Section 612. Powers and duties  


Latest version.
  • 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.