1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to housing; providing assistance to stabilize
1.3 	housing for children to enhance school attendance and
1.4 	performance; appropriating money; amending Minnesota
1.5 	Statutes 2004, section 462A.204, subdivision 8.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 462A.204,
1.8 	subdivision 8, is amended to read:
1.9 		Subd. 8.School stability. ~~(a) The agency in~~
1.10 	~~consultation with the Interagency Task Force on Homelessness may~~
1.11 	~~establish a school stability project under the family homeless~~
1.12 	~~prevention and assistance program.  The purpose of the project~~
1.13 	~~is to secure stable housing for families with school-age~~
1.14 	~~children who have moved frequently and for unaccompanied youth.~~
1.15 	~~For purposes of this subdivision, "unaccompanied youth" are~~
1.16 	~~minors who are leaving foster care or juvenile correctional~~
1.17 	~~facilities, or minors who meet the definition of a child in need~~
1.18 	~~of services or protection under section 260C.007, subdivision 6,~~
1.19 	~~but for whom no court finding has been made pursuant to that~~
1.20 	~~statute.~~
1.21 	~~(b) The agency shall make grants to family homeless~~
1.22 	~~prevention and assistance projects in communities with a school~~
1.23 	~~or schools that have a significant degree of student mobility.~~
1.24 	~~(c) Each project must be designed to reduce school~~
1.25 	~~absenteeism; stabilize children in one home setting or, at a~~
2.1 	~~minimum, in one school setting; and reduce shelter usage.  Each~~
2.2 	~~project must include plans for the following:~~
2.3 	~~(1) targeting of families with children under age 12 who,~~
2.4 	~~in the last 12 months have either:  changed schools or homes at~~
2.5 	~~least once or been absent from school at least 15 percent of the~~
2.6 	~~school year and who have either been evicted from their housing;~~
2.7 	~~are living in overcrowded conditions in their current housing;~~
2.8 	~~or are paying more than 50 percent of their income for rent;~~
2.9 	~~(2) targeting of unaccompanied youth in need of an~~
2.10 	~~alternative residential setting;~~
2.11 	~~(3) connecting families with the social services necessary~~
2.12 	~~to maintain the families' stability in their home; and~~ 
2.13 	~~(4) one or more of the following:~~
2.14 	~~(i) provision of rental assistance for a specified period~~
2.15 	~~of time, which may exceed 24 months; or~~ 
2.16 	~~(ii) development of permanent supportive housing or~~
2.17 	~~transitional housing.~~
2.18 	~~(d) Notwithstanding subdivision 2, grants under this~~
2.19 	~~section may be used to acquire, rehabilitate, or construct~~
2.20 	~~transitional or permanent housing.~~
2.21 	~~(e) Each grantee under the project must include~~
2.22 	~~representatives of the local school district or targeted~~
2.23 	~~schools, or both, and of the local community correction agencies~~
2.24 	~~on its advisory committee.~~
2.25 	(a) The agency must establish and operate a program under
2.26 	the family homelessness prevention and assistance program to
2.27 	stabilize housing for children attending elementary or secondary
2.28 	school.  The goal of the program is to eliminate or reduce
2.29 	change of residence of a student so that both the student's home
2.30 	and the school of attendance remain stable.  The program may
2.31 	include only elementary school children and may focus on
2.32 	particular schools.
2.33 	(b) Eligible participants must have a prior history of
2.34 	school or residence mobility.  The agency may contract with
2.35 	others, including one or more city housing and redevelopment
2.36 	authorities, to carry out any of its duties under this
3.1 	subdivision.
3.2 	(c) The program must provide additional rental assistance
3.3 	above any amount for which the recipient is otherwise eligible
3.4 	to the responsible adult with whom a child resides if the adult
3.5 	signs an agreement that is also signed by a landlord and the
3.6 	school district that obligates:
3.7 	(1) the responsible adult to remain in the current
3.8 	residence until the end of a school year except for conditions
3.9 	specified in the agreement;
3.10 	(2) the landlord to cooperate with the responsible adult on
3.11 	housing issues; and 
3.12 	(3) the school district to monitor school attendance and
3.13 	issues affecting school attendance.
3.14 	(d) A family must pay no more than 25 percent of its income
3.15 	for rent.  Rent may not exceed fair market rent for an area.
3.16 	The rental assistance may be paid directly to a landlord.
3.17 	(e) The program must include the collection of information
3.18 	from schools related to students' grades and attendance records
3.19 	so that the program can evaluate its effect on school
3.20 	performance and attendance.  As a condition of receiving a rent
3.21 	subsidy, the student and responsible adult must consent to the
3.22 	release of that information for the purpose of the evaluation.

3.23 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 3.24 	$....... is appropriated from the general fund for the
3.25 	biennium ending June 30, 2007, for transfer to the housing
3.26 	development fund for the Housing Finance Agency for purposes of
3.27 	Minnesota Statutes, section 462A.204, subdivision 8.