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<section article="ged" article_name="Education" number="9.9-104.1" title_number="9.9" title_name="Community Schools" subtitle_number="1">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Fund” means the Rental Assistance for Community School Families Fund.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Program” means the Rental Assistance for Community School Families Program.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>There is a Rental Assistance for Community School Families Program.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The purpose of the Program is to provide rental assistance to eligible student households at community schools.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Program shall be administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development, in consultation with the Department.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>To be eligible for rental assistance under the Program, a community school student must be:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Enrolled in a community school that receives funding under § 5–223 of this article; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>From a household:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>That is housed in a rental property, where at least one household member is at risk of homelessness or housing instability, as evidenced by past due rent or utility notices, unsafe living conditions, or other evidence determined by the Department of Housing and Community Development; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Where at least one member qualifies for assistance under the federal McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Eligible uses for payments under the Program include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Rental payments;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Rental arrears;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Fines or fees associated with rental payments, including a late fine or fee;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Utility payments;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>Utility arrears;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>Fines or fees associated with utility payments, including a late fine or fee; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>Relocation expenses.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, an eligible student’s household may receive support from the Program for up to 12 months.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Subject to the availability of funding, an eligible student’s household may receive one 3–month extension of support if the community school student remains eligible under subsection (d) of this section following 12 months of support.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>There is a Rental Assistance for Community School Families Fund.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Department of Housing and Community Development shall administer the Fund.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The Fund consists of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Interest earnings; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The Fund may be used only to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Provide rental assistance in accordance with the Program; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Cover the costs of the Department of Housing and Community Development to administer the Fund.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>The Governor may include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $10,000,000 for the Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
