Housing (Homelessness)

This bill would allow Nebraska to cover supportive housing services through Medicaid by requiring the Department of Health and Human Services to seek federal approval. It establishes a "Housing First" approach - providing permanent housing without conditions (like sobriety requirements) paired with voluntary support services such as housing transition, tenancy stabilization, and care coordination. The bill creates a dedicated fund to cover both Medicaid-eligible services and non-Medicaid housing costs (e.g., short-term rental assistance). It directly affects Nebraskans experiencing or at risk of homelessness by expanding access to stable housing with integrated support.

Nebraska's LB 96 requires the Department of Health and Human Services to submit federal waiver applications for two specific programs. First, it mandates a waiver to reimburse two designated medical respite facilities (one in a large city, one in a smaller city) for services to homeless adults in the Medicaid expansion population. Second, it requires a waiver to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to at least 6 months for beneficiaries. The bill also requires annual reports to the legislature on program usage, costs, and healthcare savings. This bill directly affects homeless adults in Medicaid expansion and postpartum patients by enabling federal approval for these expanded services.

LB 328 changes how Nebraska's documentary stamp tax revenue is distributed to four specific funds: the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Homeless Shelter Assistance Trust Fund, Behavioral Health Services Fund, and Site and Building Development Fund. It requires the Department of Economic Development to report detailed project data (like locations, funding amounts, and housing units created) for the Affordable Housing Fund annually. The bill also expands the Behavioral Health Services Fund to include housing assistance for very low-income adults with serious mental illness, with excess funds potentially distributed to regional authorities for housing. These changes harmonize existing funding rules and add transparency requirements for how tax money supports housing and health services.