§ 44. General and administrative provisions. 1. The department, in
consultation with the division of housing and community renewal, the
office of mental health and other appropriate agencies, shall issue and
promulgate rules and regulations for the administration of this article.
The rules and regulations shall provide that state financial assistance
pursuant to this article will not be available unless an application has
been filed by the municipality, not-for-profit corporation or subsidiary
thereof, public corporation or charitable organization or subsidiary
thereof with the department pursuant to a request for proposals issued
by the commissioner. The rules and regulations shall include provisions
concerning eligibility of municipalities and contracting not-for-profit
corporations or subsidiaries thereof, public corporations and charitable
organizations or subsidiaries thereof for state financial assistance;
the form of the applications for contracts; funding criteria and the
funding determination process; the form of the contracts; supervision
and evaluation of the contracting municipalities or corporations;
reporting, budgeting and record-keeping requirements; provisions for
modification, termination, extension and renewal of contracts; and such
other matters not inconsistent with the purposes and provisions of this
article as the commissioner shall deem necessary, proper or appropriate.

2. The commissioner may provide that preference be given to contract
applications that (a) involve other sources of funds (municipal, federal
or any source other than the state), in-kind contributions made by such
sources, or involve projects receiving state financial assistance
pursuant to chapters three hundred thirty-eight, three hundred
thirty-nine and five hundred forty-nine of the laws of nineteen hundred
eighty-two, in order to maximize the effect of state financial
assistance or (b) involve innovative and cost-effective homeless
projects that may help resolve the long-term problems of the homeless or
(c) involve the rehabilitation of existing structures.

3. The commissioner shall, in consultation with the commissioner of
housing and community renewal, the commissioner of mental health and the
commissioners of other appropriate agencies, evaluate the need for
homeless projects in various areas of the state and among various
populations, including, but not limited to, homeless men, women,
families and runaway youth, and shall allocate funds, to the extent
practicable, to meet these needs; provided, however, that no more than
fifty per centum of the total amount appropriated pursuant to this
article in any fiscal year shall be allocated to contracts with any
single municipality.

4. The department shall provide for the review, at periodic intervals,
of the performance of the municipalities, not-for-profit corporations or
subsidiaries thereof, public corporations and charitable organizations
or subsidiaries thereof receiving financial assistance pursuant to this
article. Such review shall, among other things, be for the purposes of
ascertaining conformity to contractual provisions, the financial
integrity and efficiency of the organizations and the evaluation of the
project. Contracts entered into pursuant to this article may be
terminated by the commissioner upon a finding of substantial
nonperformance or other breach by the organization of its obligations
under its contract with the municipality.

5. The commissioner shall require that all homeless projects that
received financial assistance pursuant to this article shall comply with
all regulations applicable to projects of this type promulgated by the
department, by the division of housing and community renewal and other
municipal, state and federal regulations and laws. The commissioner may
terminate any contract upon a finding that a substantial violation of
such regulations or laws has remained uncorrected for a substantial
period of time.

6. In order to further the purposes of this article, social services
districts shall, in accordance with regulations promulgated by the
department, undertake such efforts as may be necessary and practicable
to assist homeless persons apply for and obtain appropriate governmental
assistance.

7. On or before February first, nineteen hundred eighty-four and on or
before February first of each year thereafter in which contracts under
this section are in force, the commissioner shall submit to the
governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the
assembly a report detailing progress and evaluating results, to date, of
the program.

8. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law, the
director of the budget is authorized to transfer to the homeless housing
and assistance account funds otherwise appropriated or reappropriated to
the department of social services for the fiscal years beginning on and
after April one, nineteen hundred ninety, in an amount or amounts the
director of the budget determines to be necessary to carry out the
provisions of the homeless housing and assistance program.