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1997 SESSION


VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- CHAPTER
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 2.1-1.7 and 36-139 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 9 a chapter numbered 49, consisting of sections numbered 9-371, 9-372, and 9-373, relating to the creation of the Virginia Interagency Action Council on the Homeless.
[H 2179]
Approved

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 2.1-1.7 and 36-139 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Title 9 a chapter numbered 49, consisting of sections numbered 9-371, 9-372, and 9-373, as follows:

§ 2.1-1.7. State councils.

A. There shall be, in addition to such others as may be established by law, the following permanent collegial bodies either affiliated with more than one agency or independent of an agency within the executive branch:

Adult Education and Literacy, Virginia Advisory Council for

Agricultural Council, Virginia

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Problems, Governor's Council on

Apprenticeship Council

Blue Ridge Regional Education and Training Council

Child Day-Care Council

Citizens' Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion

Commonwealth Competition Council

Commonwealth's Attorneys' Services Council

Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, Virginia

Disability Services Council

Equal Employment Opportunity Council, Virginia

Housing for the Disabled, Interagency Coordinating Council on

Human Rights, Council on

Human Services Information and Referral Advisory Council

Indians, Council on

Interagency Coordinating Council, Virginia

Job Training Coordinating Council, Governor's

Land Evaluation Advisory Council

Maternal and Child Health Council

Military Advisory Council, Virginia

Needs of Handicapped Persons, Overall Advisory Council on the

Prevention, Virginia Council on Coordinating

Public Records Advisory Council, State

Rate-setting for Children's Facilities, Interdepartmental Council on

Revenue Estimates, Advisory Council on

Southside Virginia Marketing Council

Specialized Transportation Council

State Health Benefits Advisory Council

Status of Women, Council on the

Technology Council, Virginia

Virginia Business-Education Partnership Program, Advisory Council on the

Virginia Interagency Action Council on the Homeless

Virginia Recycling Markets Development Council.

B. Notwithstanding the definition for "council" as provided in § 2.1-1.2, the following entities shall be referred to as councils:

Council on Information Management

Higher Education, State Council of

Independent Living Council, Statewide

Rehabilitation Advisory Council, Statewide

Rehabilitation Advisory Council for the Blind, Statewide.

CHAPTER 49.
VIRGINIA INTERAGENCY ACTION COUNCIL ON THE HOMELESS.

§ 9-371. Virginia Interagency Action Council on the Homeless established; membership; terms; chairman; meetings; compensation.

There is hereby established the Virginia Interagency Action Council for the Homeless, hereinafter referred to as "the Council," which shall have sixteen members. The membership of the Council shall consist of:

1. One representative, who shall be appointed by the agency executive, from each of the following agencies: the Departments of Education; Health; Housing and Community Development; Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services; Social Services; Virginia Employment Commission; Virginia Housing Development Authority; and the Virginia Housing Study Commission;

2. One representative, who shall be appointed by the Governor, from each of the following: the Virginia Municipal League, the Virginia Association of Counties, the faith community, and domestic violence programs selected from a slate prepared by Virginians Against Domestic Violence; and

3. Two representatives, who shall be appointed by the Governor, from each of the following: a nonprofit prevention, shelter care or transitional living program, and formally organized housing coalitions selected from a slate prepared by the Virginia Coalition for the Homeless.

In making appointments, the Governor shall strive for geographic representation of the Commonwealth.

The terms of the agency members of the Council shall be coincident with their terms of office. Of the members initially appointed by the Governor, three shall serve four-year terms, three shall serve three-year terms, and two shall serve two-year terms. Thereafter, the members appointed by the Governor shall serve four-year terms and their successors shall be appointed for like terms. Vacancies occurring other than by expiration of a term shall be filled for the unexpired term. Members appointed by the Governor may be reappointed for successive terms.

The Council shall annually elect its chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership. The Council shall meet at least quarterly and members appointed by the Governor shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

§ 9-372. Duties of the Council.

