(a) The department shall adopt regulations for the administration of the Emergency Housing and Assistance Program. The regulations shall govern the equitable distribution of funds in accordance with the intent and provisions of this chapter, and shall ensure that the program is administered in an effective and efficient manner. The regulations shall provide for reasonable delegation of authority to designated local boards, ensure that local priorities and criteria are reasonably designed to address the needs of homeless people, and ensure that designated local boards meet reasonable standards of inclusiveness, accountability, nondiscrimination, and integrity.
(b) The regulations adopted pursuant to this section shall ensure that emergency shelter and services will be provided on a first-come-first-served basis for whatever time periods are established by the shelter. No individual or household may be denied shelter or services because of an inability to pay. Nothing in this provision shall be construed to preclude a shelter from accepting payment vouchers provided through any other public or private program so long as no shelter beds are reserved beyond sundown for that purpose. Notwithstanding Section 11135 of the Government Code or any other provision of law, nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude a provider of emergency shelter or transitional housing from restricting occupancy on the basis of any of the following:
(1) Sex.
(2) In the case of an emergency shelter or transitional housing offered exclusively to persons 24 years of age or younger pursuant to Section 11139.3 of the Government Code, on the basis of age.
(3) Military veteran status, if the veterans served possess significant barriers to social reintegration and employment due to a physical or mental disability, substance abuse, or the effects of long-term homelessness that require specialized treatment and services and the provider of emergency shelter or transitional housing also provides the specialized treatment and services.
However, in the case of families, providers of emergency shelter or transitional housing shall provide, to the greatest extent feasible, adequate facilities within their range of services so that all members of a family may be housed together, regardless of age and gender.
(Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 776, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2004.)
Copyright ©2024 LegalFix. All rights reserved. LegalFix is not a law firm, is not licensed to practice law, and does not provide legal advice, services, or representation. The information on this website is an overview of the legal plans you can purchase—or that may be provided by your employer as an employee benefit or by your credit union or other membership group as a membership benefit.
LegalFix provides its members with easy access to affordable legal services through a network of independent law firms. LegalFix, its corporate entity, and its officers, directors, employees, agents, and contractors do not provide legal advice, services, or representation—directly or indirectly.
The articles and information on the site are not legal advice and should not be relied upon—they are for information purposes only. You should become a LegalFix member to get legal services from one of our network law firms.
You should not disclose confidential or potentially incriminating information to LegalFix—you should only communicate such information to your network law firm.
The benefits and legal services described in the LegalFix legal plans are not always available in all states or with all plans. See the legal plan Benefit Overview and the more comprehensive legal plan contract during checkout for coverage details in your state.
Use of this website, the purchase of legal plans, and access to the LegalFix networks of law firms are subject to the LegalFix Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.