2216

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 629

(1)  Income limits for eligibility of lower income
households which shall not exceed 30% of the State or area
median income, whichever is higher;

(2)  The maximum time period for the provision of
allowances, taking into consideration the availability of other
State or federal programs of assistance to a specific household
shall not exceed 6 consecutive months except when the Secretary
determines that undue hardship would result if assistance is
terminated;

(3)  The size of maximum total rent for an assisted
unit, the size of an assisted unit, and the amount of the monthly
rental allowance payments by unit household size, taking into
account:

(i) Regional variance within the State;

(ii) Expected average annual recipient income
by household size;

(iii) Typical rental costs; and

(iv) Any other factor relative to income or
rental costs; and

(4)  Minimum standards for eligible housing units.

(c) Priority in granting housing allowances shall be given
to:

(1) Homeless persons who do not have permanent

housing and who have insufficient resources to secure such
housing;

(1) (2) Eligible households who do not qualify for
federal housing assistance but who are capable of maintaining
independent living quarters, and for whom no other housing
assistance resources are available; and

(2) (3) Eligible households with critical and

emergency housing needs units; and

(5) A method of selecting locations for implementing

the pilot program that insults the distribution of funds among

the various regions of the State.

(c) Housing allowance payments may only be given to:

(1) Homeless persons who:

(i) do not have permanent housing;

(ii) have insufficient resources to secure such
housing;