The Public Housing Act, 642

Return to Kodiak Law Code

The Public Housing Act, 642

An act to provide free or subsidised housing for the less fortunate.
Passed 11/07/2022 - 11 Aye, 8 Nay, 2 Abstain

Article 1 - The Department of Housing Administration

1.1 - Hereby creates the Department of Housing Administration within the Ministry of Social Services (DoHA:MoSS).

1.2 - The DoHA shall be coordinated by a board of no less than five (5) advisors, appointed to five (5) year terms, on the advice of the sitting Minister for Social Services.

1.3 - The DoHA shall be managed by the Director of Housing, responsible directly to the Minister of Social Services, and hired by the board.

1.4 - The DoHA shall be responsible for the administration of the provisions of this act, including income assessment, communication, and provisioning.

Article 2 - Assessment and Provisioning

2.1 - Access assessment for housing provisioned through the DoHA shall only be permitted if:

2.1.1 - An individual is a natural born Kodiak Citizen, OR;

2.1.2 - An individual has been a naturalised Kodiak Citizen and resided within Kodiak for a total of at least three (3) of the previous five (5) years, OR;

2.1.3 - A married couple (and their dependants, if said dependants are under the age of 25) which contains at least one person who qualifies under 2.1.1 or 2.1.2, OR;

2.1.4 - A non-Kodiaker single parent if at least one of their dependant(s) (if said dependents are under the age of 25) qualifies under 2.1.1 or 2.1.2.

2.2 - Assessment shall be determined on a case-by-case basis, with particular priority on:

2.2.1 - Single-parent families earning under 15% of the national individual full-time average income (NIFTAI), THEN;

2.2.2 - Families with any child under 10 earning under 30% of the NIFTAI, THEN;

2.2.3 - Families with any dependant under 25 earning under 25% of the NIFTAI, THEN;

2.2.4 - Individuals or couples incapable of earning an income due to health or disability, THEN;

2.2.5 - Individuals or couples earning less than 30% of the NIFTAI, THEN;

2.2.6 - Individuals, couples, or families earning less than 50% of the NIFTAI, THEN;

2.2.7 - Individuals, couples, or families earning less than 100% of the NIFTAI, THEN;

2.2.8 - Any other possible candidate under section 2.1.

2.3 - Payment shall be free or subsidised such that each month:

2.3.1 - Units (family, couple, or individual) assessed under sections 2.2.1 through 2.2.4 shall be placed into housing for a nominal fee of no more than ₣50 as assessed by the DoHA.

2.3.2 - Units (family, couple, or individual) assessed under sections 2.2.5 through 2.2.7 shall be placed into housing for a sliding fee not to exceed 25% of unit income as reported on a quarterly basis divided by 3.

2.3.3 - Units (family, couple, or individual) assessed under section 2.2.8 shall be placed into into housing for a flat rate of whichever is lower of either:

2.3.3.1 - The average price of a private domicile of similar description and location, OR;

2.3.3.2 - 35% of the combined taxable income of the unit from the prior year divided by 12.

2.4 - A Unit (family, couple or individual) provisioned with a domicile from the DoHA will be permitted continued residence at a fee assessed according to section 2.3 until such time the combined income of the unit is greater than the following formula [(NIFTAI TIMES number of resident adults over 25 TIMES 80%) MINUS (number of dependents under 25 TIMES NIFTAI TIMES 10%)] for a period of at least two financial years within the last three, at which time if a new applicant would be available from a higher priority as assessed under section 2.2. At that time the unit will be given a minimum four month tenancy termination notice.

Article 3 - Construction and Maintenance

3.1 - The DoHA shall be tasked with utilising the funds provided to first begin the construction of medium density housing.

3.2 - The DoHA may instruct local municipalities to utilise power of eminent domain to pay for and acquire land within urban and regional centres, as well as near commercial and business centres.

3.3 - It is expected that all funds will be utilised for the purchase of land, construction of residences, and maintenance of DoHA property without permission for the administration to save or invest funds for any other purpose.

3.4 - An independent commission within the DoHA will be tasked with analysing and selecting which residential facilities will best serve an area.

3.4.1 - The commission must concentrate on providing medium density housing.

3.4.2 - The commission must concentrate on providing cost effective designs appropriate to the area, with townhouses and/or mid-rises which are five stories or less.

3.4.3 - The commission must ensure the procurement of wheelchair accessible units at a ratio of at least 1:10.

Article 4 - Funding

4.1 - Funding shall be allocated from the general fund by the Ministry of Social Services.

4.2 - The Department of Housing Administration shall be quarterly funded to ₣1,000 million.

Proposed by Chancellor Patrick Barber, Leader of the Kodiak Workers' Party.