July 21, 2021

Greetings!

Thank you once again for all of your work to make sure the Commonwealth implements the strongest possible state budget on homelessness, housing, and benefits programs for fiscal year 2022, which began on July 1st and will run until June 30, 2022. Last Friday afternoon, Governor Charlie Baker signed sections of the FY22 budget into law, and issued vetoes and amendments to other sections. For homelessness, housing, and benefits priority issues, the Governor's actions were mixed. We saw funding and language approved for many of the programs for which we advocate, while we also saw the Governor strike and amend other key provisions.

We want to celebrate the victories with you, and do all we can together to encourage the Legislature to swiftly override the relevant vetoes and reject negative amendments. In order to override a gubernatorial veto, both the House and Senate need to have at least two-thirds of their members vote in support of the override.

Below, please find our summary of key provisions. You can see the full budget approved by the Legislature, House Bill 4002, here, and the Governor's budget signing and veto documents here.You can see our analysis of the Governor's actions, as well as our funding and language requests in Columns D-F of our budget chart.


Take action with us!

Please ask your State Representative and Senator to swiftly override the Governor's FY22 vetoes and reject negative amendments on homelessness and benefits programs by:

  1. Signing and sharing our latest one-minute online action, directed at your legislators and legislative leadership. This action asks your State Representative and Senator and key legislative leaders to swiftly override the Governor's FY22 vetoes on the Emergency Assistance and Residential Assistance for Families in Transition programs, and to fully eliminate the asset tests for applicants and participants in the Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children and Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children programs by rejecting the Governor's amendments and reenacting the Legislature's versions of Outside Sections 47 and 67. Here's the shortened action link to share with others to amplify the message: https://tinyurl.com/mch72121
  2. Calling your State Representative and Senator, asking them to swiftly override the Governor's FY22 vetoes on the Emergency Assistance and Residential Assistance for Families in Transition programs, and to fully eliminate the asset tests for applicants and participants in the Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children and Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children programs by rejecting the Governor's amendments and reenacting the Legislature's versions of Outside Sections 47 and 67.

Find out who your State Representative and Senator are and their contact information by going to www.wheredoivotema.com or by calling the State House switchboard at 617-722-2000. Please also thank your legislators and the budget conferees, who are listed below. You can click on their names and follow the links below for their email addresses and phone numbers.

If you send your own emails or make calls, please let us know by emailing us via kelly@mahomeless.org, so we can keep track of our collective actions and impact.

Thank you once again for your partnership in the advocacy for a state budget that promotes housing, equity, and economic stability!

With hope,
Kelly and Marwa

Kelly Turley
Associate Director

Marwa Sayed
Community Organizer/Legislative Advocate


* The six budget conferees were House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz, House Ways and Means Vice Chair Ann-Margaret Ferrante, House Ways and Means Ranking Minority Member Todd Smola, Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues, Senate Ways and Means Vice Chair Cindy Friedman, and Senate Ways and Means Ranking Minority Member Patrick O'Connor.
Overview of Key Housing, Homelessness, and Benefits Conference Committee Priority Requests, Interim Outcomes, and Needed Advocacy

Emergency Assistance (EA) family shelter and services (line item 7004-0101):
  • Conference Committee requests: Fund at the House and Senate recommended funding level of $195,885,750, with Senate language to use at least $150,000 to create an independent ombudsperson office within the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development for families applying for and participating in EA and HomeBASE. Include Senate language to create an ombudsperson office and the Senate's expanded tracking and reporting language.
  • Legislature's compromise budget: Funded at $196,960,750, higher than levels previously proposed by the House and Senate. Includes language to create an ombudsperson office under the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and expanded tracking and reporting language.
  • Governor's actions: The Governor approved $196,810,750, and vetoed $150,000 in funding that would be directed to create an ombudsperson unit. He vetoed the related language to create an independent ombudsperson office under the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and all of the tracking and reporting language. In addition, the Governor vetoed language that would redirect unspent FY21 funds to contracted EA shelter providers with operating gaps and deficits, saying, "I am striking language because the required report is unduly burdensome. I am also striking language because it is not consistent with my House 1 recommendation. Finally, I am striking language that earmarks funding for a purpose not recommended. The reduction in the item incorporates the amount of the stricken earmarked funds."
  • Next steps: Join us in asking the Legislature to restore language and funding to create an independent ombudsperson office under the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and to restore the expanded tracking and reporting language.

Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (line item 7004-9316):
  • Conference Committee requests: Fund at the House funding level of $26,725,768 ($22,000,000 in recommended direct appropriations plus $4,725,768 from the Housing Preservation and Stabilization Trust Fund.) Include House language to retain the $10,000 cap on annual benefits for the full fiscal year, and Senate language to decouple RAFT and HomeBASE benefits so as to allow eligible households to maximize funding from both programs.
  • Legislature's compromise budget: Funded at $26,725,768 total ($22,000,000 in recommended direct appropriations plus $4,725,768 from the Housing Preservation and Stabilization Trust Fund). Includes language to cap RAFT benefits at $10,000 only until December 31, 2021, and a lower $7,000 cap for the second half of the fiscal year.
  • Governor's actions: The Governor approved the $22,000,000 in direct funding, and vetoed language that would direct $4,725,768 from the Housing Preservation and Stabilization Trust Fund to RAFT, saying, "I am striking this language because it is not consistent with my House 1 recommendation." The Governor approved the Legislature's language to maintain the $10,000 RAFT cap until December 31, 2021, and then lower it to $7,000 for second half of fiscal year.
  • Next steps: Join us in asking the Legislature to restore language directing the transfer of $4,725,768 from the Housing Preservation and Stabilization Trust Fund to RAFT.


