(a)
(1)It is the intent of the Legislature to accomplish both of the following:
(A)
To prevent the unnecessary separation of children from their families because of homelessness or the lack of shelter.
(B)
To assist in the reunification of foster children and their families when housing remains a problem.
(2)
Through the Section 8 housing certificate program created by Section 553 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (P.L. 101-625), housing assistance may be made available to families eligible for assistance under this program.
(b)
(1)For the purposes of the Section 8 housing certificate program created by Section 553 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (P.L. 101-625), the county department of social services is designated “the public child welfare agency.”
(2)
If a county chooses to participate in the Section 8 housing certificate program, all of the following shall occur:
(A)
The county department of social services shall make the determination, pursuant to Section 553 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (P.L. 101-625), that an eligible child is at imminent risk of placement in out-of-home care or that an eligible child in out-of-home care under its supervision may be returned to his or her family.
(B)
The county department of social services shall certify an eligible family as one for which the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in the imminent placement of the family’s child or children in out-of-home care or in the delayed discharge of a child or children to the family from out-of-home care.
(C)
The county department of social services shall transmit, in writing, its certification pursuant to subparagraph (B) to the local public housing agency responsible, pursuant to Section 34327.3 of the Health and Safety Code, for administering assistance under the Section 8 housing certificate program.
(c)
As used in this section, “Section 8” means Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (Sec. 1437 et seq., Title 42, U.S.C.).
(d)
The State Department of Social Services may, upon the request of a local public entity, provide technical assistance for the purpose of developing applications and plans from the local public entity for federal funding under the Section 8 housing certificate program created by Section 553 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (P.L. 101-625).
(e)
The State Department of Social Services is authorized to adopt emergency regulations in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code in order to implement the purposes of this section.