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



(b)  The authority may make or may contract to
make homeless shelter stipend payments on behalf of one or more homeless families
or individuals to a provider agency operating or managing an emergency or
transitional shelter or, in the case that the authority itself operates and
manages a homeless facility, to the authority in amounts and under
circumstances as provided by rule.  The contract may specify a minimum total
amount of homeless shelter stipends to be received by a provider agency for
making its shelter and services available to eligible homeless families or
individuals, pursuant to rule.



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



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