[§356D-134]  Homeless shelter stipends. (a)  The stipend limits per shelter unit of zero bedrooms shall be adjusted bythe authority annually on the first day of July pursuant to standardsestablished by rule which may consider changes in the cost of operatinghomeless facilities, the fair market rents, the consumer price index, or otherrelevant factors.  A "shelter unit of zero bedrooms" means a livingunit that is a studio unit or a single-room occupancy unit.  The homelessshelter stipend at transitional shelters for larger shelter units shall berelated to the difference in unit size, pursuant to standards established byrule.

(b)  The authority may make or may contract tomake homeless shelter stipend payments on behalf of one or more homeless familiesor individuals to a provider agency operating or managing an emergency ortransitional shelter or, in the case that the authority itself operates andmanages a homeless facility, to the authority in amounts and undercircumstances as provided by rule.  The contract may specify a minimum totalamount of homeless shelter stipends to be received by a provider agency formaking its shelter and services available to eligible homeless families orindividuals, pursuant to rule.

(c)  In making homeless shelter stipendpayments to a provider agency, the authority may establish minimum services tobe provided by the provider agency to homeless families or individuals at theagency's shelter.  The authority may also direct provider agencies to establishand manage a savings account program as described in subsection (d). Additionally, the authority may direct provider agencies to subcontract foroutreach services from other private agencies specializing in programs for theunsheltered homeless.

(d)  Provider agencies and the authority mayestablish and collect shelter and services payments from homeless families orindividuals in addition to the amount received in homeless shelter stipendpayments pursuant to rule.  Provider agencies and the authority may also setaside a portion of the payments in a savings account to be made available tohomeless families or individuals when these families and individuals vacate theshelter. [L 2006, c 180, pt of §2]