S4202

An Act concerning homelessness prevention, and amending and supplementing P.L.2019, c.73.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 2 of P.L.2019, c.73 (C.52:27D-287.6) is amended to read as follows:

2. a. The Legislature finds and declares that it is in the public interest for State policymakers, providers of services to people who are homeless, advocacy organizations, and other concerned representatives of the public to engage in an intensive collaborative effort to seek to devise more effective means of coordinating among various State and local initiatives that provide assistance to persons who are homeless or at risk of being homeless; to identify public and private sources of funding for programs to meet the needs of persons within New Jersey who are homeless or at risk for homelessness; and to develop more permanent housing solutions for this population.

b. There is established the ["New Jersey Homelessness Prevention Task Force."] "Interagency Council on Homelessness" in the Governor’s Office. The purpose of the [task force] council shall be to serve as an advisory body to the Office of Homelessness Prevention in the Department of Community Affairs, to develop recommendations, through an intensive collaborative effort among representatives of State government, providers of services to the homeless, advocacy organizations, and other concerned representatives of the public, and to develop, promote, and support efforts for the most effective means of coordinating among various State and local initiatives that provide assistance to persons who are homeless or at risk of being homeless; to identify public and private sources of funding for programs to meet the various needs of persons within this State who are homeless or at risk for homelessness; and to develop more permanent housing solutions for this population.

c. The [task force] council shall consist of [15] 26 members including the Governor, or a designee of the Office of the Governor, the Director of the Office of Homelessness Prevention in the Department of Community Affairs, or the director's designee, the [Director of the Division of Family Development in the Department] Commissioner of Human Services, or the [director's] commissioner’s designee, the Commissioner of Community Affairs, or the commissioner’s designee, the Commissioner of Children and Families, or the commissioner’s designee, the Commissioner of Corrections, or the commissioner’s designee, the Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner’s designee, the Commissioner of Health, or the commissioner’s designee, the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, or the commissioner’s designee, executive director of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, or the executive director’s designee, the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs, or the Adjutant General’s designee, and [13] 15 members, who [shall be appointed by the Governor] may be government officials or members of the public with a demonstrated expertise in issues relating to the work of the council, which expertise may include but shall not be limited to, the provision of shelter, behavioral health care, and mental health care, and of whom, no later than the 60th day after the effective date of [P.L.2019, c.73 (C.52:27D-287.5 et al.), and who may be government officials or members of the public with a demonstrated expertise in issues relating to the work of the task force] P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill), five members shall be appointed by the Governor, five members shall be appointed by the Senate President, and five members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly.

d. The Director of the Office of Homelessness Prevention, or the director's designee, shall serve as chairperson of the [task force] council. The [task force] council shall organize as soon as practicable following the appointment of its members and shall select a vice-chairperson from among the members. The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the [task force] council.

e. The public members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties and within the limits of funds available to the [task force] council.

f. The [task force] council shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.

g. The [task force] council may meet and hold hearings at the places it designates during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature.

h. The Department of Community Affairs shall provide staff support to the [task force] council.

i. Vacancies in the membership of the [task force] council shall be filled in the same manner provided for the original appointments.

(cf: P.L.2019, c.73, s.2)

2. (New section) The Commissioner of Community Affairs shall notify the members of the New Jersey Homelessness Prevention Task Force established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2019, c.73 (C.52:27D-287.6) of the termination of the task force, and otherwise provide for the transfer or other disposition of the records, property, and personnel of New Jersey Homelessness Prevention Task Force to the Interagency Council on Homelessness.

3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes the “Interagency Council on Homelessness” (“council”) in the Governor’s Office to replace the statutorily-established “New Jersey Homelessness Prevention Task Force.”

The bill establishes the council to serve as an advisory body to the existing Office of Homelessness Prevention, to develop recommendations, through a collaborative effort among representatives of State government, providers of services to the homeless, and other concerned representatives of the public, and to develop, promote, and support efforts for the most effective means of coordinating and funding programs to meet the various needs of persons who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The bill also expands membership of this advisory board.

The bill requires the Commissioner of Community Affairs to notify the members of the New Jersey Homelessness Prevention Task Force of the termination of the task force and otherwise provide for the transfer or other disposition of the records, property, and personnel of task force to the council.