Chairman Mendelson and other members of the Council, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Kate Coventry, and I am a policy analyst with the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. DCFPI engages in research and public education on the fiscal and economic health of the District of Columbia, with a particular emphasis on how policies impact low-and-moderate income families.
I am here today to testify on the proposed Homeless Services Reform Act (HSRA) amendments in the fiscal year (FY) 2014 Budget Support Act. These amendments would make significant changes to a law that affects some of the District’s most vulnerable residents. Many of these changes, which were first announced as part of the budget, have raised several questions and concerns among advocates and providers. As such, the changes deserve careful consideration and stakeholder input through the normal legislative process.
DCFPI believes that the HSRA amendments should be removed from the Budget Support Act and introduced as separate legislation. The fiscal impact statement provided by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer states the proposal does not have a fiscal impact and therefore does not have to be passed as part of the budget.
The Department of Human Services states that the HSRA changes are needed to move to a homeless services system that serves families with children year-round and that minimizes the length of stay in emergency shelter, goals that we strongly support. We therefore also encourage the Council to consider separate HSRA legislation expeditiously. We understand that Councilmember Graham, chairman of the Human Services Committee, has committed to adopting new legislation before the start of FY 2014.
The HSRA is the law governing the District’s homeless services system, outlining the rights and responsibilities of homeless residents, service providers, and government agencies. It was originally drafted through a deliberative community process involving government officials, service providers, advocates, and homeless individuals. This process examined the District’s past practices as well as best practices from other jurisdictions.
This is the kind of process that should be used to consider the changes proposed by Mayor Gray. It will allow for a legislative hearing and the participation of those affected by these changes. It also will allow the Interagency Council of Homelessness (ICH), time for careful review. The ICH is the group of government officials, service providers, advocates and homeless/formerly homeless residents tasked with guiding the District’s strategies and policies for meeting the needs of homeless individuals and families. There is no doubt that the rules will be improved through this input and that this is the best way to address concerns that have been raised.
DCFPI wholeheartedly supports DHS’s intended goals of moving families out of shelter as quickly as possible and providing emergency shelter year-round, rather than only serving families when mandated by hypothermic conditions. Accomplishing these goals will require several steps over the next year, beyond amending the HSRA. Some of these changes are currently underway ‘ but not yet finalized ‘ and some of which can be accomplished in the FY 2014 budget.
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