Committee reworks homelessness bill language on hotels, case management and coordinated entry

A legislative committee reviewing a draft homelessness bill spent several hours clarifying how hotels and motels with supportive services would be authorized, how case management would be defined and assigned, and how coordinated entry and disability accommodations should operate.

Committee members said the bill’s current draft (page 13) was unclear about whether the Department or a community partner should enter agreements with hotels and motels. Lawmakers asked that the lead concept be restructured so a single approach applies across related sections rather than inserting words that create inconsistent obligations. One member noted the department’s original proposal referenced 21 staff positions, “12 of which would be stationed out in and around hotels,” and asked whether those functions should instead be provided by community providers or designated agencies.

The group agreed to separate case management into…