HB2379

THE CONTEXT: The housing voucher program is the federal government's major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly and persons with disabilities to afford decent, safe and sanitary housing in the private market. A rental subsidy is paid to the owner of the housing by the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) on behalf of the family.

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would prohibit a county, city or town from requiring a hotel, or motel, to participate in a program that houses the homeless in an unoccupied guest room through a housing voucher, prohibit ADOH from requiring a hotel, or motel, to participate in a program that houses the homeless in an unoccupied guest room through a housing voucher, and define homeless individuals or families.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to set a clear legal boundary for hotel instead of leaving the conduct unaddressed. It would prohibit a county, city or town from requiring a hotel, or motel, to participate in a program that houses the homeless in an unoccupied guest room through a housing voucher, and would also prohibit ADOH from requiring a hotel, or motel, to participate in a program that houses the homeless in an unoccupied guest room through a housing voucher, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.