HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2150

BYRepresentatives Anderson, Winsley, Leonard, Nutley, Wineberry, Jacobsen, Brekke and Phillips

Providing for six demonstration projects on teen parent housing.

House Committe on Housing

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (7)

      Signed by Representatives Nutley, Chair; Leonard, Vice Chair; Winsley, Ranking Republican Member; Anderson, Inslee, Rector and Todd.

Minority Report:  Without recommendation.  (2)

      Signed by Representatives Ballard and Padden.

House Staff:Charlie Gavigan (786-7340)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HOUSING FEBRUARY 28, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Studies and surveys indicate that the number of homeless persons is increasing.  A significant percentage of these homeless persons are single parents, often adolescents and children.

The lack of a home and address has been documented to hinder persons in obtaining services and in attending school.  In the recent past, public assistance and other public services were not accessible to persons without an address. This has changed as court decisions have mandated equal protection to persons who are homeless.

Adolescent homeless parents and pregnant women can have additional problems in obtaining services, both public and private, because they are minors.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  The Department of Community Development is to establish three demonstration projects that provide community-based housing options and services to homeless teenage parents or homeless teenage pregnant women. Social services are to be provided to help the adolescent parent or pregnant woman obtain access to school, obtain housing, stay in school, and make the transition to independent living.

The following housing options are to be considered by the department in establishing the demonstration projects: (1) short-term emergency foster care for pregnant and parenting adolescents; (2) foster care for an adolescent mother and her child; (3) group homes; (4) semi-independent housing; and (5) independent housing.

In selecting the public and non-profit community-based organizations to conduct the demonstration projects, the department is to consider, in addition to the housing that will be provided, the additional funding the organization will bring to the project and the services the organization will provide.

The Department of Community Development is to work with the Department of Social and Health Services and other agencies and organizations to implement the demonstration projects.  The Department of Community Development is to report to the Legislature and present recommendations regarding the demonstration projects in January 1991.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  Clarification is made by the substitute bill that the demonstration must provide both housing and services. Clarification is also made that the bill applies to homeless adolescent parents and homeless adolescent pregnant women.  The adolescent can pay for the housing by any available means, including public assistance.

The number or projects is reduced from six to three (funding is $100,000 per year per project). The funding will come from a general fund appropriation, not from the Housing Trust Fund.

Appropriation:    $600,000 is appropriated to the Department of Community Development for the demonstration projects.  $50,000 of this amount may be used for administrative expenses by the department.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 22, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Jan Spear, WACSAP Community Youth Services; Susan McPhee, Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenting Program of Yakima County; Laurie Dils, Statewide Steering Committee on Adolescent Pregnancy; Jim Legaz, Catholic Community Services; Marie Agdamag, Seattle Indian Health Board; Ann Simons, National Organization for Women.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Adolescent parents and teen pregnancies are significant problems in Washington state that are getting worse. Adolescent parents and their children make up an ever increasing percentage of homeless persons. These adolescent parents and adolescent pregnant women need housing to provide stability to their lives and to enable them to get services to help them be good parents and finish school.  With housing and services, these persons and their children can learn to be productive citizens; without housing and services, these persons and their children are likely to have longterm economic and social problems.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.