and individuals.
  b.  In  addition  to  the  duties  set  forth in subdivision a of this
section,  the  commissioner  is   authorized,   in   consultation   with
appropriate  agencies,  to  provide  any  other services he or she deems
necessary to implement and effectuate the provisions of this chapter.

Section 613.

Section 613.

  § 613. Transitional housing inventory. Beginning on May 1, 1999 and on
May  first  of  each  succeeding year thereafter, the commissioner shall
report to the speaker of the council  in  writing  on  the  transitional
housing  maintained  by  the  department  and  such transitional housing
operated by any entity pursuant to a contract with the department.  Such
report shall include, but not be limited to, the percentage and types of
transitional  housing  disaggregated  by  the  borough in which they are
located.

Section 614.

Section 614.

  §  614.  Permanent  housing  needs, annual report. Beginning on May 1,
1999  and  on  May  first  of  each  succeeding  year  thereafter,   the
commissioner  shall  report  to the speaker of the council in writing on
the  permanent  housing  and  the  transitional  housing  and  services,
respectively,  projected  to  be  needed  to house homeless families and
individuals expected to be housed within the system  during  the  fiscal
year  to  begin  on each July first thereafter. Such annual report shall
include, but not be limited to, the sources, including,  but  not  being
limited  to,  the department of housing preservation and development and
the New York city housing authority,  from  which  the  commissioner  of
homeless  services  projects to meet the permanent housing identified in
such report as  needed  during  such  fiscal  year  and  the  number  of
permanent housing to be provided by each source.