Enacts the "New York YouthBuild demonstration program"; appropriation

Summary of provisions

Section 1: Title.

Section 2: Legislative intent.

Section 3: Amends the Education Law by adding a new Section 4608. The Section establishes the New York State YouthBuild Interagency Board. The board would be made up of nine members, each appointed by the Governor. The Commissioners of Education, Labor and the Division of Housing and Community Renewal would each nominate to the Governor three members to serve on the Board. The Board would then be authorized to issue grants from available funds to qualified YouthBuild programs in New York State.

The grants may be applied to cover the following costs associated with running a YouthBuild program: training for the rehabilitation or construction of housing for certain targeted populations; integrated education and work experience skills training services and activities; education; work experience and skills training apprenticeship program; assistance in attaining a post secondary education and required financial aid; counseling services; leadership development training; job-seeking assistance and counseling for those participants who choose not to pursue a higher education and a training subsidy for participants.

All YouthBuild participants are required to be full time enrollees in the program. All programs serving 28 trainees or more are required to employ a full-time director. Administrative costs may not exceed ten percent of the amount of assistance provided.

Eligible participants are youth ages 16 - 24 who are economically disadvantaged, as defined in 29 United States code 1503. In addition, candidates must also be a part of one of the following groups:

persons who are not attending school and have not received a secondary school diploma or its equivalent; persons currently enrolled in traditional or alternative school setting or GED program who are in danger of dropping out or persons whose income are at or less than fifty percent of the area median income. Exceptions may be made for those individuals who do not meet the educational or income requirements but have demonstrated educational need despite the attainment of a high school diploma, provided that these individuals do not make up more than twenty-five percent of the program population.

Any not-for-profit private or public agencies with experience operating a YouthBuild program or with a plan to incubate a YouthBuild program would be eligible to receive funding. Applicants for funding must abide by the criteria established in the legislation.

Section 4 appropriates the sum of three million dollars per year for a period of three years in order to carry out the costs associated with the demonstration program.

The State Education Department is directed to provide support staff to the Board as is necessary. On or before January 1, 2015, the Board shall contract with an independent consultant to evaluate and report to the Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly and the Temporary President of the Senate on the impact the demonstration project has had upon program participants, with regard to, but not limited to, GED attainment, program completion, advancement to institutions of higher education and job placement.

Existing law

Existing law does not authorize the grants to eligible YouthBuild applicants for services and expenses for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this act.

Justification

YouthBuild has been working with at-risk young people in New York State since 1978 when the program first started in East Harlem. It was expanded to the rest of the country with the passage of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992. Over 3,000 units of low-income housing have been produced by YouthBuild students since the program has gone nationwide.

YouthBuild is a comprehensive program that focuses on education, job training, leadership development, community service and life skills. Unemployed young people ages 16 to 24 build affordable housing for homeless and low-income families in their communities. Participants split their time between the construction site and the classroom, where they earn their GED or high school diploma. Counseling and support services are also offered to help students get into college or embark on a career path.

Currently, there are 226 YouthBuild programs in the United States. Of the 14 in New York State, only eight received federal funding in 2004. The increase in competition for these much-needed grants, coupled with the federal government's decision to cut back on the total pot of monies available, has fostered a funding environment that is increasingly difficult for New York's programs to survive. Four experienced chapters were forced to shut down in 2004. Only one of New York's existing programs received a federal appropriation for 2005.

YouthBuild is not just about creating affordable housing. It is about giving troubled adolescents an opportunity to turn their lives around. Most participants in the program are teens who have been expelled from school or have made repeated appearances in our juvenile court system for actions directly or indirectly related to drug abuse. Instead of allowing these youths to burden our criminal justice and social services systems years on end, YouthBuild turns them into productive contributors to society.

Many states nationwide have recognized the meaningful work of Youth Build programs, and it is the intent of this legislation to fund the New York State programs, independent of federal funding. The appropriation associated with this project seeks to provide the means necessary to demonstrate the value of funding YouthBuild on a state level in comparison to the lifetime of costs spared to state and local governments with each individual who succeeds in their program.

Legislative history

2009-10: S.2202A - Died in Senate Education. 2007-08: S.3015/A.5639 - Died in Senate Finance & Assembly Education. 2005-06: S.4273A/A.3233A - Died in Senate Finance & Assembly Ways & Means. 2003-04: A.294/S.2687 - Died in Labor in Senate & Assembly. 2001-02: A.33-A/S.5106 - Died in Senate Labor & Assembly Ways & Means. 1999-00: A.7523 - Died in Economic Development.

Fiscal implications

To cover operating expenses for YouthBuild programs in New York State, it is estimated that an appropriation of approximately $3 million annually for three years would be necessary to ensure continuation of services and demonstrate the value of Youth Build to the state.

Effective date

The first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become law.