Ch. 226                         LAWS OF MARYLAND

(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 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 maximum total rent for an assisted unit, the
size of an assisted unit, and the amount of the monthly rental
allowance payments by 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;

(4)  Minimum standards for eligible housing units; and

(5)  A method of selecting locations for implementing
the pilot program that insures the distribution of funds among
the various regions of the State.

(c) (1) Housing allowance payments may only be given to OR
ON BEHALF PROVIDED FOR THE BENEFIT given to OR ON BEHALF OF:

(1) (I) (1) Homeless persons who:

(i) 1. (i) not have permanent housing;

(ii) 2. (ii) have insufficient resources to
secure such housing;

(iii) 3. (iii) cannot be served by a federal or
more cost effective State housing assistance program; and

(iv) 4. (iv) are capable of maintaining
independent living quarters; or

(2) (II) (2) Eligible households with critical and
emergency housing needs that cannot be served by a federal or
more cost effective State housing assistance program.

(2) A HOUSING ALLOWANCE PAYMENT MAY ONLY BE MADE BY A
CHECK PAYABLE TO THE ORDER OF BOTH THE ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLD AND THE
OWNER OF THE ASSISTED UNIT.

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