What's happening
This bill requires the Department of Correction to assist inmates in securing housing before release, including planning, reporting, and reimbursing local districts for shelter costs.
Why it matters
Improves post-release stability. By requiring comprehensive discharge planning for housing, the bill aims to reduce the risk of homelessness and housing insecurity among people leaving prison, which can be a major factor in successful reintegration and reducing recidivism.
Creates accountability and transparency. The mandated reporting to local social services districts—both before and after release—ensures that the Department of Correction documents its efforts and progress in helping each individual secure stable housing, increasing oversight of the reentry process.
Shifts some financial burden away from localities. By requiring the state to reimburse local districts for the shelter costs of recently released individuals, the bill helps relieve local governments of unplanned expenses related to supporting former inmates, potentially leading to better resource allocation at the local level.
Encourages continued support post-release. Ongoing, periodic reports about what assistance is being provided after release mean that discharged individuals are less likely to fall through the cracks, as the Department remains involved in their housing search and support as long as they are under parole supervision.
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Who cares
Department of Corrections and Community Supervision
The bill would require pre-release housing planning, reimbursement of local shelter costs and reports on housing assistance when that planning results in a shelter placement.
Local social services districts
They would receive reimbursement for covered shelter placements, a discharge-planning report thirty days before release and follow-up reports every thirty days until parole ends.
Inmates eligible for community supervision
They would receive help exploring available and potentially available housing before release, with continuing assistance to find housing outside covered shelters that complies with parole terms.
Headline styles
Help Inmates Find Housing
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 32
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to crime victims, crime and correction
- Referred to crime victims, crime and correction
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Help Inmates Find Housing
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor David Weprin
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4843
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 27, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction
AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to the department of correction and community supervision's role with respect to discharge planning to assist inmates in obtaining housing before release to community supervision
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 5 of section 201 of the correction law, as added by section 32 of subpart A of part C of chapter 62 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
5. The department shall assist inmates eligible for community supervision and inmates who are on community supervision to secure employment, educational or vocational training, and housing. Prior to release, the department shall assist such inmates to secure housing by engaging in all necessary discharge planning, including but not limited to exploring all types of housing resources available and potentially available to the inmate. In every instance that the department's discharge planning results in release to temporary housing in a shelter regulated pursuant to 18 NYCRR Parts 491 and 900, the department shall (a) reimburse the local social services district for the cost of providing such temporary housing in a shelter, (b) provide a report to the local social services district thirty days prior to such discharge that shall include a description of all discharge planning undertaken for the individual inmate, and (c) once every thirty days following discharge until the inmate is no longer subject to parole, provide a report to the local social services district describing all continuing assistance the department has provided to the inmate to obtain housing that is not to temporary housing in a shelter regulated pursuant to 18 NYCRR Parts 491 and 900 and does not violate the terms of the inmate's parole.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10150-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the correction law, in relation to the department of correction and community supervision's role with respect to discharge planning to assist inmates in obtaining housing before release to community supervision
Purpose or general idea of bill
The Department of Corrections shall assist inmates in obtaining housing prior of release from a correctional institution.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill amends section 201 (5) of the correction law in relation to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision's role with respect to discharge planning to assist inmates to obtain housing before release from a state correctional facility. The bill requires that for every discharge in which the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision releases an inmate to temporary shelter regu- lated pursuant to title 18 parts 491 and 900 of New York State Codes, Rules, and Regulation, the department must (a) reimburse the Local Social Services District for the cost of providing temporary shelter, (b) provide a report to the Local Social Service District thirty days prior to discharge, including a description of all discharge planning undertaken for the individual in mate, and (c) once every thirty days until the inmate is no longer subject to parole, provide a report to the Local Social Services District detailing all continuing assistance that the Department has provided to the inmate to obtain permanent housing that does not violate the terms of the inmate's parole.
Read the full memo (695 words)
Section 2 provides for the law to take effect immediately.
Justification
Individuals face a multitude of challenges upon discharge from correc- tional facilities. Chief among them is relocating to an affordable, permanent home and re-acclimating to living independently in the commu- nity. The New York State Department of Correction and Community Super- vision (DOCCS) has a legal and moral responsibility to implement poli- cies that ensure formerly incarcerated individuals are able to successfully reintegrate into society and to mitigate obstacles that may lead to re-incarceration. This bill will help achieve these goals by addressing the current DOCCS practice of discharging parolees to shelter without adequate pre- and post-discharge assistance to secure independ- ent housing in the community and shifting costs to Local Social Services Districts (LSSD). The bill calls for regular reporting on all of DOCCS efforts to assist parolees to obtain permanent housing. Far too often, inmates are released to temporary shelter in the absence of appropriate pre-discharge planning to avert shelter entry and then DOCCS does not provide appropriate follow up assistance to relocate parolees from shel- ter to housing in the community. As a consequence, the responsibility of assisting the individual in locating permanent housing is left to the LSSDs, instead of with DOCCS where it belongs.
In 2016, nearly 21,000 inmates were released to community supervision from New York State correctional facilities, many of whom were sent to New York City. A significant number of formerly incarcerated individuals are discharged into the local shelter system directly from state correc- tional facility. This does little to support the parolee or lower reci- divism rates, and it exacerbates the homelessness crisis in local commu- nities across the State to which parolees are being discharged. The City social services district has implemented a broad range of programs and services aimed at lowering the shelter census and for the first time in a decade the number of people in its shelter system has stabilized. The current number of formerly incarcerated individuals entering shelter comes at great cost to New York City and other localities, and under- mines local efforts to control spending and reduce the number of people in shelters. Research suggests that securing stable housing is a crit- ical first step to successful re-entry. A 2004 study of over 40,000 individuals returning to New York City from state correctional facili- ties reveals a strong correlation between shelter use and risk of reci- divism. This bill addresses the relationship between housing instability and recidivism and will give formerly incarcerated individuals the best chance to achieve true independence.
Prior legislative history
New bill
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.