(a)  The department shall award funds in accordance with subdivision (e) to counties for the purpose of providing CalWORKs housing supports to CalWORKs recipients who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, including recipients who have not yet received an eviction notice, and for whom housing instability would be a barrier to self-sufficiency or child well-being.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), this section does not create an entitlement to housing supports, which are intended to be a service to CalWORKs families and not a form of assistance, to be provided to families at the discretion of the county.

(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that housing supports provided pursuant to this article utilize evidence-based models, including those established in the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program. Supports provided may include, but shall not be limited to, all of the following:

(1) Financial assistance, including rental assistance, security deposits, utility payments, moving cost assistance, and motel and hotel vouchers.

(2) Housing stabilization and relocation, including outreach and engagement, landlord recruitment, case management, housing search and placement, legal services, and credit repair.

(d) The asset limit threshold specified in subdivision (f) of Section 11450 shall not be used to determine a family’s eligibility for receipt of housing supports provided pursuant to this article.

(e) Funds appropriated for purposes of this article shall be awarded to participating counties by the State Department of Social Services according to criteria developed by the department in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association and Housing California.

(f) The department, in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association and Housing California and other stakeholders, shall develop each of the following:

(1) The criteria by which counties may be awarded funds to provide housing supports to eligible CalWORKs recipients pursuant to this article.

(2) The proportion of funding to be expended on reasonable and appropriate administrative activities to minimize overhead and maximize services.

(3) Tracking and reporting procedures.

(g) The department, in consultation with appropriate legislative staff and the County Welfare Directors Association, shall determine, in a manner that reflects the legislative intent for the use of these funds and that is most beneficial to the overall CalWORKs program, whether housing supports provided with this funding are considered to be assistance or nonassistance payments.

(h) Counties may continue to provide housing supports under this section to a recipient who is discontinued because the recipient no longer meets the income eligibility requirements of Section 11450.12.

(i) (1) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may implement and administer the changes made to this section by the act that added this subdivision by means of all-county letters or similar instructions from the department that shall have the same force and effect as regulations until regulations are adopted.

(2) The department shall adopt regulations implementing the changes specified in paragraph (1) no later than July 1, 2024.

(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 85, Sec. 33. (AB 135) Effective July 16, 2021.)