Emphasizing permanent housing and transparency in the provision of homeless services.

A Local Law to amend the New York city charter and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to emphasizing permanent housing and transparency in the provision of homeless services

This bill would amend the duties of the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) Commissioner regarding temporary and permanent housing to emphasize permanent housing. It would clarify the subjects in the DHS housing readiness training and require the Commissioner to annually report on the training and post the report on the DHS website. It would require the Commissioner to (i) make the DHS permanent housing clearinghouse available to each transitional housing facility who would create a plan to utilize the clearinghouse to help families and individuals move to permanent housing and (ii) annually report on the clearinghouse and post the report on the DHS website. In addition, it would update the Five-Year Plan to Relieve Homelessness to (i) include additional metrics, (ii) clarify the review and update of the Plan and have the Commissioner post each on the DHS website and (iii) require the Commissioner to post the Plan on the DHS website.