CA AB236

Expands CalWORKs homeless assistance benefits to families whose only child or children are in out-of-home dependency court placement if the family is receiving reunification services and the county determines homeless assistance is necessary for reunification.

Includes homeless assistance for temporary shelter as a service available to parents whose children have been removed and placed in out-of-home care for up to 180 consecutive days during reunification efforts.

Requires the state department to annually gather and report to the Legislature information on actual shelter costs and best practices for transitioning families from temporary to permanent housing, working with county agencies, the County Welfare Directors Association, and CalWORKs advocates.

Creates conditional operative provisions coordinating with Assembly Bills 557 and 607 to determine which version of Section 11450 amendments becomes law depending on which bills are enacted.

Specifies no state General Fund appropriation is made to implement the bill, making it a state-mandated local program requiring reimbursement to counties under existing procedures if the Commission on State Mandates determines mandated costs exist.