Housing And Direct COVID Emergency Assistance

The bill requires the state treasurer to transfer $44.5 million from the general fund to the housing development grant fund for the purpose of providing emergency housing assistance to individuals and households who have experienced financial need due to the COVID-19 pandemic or second-order effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The money must be used by June 30, 2021. The bill also creates the emergency direct assistance grant program (program) in the division of housing (division) within the department of local affairs (department) to provide grants to individuals who have experienced financial need due to the COVID-19 pandemic or second-order effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and are ineligible for certain other types of assistance. The bill allows the division to promulgate rules and requires the department to submit a report to legislative committees of reference with jurisdiction over local government and to the governor concerning the program. The bill creates the emergency direct assistance grant program fund (fund) and directs the state treasurer to transfer $5 million from the general fund to the fund for the program. The division must use the money by June 30, 2021. The program is repealed, effective June 30, 2022. The bill requires the state treasurer to transfer $500,000 from the general fund to the eviction legal defense fund for the purpose of providing legal representation to indigent tenants to resolve civil legal matters arising on and after March 1, 2020, concerning an eviction or impending eviction related to the public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The state court administrator must use the money by June 30, 2021. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)