§ 20.7-33. AID PAYMENTS; MANDATORY DIRECT RENT PAYMENT PROGRAM.

The Department may require those Applicants and Recipients who have not secured their own housing to participate in a mandatory direct rent payment program. Under such a program, notwithstanding Section 20.7-35(b), the Department may pay housing costs for an Applicant or Recipient directly to the housing provider, or to a third party with whom the Department may contract on behalf of the housing provider. Such direct rent payment shall be deducted from the maximum grant amount, as specified in this Article VII, for which an Applicant or Recipient is eligible. The Department shall adopt regulations to provide a mechanism for payment to the Applicant or Recipient of the balance of any grant amount to which he or she is entitled, and may adopt additional regulations as necessary to implement this program.

For purposes of this Section 20.7-33, the Department may adopt regulations to define “housing” which would qualify for this program to include, but not be limited to, public and private rental housing, supportive housing managed by community organizations or public agencies, transitional housing, or other means of accommodation as determined appropriate by the Executive Director, and which conforms to applicable health, building, and safety codes.

Refusal to accept placement in housing provided under this program, subject to the provisions of Section 20.7-22(b) of this Article VII, constitutes grounds for denial or discontinuance of aid.

(As Sec. 20.59.2, amended by Ord. 212-80, App. 5/16/80; amended by Proposition N, 11/8/94; Ord. 152-98, App. 5/8/98; redesignated as Sec. 20.7-33 and amended by Ord. , File No. 160636, App. 8/1/2016, Eff. 8/31/2016, Oper. 1/1/2017)