Section 120.08. Eligibility determination and payment procedures.

 

(1)  The agency shall determine eligibility for emergency assistance within 5 working days after receiving a completed application. If the group is found eligible, the agency shall issue a payment to the emergency assistance group within the same 5 working days, except as provided in subs. (4) and (5) . The payment may be made in the form of cash, a voucher, or a vendor payment.

(2)  The agency shall notify the applicant in writing of the eligibility determination. If the application is denied, the notice shall include reasons for the denial and information about the opportunity to appeal that decision under s. DCF 120.10 .

(3)  Emergency assistance payments shall not be used for activities related to or the costs of providing temporary or transitional shelter or housing, except if a group is in need of assistance due to a fire, flood, or natural disaster.

(4)  If the emergency assistance group's eligibility is due to homelessness under s. DCF 120.05 (2) or impending homelessness under s. DCF 120.05 (3) (b) or (c) , the agency shall issue a payment, following the eligibility determination, within 5 working days of the date that the group notifies the agency that a permanent living accommodation has been obtained.

(5)  Emergency assistance payments for impending homelessness under s. DCF 120.05 (3) (a) or (d) may be issued to obtain a new permanent living accommodation or retain a current permanent living accommodation.

(a) If an emergency assistance group requests that the emergency assistance payment be made to obtain a new permanent living accommodation, the agency shall issue a payment, following the eligibility determination, within 5 working days of the date that the group notifies the agency that a permanent living accommodation has been obtained.

(b) If an emergency assistance group requests that the emergency assistance payment be made to retain a current permanent living accommodation, the W-2 agency shall confirm that the landlord, bank, or local government agrees to waive any right to proceed with an eviction or foreclosure action based on the notice served in consideration for receiving the emergency assistance payment on behalf of the group. The agency shall issue a payment, following the eligibility determination, within 5 days of the date that the agency receives this confirmation from the landlord, bank, or local government.

(6)  Emergency assistance may be provided to an emergency assistance group once in a 12-month period.

History: Cr. Register, October, 1999, No. 526 , eff. 11-1-99; cr. (6), Register, January, 2001, No. 541 , eff. 2-1-01; CR 06-044 : am. (1), r. (3), renum. (4) to be (3), cr. (4), renum. (5) to be (6) and am., renum. (6) to be (5), Register November 2006 No. 611 , eff. 12-1-06; corrections in (2), (4) and (5) (intro.) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7. , Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635 ; EmR0906 : emerg. am. (4) and (5) (intro.), eff. 4-22-09; CR 09-059 : am. (2), (4) and (5) (intro.) Register December 2009 No. 648 , eff. 1-1-10.