N.Y. Social Services Law § 50: Homeless intervention contracts

§ 50. Homeless intervention contracts. 1. The commissioner shall,

within the amounts appropriated therefor, select through a competitive

request-for-proposal process, local social services districts and

not-for-profit corporations serving homeless and at-risk households to

provide homelessness intervention services to homeless and at-risk

households. In order to ensure that contracts are awarded and services

provided in geographic areas of the state to homeless and at risk

households in greatest need, and to maximize the effect of state funds,

the commissioner shall, prior to entering into a contract with an

eligible applicant pursuant to this section, consider the extent to

which existing homelessness intervention services are available in the

local social services district and the extent to which these services

should be expanded.

2. The commissioner shall require eligible applicants to submit

operating plans in order to receive funding pursuant to this article.

Such plans shall include:

(a) a description of the homeless intervention services to be

provided, including procedures for intake, referral, outreach, the

provision of services, follow-up and anticipated outcomes;

(b) the specific population that will be served and how the services

provided will address the population's special needs;

(c) a description of the manner in which coordination with other

federal, state, local and privately funded services will be achieved;

and

(d) a description of how the services will be designed to assist

households transition from a reliance on outside interventions and move

toward housing stability and economic self reliance.

3. Prior to entering into a contract pursuant to this section, the

commissioner shall determine that the eligible applicant is a bona fide

organization which shall have demonstrated by its past and current

activities that it has the ability to provide such services, that the

organization is financially responsible and that the operating plan is

appropriate for the needs of households to be served.