Senate panel debates H.91 plan to shift homeless services to community action agencies

Vice Chair Sen. Martina Lirok Ulek convened the Senate Health & Welfare Committee to take up H.91, a bill that would reorganize the state's Housing Opportunity Program (HOP) by placing major service administration with community action agencies (CAP agencies) and creating regional advisory councils.

The measure drew praise for parts of the proposal but also repeated concerns from providers about capacity, funding and timing. Jeanne Montrose, executive director of Helping Overcome Poverty's Effects (HOPE), told the committee, "I do have concerns about moving, at least moving quickly to decouple that." Montrose recommended a study or phased transition rather than an immediate handoff.

Why it matters: H.91 would shift responsibility for shelter and related supportive services, change reporting and oversight, and includes provisions aimed at reducing reliance on hotels and motels. Committee members said any transition affects budgets, pipelines for housing placement and front-line service capacity.

Committee discussion and provider testimony

Montrose, who leads a longstanding Addison County nonprofit, described HOPE's direct service operations and warned that "we're gonna be faced with so many more challenges" if federal funding is…