2010 New York Code
SOS - Social Services
Article 2 - (5 - 40) DEPARTMENT AND STATE BOARD OF SOCIAL WELFARE
36-C - Savings plan demonstration project.

* §  36-c.  Savings plan demonstration project. 1. Notwithstanding any
  other provision of law to the contrary, in any social services  district
  with  a  city  having  a  population  of one million or more, the social
  services district shall conduct a demonstration project as set forth  in
  this section, and shall evaluate and report on such project, pursuant to
  a plan approved by the office of temporary and disability assistance and
  the division of budget prior to the implementation of the project.
    2.  Such social services district, in lieu of applying that portion of
  a temporary housing assistance recipient's earned income that,  but  for
  the  other  provisions  of  this chapter, would be applied to reduce the
  need for the shelter component of temporary housing assistance  provided
  in  a  temporary  emergency  shelter,  shall  direct such a recipient to
  participate in a savings plan with such funds and, as long as such funds
  are not withdrawn, they shall not be applied to reduce the need for  the
  shelter  component  of  the temporary housing assistance granted for the
  duration of  his  or  her  residence  in  temporary  emergency  shelter;
  provided,  however, that the provisions of this section shall only apply
  to a person receiving temporary housing assistance in a shelter or other
  facility funded and overseen by the New York city department of homeless
  services or the New York city department  of  housing  preservation  and
  development.  Failure  by a recipient of temporary housing assistance to
  contribute to such a savings plan shall not  in  itself  result  in  the
  discontinuance  of  temporary  housing  assistance, unless the recipient
  separately fails to comply with conditions  of  eligibility  that  could
  result in the discontinuance of temporary housing assistance.
    3. In such social services district, any such funds collected from the
  earned income of a recipient of temporary housing assistance while he or
  she is residing in a temporary emergency shelter shall be deposited in a
  savings  plan  approved  by  the  office  of  temporary  and  disability
  assistance and the division of budget; shall be payable to the recipient
  for the recipient's use to facilitate  his  or  her  transition  to,  or
  stabilize  his  or  her  residence in, permanent housing upon his or her
  discharge from shelter or upon verification of such recipient's date  of
  discharge  from  shelter;  and shall be considered exempt as income or a
  resource until the twelfth  month  following  the  month  in  which  the
  recipient  ceases  receiving  temporary  housing assistance in temporary
  emergency shelter. Funds  collected  in  such  savings  plans  shall  be
  pooled,   tracked   individually,   and   maintained  in  a  savings  or
  money-market account at interest rates set by the institution with which
  such funds are deposited. Any  savings  and  interest  accrued  in  such
  account  or  accounts  shall  be  distributed  to  a  temporary  housing
  assistance recipient upon his or her discharge from temporary  emergency
  shelter  or upon verification of such recipient's date of discharge from
  shelter, in accordance with the provisions of this section.
    4. Such social services district shall be deemed  in  compliance  with
  section  one  hundred  thirty-one-a of this chapter for reimbursement of
  expenditures  made  for  temporary  housing  assistance,  provided   the
  district  is  conducting  the  project  fully  in  accordance  with  the
  provisions of this section. Unearned income of a recipient of  temporary
  housing assistance in such social services district shall not be applied
  to  the  savings  plan,  and shall not be required to be applied to that
  portion of the shelter  costs  not  paid  for  with  public  assistance.
  Temporary  housing  assistance  recipients  shall  not  be  required  to
  contribute to the cost of such shelter, as provided for in this section.
  Such project shall not be implemented so as to  compromise  the  federal
  benefits of a recipient or any of his or her household members.

* NB  Effective  December 29, 2010 or upon approval of a demonstration
  project provided for in chapter 58 of 2010  Part  K  by  OTDA  and  DOB,
  whichever is earlier
    * NB Repealed March 31, 2016