SEC. 20.31. DISPOSITION OF CASE HISTORIES AFTER THREE YEARS.

   The Social Services Department is hereby authorized and empowered to destroy or dispose of the case history, or any part thereof, of any recipient of public assistance who has not received such assistance from the City and County of San Francisco for a period of three years prior to such destruction or disposition; provided, however, that no case history containing an agreement to reimburse for moneys expended or aid granted or given or in which welfare fraud is suspected shall be destroyed or disposed of as long as there is a possibility of recovery of funds, in whole or in part, thereunder.

(Amended by Ord. 312-85, App. 6/20/85)

ARTICLE II: PRESERVATION OF EMERGENCY NATURE OF SHELTER; PREVENTION OF LOSS OF SHELTER BED BASED SOLELY ON INCOME; PROHIBITION AGAINST PRIORITIZATION OR SET-ASIDES OF SHELTER BEDS BASED SOLELY ON INCOME

 

Sec. 20.40.	Findings.
Sec. 20.41.	Definitions.
Sec. 20.42.	Preservation of Emergency Nature of Shelter.
Sec. 20.43.	No Displacement Based on Income.
Sec. 20.44.	Limitation of Liability.
Sec. 20.45.	Severability.

 

SEC. 20.40. FINDINGS.

   The Board of Supervisors finds and declares the following:

   (a)   Due to the shortage of affordable housing in San Francisco, many people suffer from a lock of permanent housing and seek emergency shelter services on a temporary basis; and

   (b)   Emergency shelter services in San Francisco are a limited resource and should be preserved for individuals that lack permanent housing and who currently face a housing crisis; and

   (c)   Shelter services provided by the City should not be used as a long-term or permanent solution to homelessness.

(Added by Ord. 198-03, File No. 030737, App. 8/1/2003)

SEC. 20.41. DEFINITIONS.

   For the purposes of this Chapter, the following definitions shall apply to the terms used herein.

   (a)   "Shelter" or "Shelter services" means any shelter provided by the City on City owned or leased property or through a contractual arrangement that offers temporary overnight sleeping space on a short-term basis.

   (b)   "Emergency" means an immediate and urgent need for assistance or relief or a time of crisis that requires immediate action.

   (c)   "Entities that refer individuals to shelter" means any government agency or community based organization that contracts with the City to provide shelter services, including but not limited to non-profit organizations and religious institutions, that refer individuals for emergency shelter or shelter services.

   (d)   For purposes of the requirements of Article II, Sections 20.40 through 20.45 only, "income" shall include benefits received under government entitlement or assistance programs.

(Added by Ord. 198-03, File No. 030737, App. 8/1/2003)

SEC. 20.42. PRESERVATION OF EMERGENCY NATURE OF SHELTER.

   Individuals that access the City's shelters and entities that refer individuals to shelter shall only utilize the shelter system in emergency situations and shall preserve shelter beds for individuals that face an immediate and urgent shelter need, thereby preserving the emergency nature of the shelter system.

(Added by Ord. 198-03, File No. 030737, App. 8/1/2003)

SEC. 20.43. NO DISPLACEMENT BASED ON INCOME.

   Under this Chapter, there shall be no displacement of any individual using an emergency shelter bed based on that individual's lack of or source of income, nor shall there be any prioritization or set asides of emergency shelter beds based on income that would result in any individual seeking an emergency shelter bed from being unable to obtain such a bed, except for the duration of presumptive eligibility for CAAP recipients.

(Added by Ord. 198-03, File No. 030737, App. 8/1/2003)

SEC. 20.44. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.

   By adopting this Article, the City and County of San Francisco is assuming an undertaking only to promote the general welfare. It is not assuming, nor is it imposing on its officers and employees, an obligation for breach of which it is liable in money damages to any person who claims that such a breach proximately caused injury.

(Added by Ord. 198-03, File No. 030737, App. 8/1/2003)

SEC. 20.45. SEVERABILITY.

   If any section, subsection, clause, phrase or portion of this Chapter is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any court or federal or State agency of competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct and independent provision and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions thereof.

(Added by Ord. 198-03, File No. 030737, App. 8/1/2003)

ARTICLE III: PARTICIPATION IN THE SUPPORTIVE TRANSITIONAL EMANCIPATION PROGRAM (STEP)

 

Sec. 20.46.	Findings.
Sec. 20.47.	Definitions.
Sec. 20.48.	Participation in the "STEP" Program.
Sec. 20.48A.	Transitional Independent Living Plan Requirement.
Sec. 20.49.	Notification and Funding Requirements.

 

SEC. 20.46. FINDINGS.

   The Board of Supervisors finds and declares the following:

   (a)   Foster youth are a vulnerable population at risk of homelessness, indigence, welfare dependency, incarceration and other adverse outcomes if they exit foster care without the proper skills to become self-sufficient; and

   (b)   Many foster youth who exit from the foster care system cannot depend on their family for ongoing financial support while they pursue post-secondary education or career development; and

   (c)   When many foster youth exit the foster care system, their primary source of financial support, AFDC-Foster Care payments, terminates at 18 years of age, diminishing their resources for self-support; and

   (d)   Some foster youth cannot successfully complete education or training programs due to trauma suffered while in the care of their parents, and possibly from multiple placements while in the foster care system.

(Added by Ord. 3-04, File No. 031242, App. 1/16/2004)

SEC. 20.47. DEFINITIONS.

   For the purposes of this Article only, the following definitions shall apply to the terms used herein.

   (a)   "Supportive Transitional Emancipation Program" (STEP) means the program codified in section 11403.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code in which eligible foster youth receive ongoing financial support up to 21 years of age while participating in an educational or training program, or any activity consistent with their transitional independent living plan.

   (b)   "Eligible foster youth" means a person who meets all of the following eligibility criteria:

      1.   the person was in foster care and emancipated upon reaching the age limitations under Welfare and Institutions Code section 11401, or received aid from the Kin-GAP program under Welfare and Institutions Code section 11360, and emancipated upon reaching the age limitations under Welfare and Institutions Code section 11363;

      2.   the person is participating in an educational or training program, or any activity consistent with his or her transitional independent living plan;

      3.   the person is under 21 years of age; and

      4.   the person has emancipated from a county that is participating in the STEP program.

(Added by Ord. 3-04, File No. 031242, App. 1/16/2004)

SEC. 20.48. PARTICIPATION IN THE "STEP" PROGRAM.

   The City and County of San Francisco hereby elects to participate in the STEP program, pursuant to section 11403.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and shall meet the funding ratios specified in that section.

(Added by Ord. 3-04, File No. 031242, App. 1/16/2004)

SEC. 20.48A. TRANSITIONAL INDEPENDENT LIVING PLAN REQUIREMENT.

   Aid under this section shall be provided pursuant to a transitional independent living plan agreed upon by both the eligible foster youth and either the Department of Human Services, the Juvenile Probation Department, or an independent living program coordinator or supervisor. The transitional independent living plan shall be reviewed annually, and shall meet the requirements under Welfare and Institutions Code section 11403.1(c).

(Added by Ord. 3-04, File No. 031242, App. 1/16/2004)