§ 4–755.01. No entitlement to services.

(a) No provision of this chapter shall be construed to create an entitlement (either direct or implied) on the part of any individual or family to any services within the Continuum of Care, other than shelter in severe weather conditions as authorized by § 4-754.11(5).

(b) No provision of this chapter shall be construed to require the District to expend funds for individuals or families who are eligible for services within the Continuum of Care, beyond the level of the District’s annual appropriation for services within the Continuum of Care.

(c)(1) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) of this section, a minimum of 10 beds shall be established for LGBTQ homeless youth through a 2-year grant or contract program to establish and maintain facilities for these beds. LGBTQ-identified homeless youth shall have priority preference for the beds established through the 2-year grant or contract program. If beds are not in use by a LGBTQ-identified homeless youth, they may be filled by a non-LGBTQ-identified homeless youth until an LGBTQ-identified homeless youth presents the need for a bed and the non-LGBTQ-identified homeless youth has been transferred pursuant to § 4-754.34(a).

(2) Eligibility criteria shall be established to receive a grant or contract. Eligible grantees or contractors shall:

(A) Be community organizations based in the District;

(B) Have expertise in systems of care for LGBTQ homeless youth; and

(C) Establish or maintain facilities through these grants or contractss that protect the safety of LGBTQ homeless youth through facilities that are specifically for LGBTQ youth and separate from any existing homeless services for the general population.

(3) At least 30% of the grant or contract funding shall be allocated to support proposals received for social innovation and other demonstration projects that may address the needs of this population with new, promising prevention and service-delivery models; provided, that the number of beds established for LGBTQ youth is no lower than 10.

(4) This subsection shall expire if the Interagency Council determines that the needs of LGBTQ homeless youth are being met at a rate equal to or higher than the needs of homeless youth in the general population pursuant to § 4-752.02(b-1).

(d)(1) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the Mayor shall fund a minimum of 5 additional shelter beds for homeless youth up to 24 years or age and additional transitional housing capacity for 10 youth 18 to 24 years of age.

(2) Homeless services for youth shall be provided through 2-year grants or contracts to eligible community organizations based in the District with expertise in systems of care for homeless youth.

(3) Recipients of grants or contracts shall establish, maintain, or expand facilities through these grants or contracts that protect the safety of homeless youth through facilities that are specifically for homeless youth and separate from any existing homeless services for the general population.

(4) Repealed.

(Oct. 22, 2005, D.C. Law 16-35, § 28, 52 DCR 8113; May 3, 2014, D.C. Law 20-100, § 2(k), 61 DCR 1873; Feb. 26, 2015, D.C. Law 20-155, § 5102(e), 61 DCR 9990; Mar. 11, 2015, D.C. Law 20-212, § 2(d), 61 DCR 13077; Feb. 27, 2016, D.C. Law 21-75, § 3, 63 DCR 257; Feb. 28, 2018, D.C. Law 22-65, § 2(kk), 65 DCR 331.)

Section References

This section is referenced in § 4-752.02, § 4-754.34, and § 4-756.02.

Effect of Amendments

The 2014 amendment by D.C. Law 20-100 added (c).

The 2015 amendment by D.C. Law 20-155 added (d).

The 2015 amendment by D.C. Law 20-212 would have substituted “which shall meet the requirements of this chapter” for “as authorized by § 4-754.11(5)” in (a).

The 2016 amendment by D.C. Law 21-75 repealed the amendment by D.C. Law 20-212.

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 5102(e) of the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-377, July 14, 2014, 61 DCR 7598, 20 STAT 3696).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 5102(e) of the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-449, October 10, 2014, 61 DCR 10915, 20 STAT 4188).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 5102(e) of the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Support Second Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-566, January 9, 2015, 62 DCR 884, 21 STAT 541).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3 of the Interim Eligibility and Minimum Shelter Standards Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-326, Mar. 3, 2016, 63 DCR 3658).

Editor's Notes

Section 3 of D.C. Law 20-212 provided that the act shall take apply upon the inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan, as certified by the Chief Financial Officer to the Budget Director of the Council in a certification published by the Council in the District of Columbia Register.