homeless shelter services fund; appropriation

SB 1043 creates a state fund to finance homeless shelter and services by appropriating money for grants. It requires cities and towns with more than 75 homeless individuals (based on the 2024 point-in-time count) to provide at least one shelter bed per four homeless people and establish a judicial diversion program for homelessness or mental illness. The fund will award grants to counties, cities, tribes, and nonprofits to increase shelter beds, improve services like behavioral health treatment and substance use programs, and support heat respite efforts. Grantees must provide matching funds, avoid policies that hinder public camping enforcement, and report detailed data on service outcomes and participant demographics.