PCS for HB 879 (2025): An act relating to young adults who are homeless or were in the child welfare system
Summary
PCS for HB 879 2025 is a bill to be entitled an act relating to young adults who are homeless or were in the child welfare system. Each Florida College System institution and state university, in consultation with the State Office on Homelessness, must develop a plan to prioritize placement of certain students in residence halls or dormitory residences. Section 3 directs the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to study barriers to obtaining housing faced by such young adults who are not enrolled in a Florida College System institution or state university, with recommendations, and to report by December 1, 2026. Section 4 sets an effective date of July 1, 2025.
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“PCS for HB 879 (2025): An act relating to young adults who are homeless or were in the child welfare system.”
Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2025-3291-careers-workforce-subcommittee-proposed-committee-bills-pcbs-934330a376/
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
PCS for HB 879 2025
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to young adults who are homeless or
3 were in the child welfare system; amending s.
4 409.1452, F.S.; requiring each Florida College System
5 institution and state university, in consultation with
6 the State Office on Homelessness, to develop a plan to
7 prioritize the placement of certain students in
8 residence halls or dormitory residences; providing
9 responsibilities for the Office of Continuing Care,
10 Florida College System institutions, and state
11 universities; requiring that certain institutions and
12 universities give priority to certain students for
13 housing and work-study programs; creating s.
14 409.14521, F.S.; defining the term "young adult";
15 requiring certain entities to develop programs and
16 supports to help young adults access certain federal
17 programs and vouchers; providing requirements for such
18 programs and supports; requiring specified entities to
19 maintain certain records and provide certain
20 assurances to landlords; providing applicability;
21 requiring the Office of Program Policy Analysis and
22 Government Accountability, in consultation with other
23 entities, to conduct a specified study and report its
24 findings to the Governor and Legislature by a date
25 certain; providing requirements for such study;
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PCS for HB 879 2025
26 effective date.
27
28 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
29
30 Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 409.1452, Florida
31 Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (5), and a new subsection
32 (3) and subsection (4) are added to that section, to read:
33 409.1452 Collaboration with State University System,
34 Florida College System, and Department of Education to assist
35 children and young adults who have been or are in foster care or
36 are experiencing homelessness; documentation regarding
37 eligibility for tuition and fee exemptions; housing assistance.—
38 The department shall collaborate with the State University
39 System, the Florida College System, and the Department of
40 Education to address the need for a comprehensive support
41 structure in the academic arena to assist children and young
42 adults who have been or remain in the foster care system in
43 making the transition from a structured care system into an
44 independent living setting.
45 (3) Each Florida College System institution and state
46 university shall, in consultation with the State Office on
47 Homelessness, develop a plan to prioritize the placement of
48 students who are 28 years of age or younger and who:
49 (a) Are or were formerly in foster care in the United
50 States;
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PCS for HB 879 2025
51 (b) Are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of
52 experiencing homelessness; or
53 (c) Are eligible for the tuition and fee exemption under
54 s. 1009.25(1)(c)1.-4. or (1)(e),
55
56 in residence halls or dormitory residences owned or operated by
57 the institution or university at which the student attends. The
58 Office of Continuing Care established under s. 414.56 is
59 responsible for determining if a student is or was formerly in
60 foster care in the United States. Each Florida College System
61 institution and state university is responsible for determining
62 whether a student meets the definition of a homeless child or
63 youth by using the process for determining whether a student is
64 eligible for a tuition or fee exemption under s.
65 1009.25(1)(c)1.-4. or (1)(e).
66 (4) If a Florida College System institution or state
67 university implements a priority system for the assignment of
68 students to any of the following, the institution or university
69 must give first priority to students who are eligible for the
70 tuition and fee exemption under s. 1009.25(1)(c)1.-4. or (1)(e):
71 (a) Housing owned or operated by the institution or
72 university.
73 (b) Year-round housing.
74 (c) Work-study programs.
75 Section 2. Section 409.14521, Florida Statutes, is created
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76 to read:
77 409.14521 Housing assistance for young adults.—
78 (1) As used in this section, the term "young adult" means
79 a person who is 28 years of age or younger who was in the child
80 welfare system in the United States after he or she attained the
81 age of 14.
82 (2) The department, community-based care lead agencies,
83 their subcontracted providers, and housing authorities created
84 under s. 421.04 shall develop programs and supports to help
85 young adults access all available federal programs and vouchers
86 offered by the United States Department of Housing and Urban
87 Development relating to housing and housing stability. At a
88 minimum, the programs and supports must include all of the
89 following:
90 (a) The creation of a list identifying each young adult
91 eligible for federal housing programs and vouchers within each
92 community-based care lead agency's geographic service area.
93 (b) A recruitment and communication plan to help
94 community-based care lead agencies contact and engage with such
95 young adults.
96 (c) A memorandum of understanding or letter of intent
97 between each community-based care lead agency and each housing
98 authority located within the geographic service area of the
99 community-based care lead agency.
100 (d) Written certification from each community-based care
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101 lead agency to each housing authority located within the lead
102 agency's geographic service area which verifies that the young
103 adult was involved in the child welfare system after turning 14
104 years of age.
105 (e) A detailed list of processes and support services that
106 are available to a young adult who is participating in a federal
107 program or voucher.
108 (3) The department, community-based care lead agencies,
109 and their subcontracted service providers that administer
110 housing funds for young adults in the child welfare system must
111 maintain detailed records of all reasonable actions taken to
112 facilitate a young adult's acquisition of a residential lease.
113 Reasonable actions include providing assurances to a landlord
114 that funding will be provided on a monthly basis in order for
115 the young adult to execute a contract for the lease of
116 residential property. Such assurances may include cosigning the
117 contract to lease the residential property, providing a
118 guarantee, or any other form of assurance acceptable to the
119 landlord. This subsection applies to entities that serve young
120 adults receiving postsecondary educational services and support
121 or aftercare services under s. 409.1451 or young adults
122 receiving continuing care under 39.6251.
123 Section 3. (1) The Office of Program Policy Analysis and
124 Government Accountability (OPPAGA) shall conduct a study
125 relating to the barriers that young adults who are or were in
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PCS for HB 879 2025
126 the child welfare system or who are or are at risk of
127 experiencing homelessness, and who are not enrolled in a Florida
128 College System institution or state university, face when trying
129 to obtain housing. The study must include recommendations for
130 overcoming such barriers.
131 (2) OPPAGA shall conduct such study in consultation with
132 the Department of Children and Families, the Department of
133 Commerce, public housing authorities, young adults affected by
134 this act, and other stakeholders as appropriate.
135 (3) OPPAGA shall report its findings and recommendations
136 to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
137 the House of Representatives by December 1, 2026.
138 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.
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