US Laws, Codes, Statutes & Cases

 
    §  612.  Powers  and duties. a. The commissioner shall have the powers
  and perform the duties of a commissioner of social  services  under  the
  social   services   law  for  the  purpose  of  fulfilling  his  or  her
  responsibilities under this chapter. In the performance of  his  or  her
  functions, the commissioner shall:
    1.  be  responsible  for transitional housing and services provided by
  the  city  for  eligible  homeless   families   and   individuals.   The
  commissioner  shall encourage the participation of and receive proposals
  from the public and private sectors for the development of  transitional
  housing   and   services  for  homeless  families  and  individuals.  In
  performing such duties, the commissioner may develop and issue  requests
  for  proposals  and  evaluate responses thereto, negotiate, award, enter
  into and administer contracts, loans  or  other  agreements,  award  and
  administer  grants  and  obtain  all necessary approvals. For-profit and
  not-for-profit entities shall be eligible to submit  proposals,  bid  on
  contracts and other agreements, and apply for grants and loans;
    2.  develop,  maintain and, where necessary, strengthen the system for
  the provision of transitional housing and services for homeless families
  and individuals;
    3. in consultation with other appropriate governmental agencies,  plan
  housing for homeless families and individuals;
    4.  maintain,  repair  and  rehabilitate  transitional  housing owned,
  operated or managed by the department;
    5. establish performance criteria, goals and objectives  with  respect
  to contract providers and monitor and evaluate such performance;
    6.  participate  in  the  development of prevention programs to assist
  families  and  individuals  who  are  in  imminent  danger  of  becoming
  homeless;
    7.  in  consultation  with  other  appropriate  governmental agencies,
  develop and operate outreach programs to identify  and  assist  families
  and   individuals   who  are  homeless  and  living  in  public  spaces.
  Notwithstanding any outreach programs developed  or  operated  by  other
  city agencies, and outreach programs developed or operated by any entity
  pursuant  to  a  contract  with  the  department, the commissioner shall
  retain  a  substantial  outreach  workforce  within   the   department's
  full-time  staff.  Beginning  on the first day of September, 1998 and on
  the first day  of  each  succeeding  calendar  quarter  thereafter,  the
  commissioner  shall  report  to the speaker of the council in writing on
  the outreach programs operated by the department, by other city agencies
  or by entities  contracting  with  the  department.  Such  report  shall
  include,  but  not  be  limited  to,  the  number of contacts during the
  reporting period, the  number  of  placements  in  transitional  housing
  resulting  from such contacts during the reporting period and the number
  of referrals of persons so contacted to programs or services during  the
  reporting period;
    8. direct and supervise the management, operations, budget and funding
  of services for homeless individuals and families;
    9. work directly with the mayor's office of management and budget with
  regard  to  the  funding  and  administration  of  the city's budget for
  services to homeless families and individuals; and
    10. advise and assist the mayor with respect to matters pertaining  to
  homeless families and individuals.
    b.  In  addition  to  the  duties  set  forth in subdivision a of this
  section,  the  commissioner  is   authorized,   in   consultation   with
  appropriate  agencies,  to  provide  any  other services he or she deems
  necessary to implement and effectuate the provisions of this chapter.