§ 20.16

As used in this Article XVI, the following words or phrases shall have the following meanings:

“Department” means the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing.

“Permanent Supportive Housing” means subsidized rental housing without time limits and with on-site supportive services to help tenants maintain housing.

“Rapid-Rehousing” means a housing program model that assists individuals who are homeless to move quickly into permanent housing, usually to housing in the private market.

“Residential Behavioral Health Program” means a residential program in which the patient receives treatment for a substance use disorder and/or mental health disability.

(Added by Ord. 130-18, File No. 180322, App. 5/30/2018, Eff. 6/30/2018, Oper. 8/29/2018)

(a) The Department shall implement a Coordinated Entry System designed to assess people experiencing homelessness, so as to prioritize and refer such people to housing programs. People experiencing homelessness with the greatest barriers to housing, the longest histories of homelessness, and/or the highest level of vulnerability shall be prioritized for housing or other appropriate placements. The Department shall be responsible for developing the process and standards used to screen and prioritize homeless persons for housing programs in accordance with the three factors identified in the preceding sentence.

(b) When assessing and assigning single homeless adults to Rapid-Rehousing, or Permanent Supportive Housing (collectively, “Housing”), the Department shall recognize discharge from a Residential Behavioral Health Program of a program participant who was homeless upon entry into the Residential Behavioral Health Program as a vulnerability that will confer upon the program participant a priority, as determined by the Department, for such Housing. An individual’s eligibility for this priority shall be verified by the Department of Public Health.

(Added by Ord. 130-18, File No. 180322, App. 5/30/2018, Eff. 6/30/2018, Oper. 8/29/2018)

The Department shall coordinate with the Department of Public Health to ensure that individuals who are prioritized for and assigned to housing pursuant to Section 20.16-2 have uninterrupted access to supportive services provided by the Department of Public Health.

(Added by Ord. 130-18, File No. 180322, App. 5/30/2018, Eff. 6/30/2018, Oper. 8/29/2018)