H-2077.1          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 2152

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

By Representatives Leonard, Mitchell, Nelson, Franklin, Ogden, Ballard, Winsley, Chandler, D. Sommers, Forner, Moyer, Morton and Hochstatter.

Read first time March 1, 1991.  Referred to Committee on Housing.Appointing a direct landlord pay task force.

     AN ACT Relating to a study on having direct payments to landlords from public assistance; creating new sections; providing an effective date; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.      (1) The department of social and health services shall appoint a direct landlord pay task force to consist of seven members selected as follows:

     (a) Two members that represent apartment owners;

     (b) Two members that represent low-income tenants;

     (c) One member that represents public housing authorities;

     (d) The director of the department of community development; and

     (e) The director of the department of social and health services, who shall serve as the chair.

     (2) The chair shall be a nonvoting member, except in the case of ties.

     (3) The director of the department of social and health services shall appoint the members of the task force within sixty days from the effective date of this section.

     (4) Staffing shall be provided by the department of social and health services.

     (5) The task force shall meet at such times as determined by the chair.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.      (1) The task force shall conduct a study to determine whether the supply of housing for persons on public assistance would increase if the department made rental payments directly to the landlords.

     (2) In conducting the study, the task force shall:

     (a) Review the results of the department of social and health services' direct landlord pay pilot project;

     (b) Examine housing needs of persons on public assistance;

     (c) Make recommendations on program development and administrative operation options of a program designed to make rental payments from public assistance directly to landlords;

     (d) Take any other action relating to implementing this section; and

     (e) Provide a written report to the house of representatives housing and human services committees and senate children and family services committee by December 1, 1991, presenting the recommendations of the task force.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.      Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall expire January 1, 1992.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.      This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1991.  The director of the department of social and health services may take such steps as are necessary to ensure that this act is implemented July 1, 1991.