Housing and Services for Unaccompanied Youth and Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness (line item 4000-0007):
  • Conference Committee requests: Fund at the House and Senate funding level of $8,000,000.
  • Legislature's compromise budget: Funded at $8,000,000.
  • Governor's actions: The Governor approved the $8,000,000 in direct funding.
  • Next steps: Thank legislators and the Governor.

Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (line item 7004-9024):
  • Conference Committee requests: Fund at the Senate funding level of $150,000,000 ($129,981,667 in new appropriations plus not less than $20,018,333 in unspent funds from FY21). Include Senate language so that voucher holders would not have to pay more than 30% of their income toward rent from current standard of 40% of income, and additional Senate language so that at least 75% of newly issued vouchers would be targeted to households with incomes at or below 30% area median income at time of initial occupancy.
  • Legislature's compromise budget: Funded at $150,000,000 ($129,981,667 in new appropriations plus not less than $20,018,333 in unspent funds from FY21). Does not include Senate language capping tenant rent share at 30% of income. Includes compromise language to allow (but not require) DHCD to target at least 75% of newly issued vouchers to households with incomes at or below 30% area median income at time of initial occupancy.
  • Governor's actions: The Governor approved the funding level of $150,000,000, as appropriated by the Legislature. He also approved the language as proposed by the Legislature.
  • Next steps: Thank legislators and the Governor.

HomeBASE (line item 7004-0108):
  • Conference Committee requests: Fund at the House and Senate funding level of $25,970,612. Include Senate language as included in the RAFT line item (7004-9316) to decouple RAFT and HomeBASE benefits so as to allow eligible households to maximize funding from both programs.
  • Legislature's compromise budget: Funded at $25,970,612. Includes language that caps the combination of HomeBASE and RAFT assistance at $10,000 in a 12-month period; the additional language referencing the state of emergency is not applicable, as the state of emergency ended before the start of the fiscal year ("provided further, that a family shall not receive more than a combined sum of $10,000 in a 12-month period from this item and item 7004-9316; provided further, that from the passage of this act until the termination of the state of emergency concerning the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease declared by the governor on March 10, 2020, the preceding proviso shall not apply;")
  • Governor's actions: The Governor approved the funding level of $25,970,612, as appropriated by the Legislature. He vetoed tracking and reporting language on HomeBASE that was included in the EA line item (see above.)
  • Next steps: Join us in asking the Legislature to restore the HomeBASE and EA tracking and reporting language described above and as vetoed from line item 7004-0101.

Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children Program (EAEDC, line item 4408-1000):
  • Conference Committee requests: Fund at the Senate funding level of $101,538,779. Include House and Senate language to increase monthly grants 20% over FY20 levels, plus Senate language from Outside Sections 48-49 on removing the EAEDC asset limit.
  • Legislature's compromise budget: Funded at $102,738,779, higher than levels previously proposed by the House and Senate, Includes language to increase grants so that levels are 20% higher than in FY20 and language to remove the asset limit. See the newly numbered Outside Sections 46 and 47.
  • Governor's actions: The Governor signed into law Outside Section 46, and proposed amendments to Outside Section 47 to align the EAEDC asset limit with the asset limit (resource limit) for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.
  • Next steps: Thank legislators and the Governor for the increased EAEDC funding and increased monthly benefits. Join us in asking the Legislature to reject the Governor's amendments on asset limits for EAEDC, and to reenact Outside Section 47 as previously enacted by the Legislature.

Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children Program (TAFDC, line item 4403-2000):
  • Conference Committee requests: Fund at the Senate funding level of $275,916,458. Include House and Senate language to increase monthly grants 20% over FY20 levels, plus Senate outside section language from Outside Section 32 on removing the TAFDC asset limit
  • Legislature's compromise budget: Funded at $275,916,458. Includes language to increase monthly grants 20% over FY20 levels, plus language removing the TAFDC asset limit (newly numbered Outside Section 67).
  • Governor's actions: The Governor proposed amendments to Outside Section 67 to maintain an asset limit for applicants, but remove it for participants.
  • Next steps: Thank legislators and the Governor for the increased TAFDC funding and increased monthly benefits. Join us in asking the Legislature to reject the Governor's amendments on asset limits for TAFDC, and to reenact Outside Section 67 as previously enacted by the Legislature.

For more details on the outcomes for our full list of priorities, please see our budget chart or email Kelly. Thank you again for your advocacy!