The Council shall have the following duties:

1. Survey current resources for services available to the homeless in Virginia;

2. Initiate an evaluation of the current and future needs for services to the homeless;

3. Compile data collected by funding sources on the numbers and demographics of those served by homeless programs across Virginia;

4. Assist in the coordination and provision of services for the homeless in Virginia;

5. Increase the flow of information among separate service providers and appropriate authorities;

6. Provide technical assistance to local governing bodies to assess the housing needs and develop collaborative approaches to serve the homeless;

7. Establish a central resource and information center for the homeless in Virginia; and

8. Develop a strategic plan to address the needs of the homeless in Virginia.

§ 9-373. Staff support and cooperation of other agencies.

The Department of Housing and Community Development shall provide staff support to the Council. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall cooperate with the Council.

§ 36-139. Powers and duties of Director.

The Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development shall have the following responsibilities:

1. Collecting from the governmental subdivisions of the Commonwealth information relevant to their planning and development activities, boundary changes, changes of forms and status of government, intergovernmental agreements and arrangements, and such other information as he may deem necessary.

2. Making information available to communities, planning district commissions, service districts and governmental subdivisions of the Commonwealth.

3. Providing professional and technical assistance to, and cooperating with, any planning agency, planning district commission, service district, and governmental subdivision engaged in the preparation of development plans and programs, service district plans, or consolidation agreements.

4. Assisting the Governor in the providing of such state financial aid as may be appropriated by the General Assembly in accordance with § 15.1-1412.

5. Administering federal grant assistance programs, including funds from the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Economic Development Administration and other such federal agencies, directed at promoting the development of the Commonwealth's communities and regions.

6. Developing state community development policies, goals, plans and programs for the consideration and adoption of the Board with the ultimate authority for adoption to rest with the Governor and the General Assembly.

7. Developing a Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy to guide the development and implementation of housing programs in the Commonwealth for the purpose of meeting the housing needs of the Commonwealth and, in particular, those of low-income and moderate-income persons and families.

8. Determining present and future housing requirements of the Commonwealth on an annual basis and revising the Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy, as necessary to coordinate the elements of housing production to ensure the availability of housing where and when needed.

9. Assuming administrative coordination of the various state housing programs and cooperating with the various state agencies in their programs as they relate to housing.

10. Establishing public information and educational programs relating to housing; devising and administering programs to inform all citizens about housing and housing-related programs that are available on all levels of government; designing and administering educational programs to prepare families for home ownership and counseling them during their first years as homeowners; and promoting educational programs to assist sponsors in the development of low and moderate income housing as well as programs to lessen the problems of rental housing management.

11. Administering the provisions of the Industrialized Building Safety Law (§ 36-70 et seq.).

12. Administering the provisions of the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97 et seq.).

13. Administering the provisions of the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (§ 27-94 et seq.).

14. Establishing and operating a Building Code Academy for the training of personnel in building regulations promulgated by the Board of Housing and Community Development.

15. Administering, in conjunction with the federal government, and promulgating any necessary regulations regarding energy standards for existing buildings as may be required pursuant to federal law.

16. Identifying and disseminating information to local governments about the availability and utilization of federal and state resources.

17. Administering, with the cooperation of the Department of Health, state assistance programs for public water supply systems.

18. Advising the Board on matters relating to policies and programs of the Virginia Housing Partnership Revolving Fund.

19. Designing and establishing program guidelines to meet the purposes of the Virginia Housing Partnership Revolving Fund and to carry out the policies and procedures established by the Board.

20. Preparing agreements and documents for loans and grants to be made from the Virginia Housing Partnership Revolving Fund; soliciting, receiving, reviewing and selecting the applications for which loans and grants are to be made from such fund; directing the Virginia Housing Development Authority as to the closing and disbursing of such loans and grants and as to the servicing and collection of such loans; directing the Virginia Housing Development Authority as to the regulation and monitoring of the ownership, occupancy and operation of the housing developments and residential housing financed or assisted by such loans and grants; and providing direction and guidance to the Virginia Housing Development Authority as to the investment of moneys in such fund.

21. Advising the Board on matters relating to policies for the low-income housing credit and administering the approval of low-income housing credits as provided in § 36-55.63.

22. Establishing and administering program guidelines for a statewide homeless intervention program.

23. Providing staff support to the Virginia Interagency Action Council for the Homeless in accordance with § 9-373.

23. 24. Carrying out such other duties as may be necessary and convenient to the exercise of powers granted to the Department.

2. That the provisions of the act shall only become effective if funds are appropriated for the purposes described in this act.