AB 1215: Pets Assistance With Support Grant Program: homeless shelters: domestic violence shelters: pets.

Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development in the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and makes the department responsible for administering various housing programs throughout the state, including, among others, the Multifamily Housing Program, the Housing for a Healthy California Program, and the California Emergency Solutions Grants Program.

This bill would require the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to develop and administer the Pets Assistance With Support Grant Program (PAWS), to award grants to qualified homeless shelters and qualified domestic violence shelters, as defined. The bill would require grant recipients to meet certain availability and service requirements as they relate to the pets of people experiencing homelessness and people escaping domestic violence. The bill would authorize the department to use up to 7% of the funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act for those purposes for its costs in administering the program.