May 25, 2023

Greetings!

Thank you to everyone who signed our one-minute online action, sent emails, and made calls to State Senators in support of key fiscal year 2024 housing stability, shelter access, and cash assistance budget amendments. We are writing today to share updates on the outcomes of key amendments.

The FY24 Senate budget debate likely will wrap up today. You can tune in to the livestream of the debate, and watch archived video from the previous days of the debate.

We will be back in touch soon about the next advocacy steps once the budget enters the Conference Committee phase, where the House and Senate designate members to negotiate the details of the final FY24 budget.

We remain deeply grateful for your teamwork and collaboration!

In solidarity,
Kelly and Julia

Kelly Turley
Associate Director

Julia Garvey
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.)
Outcomes of Key Amendments

On Tuesday, the full Senate began their debate on the 1,049 amendments filed to the FY24 budget. While the debate continues today for the third (and likely final) day, we are writing to share interim updates on key amendments. To note, as the underlying Senate Ways and Means budget was strong on housing and homelessness issues, very few appropriations and policy amendments have been adopted in these areas.

Check out our Senate amendment overview sheet and budget tracking spreadsheet (current Column D) for more details, links, and outcome notes on amendments focused on the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition program (RAFT), Emergency Assistance family shelter (EA), bridge subsidies for older adults, housing and services for unaccompanied youth, HomeBASE, access to Mass IDs for people experiencing homelessness, public housing operating subsidies, nutrition and cash assistance for immigrants with certain statuses, and tenancy protections. A quick recap also is included below.

  • Amendment #215, “Residential Assistance for Families in Transition," from Senator Gomez was withdrawn.
  • Amendment #422, "Improvements to the RAFT Homelessness Program," from Senator Rausch was withdrawn after Senator Rausch made remarks on the Senate floor in support of improving access to RAFT. Discussion of the amendment and her floor remarks can be seen starting at the 4:13 mark of this video.
  • Amendment #217, "Improvements to Emergency Assistance for Children and Families," from Senator Gomez was withdrawn.
  • Amendment #279, "Eliminate Asset Limits for Homeless Shelters," from Senator Eldridge was rejected as part of "No Bundle 1."
  • Amendment #397, "Rental Bridge Subsidies for Older Adults," from Senator Jehlen was withdrawn after Senator Jehlen made remarks on the Senate floor on the rising rates of homelessness among older adults and the need for bridge subsidies. Discussion of the amendment and her floor remarks can be seen starting at the 0:06 mark of this video.
  • Amendment #555, "Unaccompanied Homeless Youth," from Senator Robyn Kennedy was rejected as part of "No Bundle 2.” 
  • Amendment #323, "Improvements to HomeBASE," from Senator Jehlen was rejected as part of "No Bundle 1."
  • Amendment #851, "Identification for youth and adults experiencing homelessness," from Senator Robyn Kennedy was rejected as part of "No Bundle 4."
  • Amendment #176, "Tenancy Protections," from Senator Edwards was redrafted twice and then adopted. The final redraft still includes language from the initial amendment to provide opportunities for tenants to petition the court to have their eviction records sealed under certain circumstances, but it also would require tenants to file rental assistance applications in good faith in order to be eligible for Chapter 257 protections, among other changes. While the initial Senate Ways and Means proposal to restore Chapter 257 protections would be available to all households with pending rental assistance applications, the good faith language in the redrafted amendment would make access to the protections more subjective and difficult.


Call to Action: Please Thank Your State Senator

We are asking you to take a few minutes in the week ahead to reach out to your State Senator to thank them for cosponsoring and actively supporting key housing stability, shelter access, and cash assistance amendments to their FY24 budget proposal and for their work in advocating for a strong base Senate budget.

You can find your Senator's contact information on this page: https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Members/Senate or you can reach your Senator by phone by calling the State House switchboard: 617-722-2000.

Unsure who your Senator is? You also can look them up based on your address using this tool: www.wheredoivotema.com


Closing the Advocacy Feedback Loop

Please let us know if you receive any feedback from your Senator in response to your outreach and let us know if your have any questions.

Thank you!