On Tuesday, the Senate is scheduled to begin its consideration of the FY 2025 state operating budget. Earlier this month, senators filed 1,100 amendments to the Senate Ways and Means proposal, including CHAPA’s priority amendments below. Please contact your senator and ask them to support the inclusion of these provisions in the final Senate budget that is expected to pass later this week:
#155 – Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance (Sen. Feeney)
Directs $500,000 to the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance to provide technical assistance and engage in resources development and systems work to advance housing solutions to end homelessness; increases the total funding for the Home and Healthy for Good program by the same amount.
#208 – Saving Toward Affordable and Sustainable Homeownership (STASH) Program (Sen. Crighton)
Directs $750,000 for the STASH Program to support first-generation homebuyers.
#218 – Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) (Sen. Lovely)
Codifies MRVP in statute and makes improvements to the program, including deepening affordability for renters, improving renter safety, improving data collection, and increasing administrative fees to cover costs associated with running the program for regional housing agencies and housing authorities.
#240 – Improvements to the RAFT (Residential Assistance for Families in Transition) Homelessness Prevention Program (Sen. Gomez)
Adjusts RAFT guidelines by making additional funds available to administrating agencies to resolve housing crises, and eliminates the need for a utility shut-off notice, a notice to quit, or a summary process summons and complaint to access RAFT.
#272 – Housing Authorities (Sen. Edwards)
Increases public housing operating funding by $2 million to $117 million.
#292 – Homebuyer Consumer Counseling (Sen. Eldridge)
Makes a modest investment in a program that has proven to be a crucial tool for keeping people in their homes by providing high-quality homeowner education and foreclosure counseling services.
#323 – Improvements to HomeBASE (Sen. Jehlen)
Adjusts guidelines for HomeBASE to make short-term housing transition benefits available for 12-month renewable allotments to re-housed families, allows for renewals for eligible families beyond 3 years, if necessary, eases certain current spending limitations to keep families housed, and continues the prior appropriation.
#906 – Housing Assistance for People in Reentry (Sen. Gomez)
Increases funding for the line item to $9 million to provide rental assistance for returning citizens.