Sec. 05.21.01.04. Eligible Recipients and Requirements

A. Rental Allowance Program.

(1) Eligible recipients are:

(a) Households with an annual income below 30 percent of the area median income and are homeless; and

(b) Households who are at risk of homelessness.

(2) Funds provided under this program shall be used for housing assistance payments.

(3) Housing assistance payments shall be made only on behalf of clients who have rented an eligible dwelling unit and where the lease or sublease is in the name of the client.

(4) Dwelling units that are not already subject to a physical inspection under a federal, another State, or a local affordable housing program, including the federal low-income housing tax credit program:

(a) Shall be inspected for conformance with the requirements of this regulation; and

(b) Shall be maintained by the dwelling unit owner so as to comply with the requirements of this section.

B. Homeless Women - Crisis Shelter Home Program.

(1) Eligible recipients are women who are:

(a) Homeless; and

(b) Residents of the State.

(2) The crisis shelter home shall provide clients with a temporary residence for not more than 12 weeks.

(3) The temporary residence may be a room in a hotel or motel.

(4) Clients shall have cooperative responsibility for housekeeping duties in a crisis shelter home as follows:

(a) Housekeeping duties shall be limited to the immediate area where the client sleeps; and

(b) Additional housekeeping duties shall be voluntary and not a valid reason for termination from the program.

(5) Crisis shelter homes may not charge a fee to clients.

(6) Admission policies of crisis shelter homes shall be accepting of households in need of shelter.

C. Housing Navigator and Aftercare Program.

(1) Eligible recipients are households who are the recipient of or in the process of applying for temporary cash assistance, as defined in Human Services Article, §5-301, Annotated Code of Maryland.

(2) Funds provided under this program shall be used for:

(a) Salary and FICA for housing navigators and aftercare case managers;

(b) Client-related expenses, including:

(i) First and final months’ rent;

(ii) Transportation for housing searches;

(iii) Moving expenses;

(iv) Essential furnishings;

(v) Storage;

(vi) Arrearages;

(vii) Credit checks and housing application fees;

(viii) Security deposits;

(ix) Utility deposits; and

(x) Other identified needs; and

(c) Other items that the Department designates.

D. In addition to the eligible uses set forth in §§A-C of this regulation, the Department may allow additional uses of funds for costs and expenses related to reducing, eliminating, or preventing homelessness that are consistent with the funding source the Department receives for any other programs that serve the homeless.

E. A grantee may grant all or a portion of the funds it receives from the Department to a provider to carry out the program with approval from the Department and in accordance with the terms and conditions of an agreement with the Department.