April 19, 2022

Greetings!

Take action! Please reach out to your State Representative and encourage them to cosponsor and actively support key housing stability, shelter access, and cash assistance amendments to the state's fiscal year 2023 budget.

The House Committee on Ways and Means (HWM) released its version of the FY23 state budget on Wednesday, House Bill 4700. In the $49.6 billion proposal for the fiscal year that will launch on July 1st, HWM recommended important increased investments in programs such as:

  • Residential Assistance for Families in Transition homelessness prevention program (RAFT), line item 7004-9316: $140 million

  • Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), line item 7004-9024: $150 million

  • Emergency Assistance family shelter program for families with children (EA), line item 7004-0101: $218.4 million

  • HomeBASE rehousing program for families with children, line item 7004-0108: $59.4 million

  • Housing and services for unaccompanied youth, line item 4000-0007: $8.5 million

  • Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP), line item 7004-9030: $19 million

See the full list of line items we are tracking here.

Now we are working to build upon these important proposed investments through the amendment process to ensure that program funding, eligibility, and outcomes better match the scale of the need across the Commonwealth.

Representatives had until Friday afternoon to file amendments. The full House is scheduled to begin debating the supplemental budget early next week, so we have one week to secure as many House cosponsors and as much support as possible for key amendments related to housing stability, shelter access, and cash assistance.

Overview of Key Amendments

  • Amendment #1371, "Improvements to the RAFT Homelessness Prevention Program", from Representative Decker. This amendment would increase RAFT access to all otherwise eligible households with incomes up to 60% of the area median income; affirmatively ensure upstream access to RAFT benefits; and direct the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to authorize 4 months of forward rent payments and stipends to otherwise eligible applicants.

  • Amendment #1385, "Improvements to Emergency Assistance for Children and Families", from Representative Decker, which would increase the income eligibility limits for EA to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines (FPG) for families upon application and 285% FPG for families already in EA shelter; restore the FY22 language to establish an ombudsperson unit; and improve tracking and reporting language.

  • Amendment #494, "Housing and Services for Unaccompanied Youth Experiencing Homelessness", from Representative O'Day, which would increase funding to $10 million.

  • Amendment #399, "Improvements to HomeBASE", from Representative Barber, which would increase the value of HomeBASE subsidies to $30,000 over 2 years, with the possibility of renewals at $15,000/year and lift the income eligibility limits for families once they are enrolled in HomeBASE to allow families to maximize their incomes.

  • Amendment #881, "Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program", from Representative Madaro, which generally would lower tenant rent shares to 30% of income instead of 40% of income; incorporate utility payments when calculating tenant rent shares; and shift to a payment standard model for determining MRVP rents for mobile voucher holders.

  • Amendment #181, "Lift Kids Out of Deep Poverty FY23", from Representative Decker, which would increase monthly Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children program (EAEDC) and Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) grants 20% over July 2021 levels.

  • Amendment #182, "Ending Deep Poverty", from Representative Decker, which would add an outside section to the budget to continue to increase the monthly EAEDC and TAFDC grants by 20% each year until the grants reach 50% of the federal poverty guidelines, which is considered the deep poverty level.

  • Amendment #1268, "Housing Protections", from Representative Frank Moran, which would move Chapter 257 eviction protections upstream and expand protections to no-fault eviction cases where the property owner also is seeking back rent, thus closing the no-fault eviction loophole.

See our FY23 budget chart for more details and links: https://tinyurl.com/mchfy23


Take Action with Us!

** Please reach out to your State Representative to ask for their strong and active support for the key amendments listed above.

You can find out who your Representative is and how to contact them by going to www.wheredoivotema.com or calling the State House switchboard at 617-722-2000.

Here is a sample script:

"My name is {name}. I live at {address} in {city/town}. As a constituent, I am asking the Representative to cosponsor and actively support key housing stability, shelter access, and cash assistance amendments to the FY23 House budget, including:

  • Amendment #1371 on improving the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) homelessness prevention program

  • Amendment #1385 on expanding access to the Emergency Assistance (EA) program

  • Amendment #494 on increasing funding for housing and services for unaccompanied youth and young adults experiencing homelessness

  • Amendment #399 on the improving the HomeBASE program

  • Amendment #881 on improving the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP)

  • Amendments #181 and #182 on increasing monthly grants for participants in the Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children program (EAEDC) and Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) cash assistance programs

  • Amendment #1268 on expanding Chapter 257 eviction protections

These policies and investments will help ensure that families and individuals in our community and across the Commonwealth can obtain and retain housing stability. Thank you!"

After making your call or sending your email, please let us know by emailing us.

Thanks for your collaboration and your work to prevent and end homelessness!

In solidarity,
Kelly and Luke

Kelly Turley
Associate Director

Luke Benson
Community Organizer/Legislative Advocate

P.S. Stay up to date with the Coalition’s advocacy initiatives by following us on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. (Links also included at the top of this message.)