by Jordan Stocker | May 21, 2025 | Housing News
Earlier this month, The Boston Foundation and the MassINC Polling Group released Voices of Experience: What Works, What Frustrates, and What to Do to Strengthen the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program. The report draws on surveys, interviews, and focus groups with MRVP tenants and landlords across Massachusetts. It was developed in partnership with United Way of Massachusetts Bay, CHAPA, Metro Housing|Boston, the Regional Housing Network, BAMSI, and La Colaborativa, with support from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC).
The report confirms that the MRVP plays a vital role in promoting housing stability, supporting employment, and ensuring consistent rental income for landlords. At the same time, it identifies opportunities to improve the program’s effectiveness by addressing administrative challenges. Participants and landlords noted areas where clearer communication, more timely processing, and better access to support could make a meaningful difference. While many participants benefit from the program, some continue to face difficulty affording their rent share or achieving long-term financial security. The report recommends building on MRVP’s strengths by codifying and expanding the program, improving agency responsiveness, enhancing outreach and education efforts, and removing barriers to economic mobility for participants.
Read the full report here
by Jordan Stocker | May 12, 2025 | Featured News, Housing News
Last week, the Senate Ways and Means Committee released its budget proposal for the upcoming state fiscal year. At a time of fiscal challenges and federal government uncertainty, we are grateful that housing programs were largely protected, and in some cases received increased funding.
Still, there is a great deal of work to do in advance of the full Senate taking up the budget later this month. Senators have offered more than 1,000 amendments that will be considered, including many related to housing.
Below, please find a list of CHAPA priority amendments. Now is the time to contact your state senator and ask them to cosponsor and support these proposals that will help make it possible for Massachusetts to create the homes we need to thrive
#150 – Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) (Sen. Lovely)
Increases funding to $270 million for approximately 800 new vouchers and sets the administrative fee at $55 per month to reflect current policy.
#457 – MRVP Sustainability (Sen. Collins)
Sets the administrative fee for MRVP at $55 per month to reflect current policy.
#848 – Housing Assistance for Re-Entry Transition (Sen. Gomez)
Increases funding to $4.12 million for housing assistance for individuals exiting incarceration, which will provide approximately 250 vouchers.
#130 – Department of Mental Health (DMH) Rental Subsidy Program (Sen. Eldridge)
Increases the allocation to $21.548 million to fund 300 new vouchers for housing people experiencing homelessness and disabling mental health conditions.
#557 – Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) (Sen. Gomez)
Improves RAFT by eliminating the requirement for a notice to quit or utility shutoff to access benefits to allow for more upstream access to benefits.
#90 – HomeBASE (Sen. Jehlen)
Increases funding for HomeBASE to $64.8 million, improves upstream access to benefits, and increases the grant limit per family to $50,000 for the first two years and $25,000 subsequently.
#19 – Saving Toward Affordable and Sustainable Homeownership (STASH) (Sen. Miranda)
Provides $1.5 million for STASH to support more than 70 first-generation homebuyers through matched savings.
#171 – Maintaining Fair Housing (Sen. Edwards)
Supports fair housing in Massachusetts by directing $2 million for the operation of the Office of Fair Housing, $1 million for the Fair Housing Trust, and $2 million for organizations participating in fair housing activities.
#10 and #218 – Fair Housing Centers (Sens. Eldridge and Montigny)
Provides $200,000 for the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center and $75,000 for the South Coast Fair Housing Center to support the vital work of addressing housing discrimination.
Program Administrative Line
#20 – EOHLC Administration (Sen. Cyr)
The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) distributes funding to municipalities, oversees the state-aided public housing portfolio, provides funding for affordable housing production and preservation, and operates the state’s Emergency Assistance family shelter program. EOHLC is responsible for implementing dozens of new housing policies approved by the Legislature through the Affordable Homes Act. This amendment adds $6.6 million to EOHLC’s administrative line for sufficient staffing to carry out their responsibilities so that Massachusetts is affordable for people across income levels.
#428 – Housing Consumer Education Centers (HCECs) (Sen. Gomez)
Restores proposed cuts to HCECs with funding of $8.974 million to provide critical support for people experiencing a range of housing challenges.
#50 – Healthy Homes Program (Sen. Keenan)
Provides $5 million to address issues such as mold, lead, and asbestos to keep people in their homes and improve the quality of aged housing stock.
#105 – Tenancy Preservation Program (TPP) (Sen. R. Kennedy)
Provides $42,755 to support TPP and to preserve the line item.
#15 – First-Time Homebuyer and Foreclosure Prevention (Sen. Eldridge)
Restores funding to $3.05 million to support homebuyer education and support to keep people in their homes when experiencing housing challenges.
Homelessness and Supportive Housing
#222 – Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (Sen. Miranda)
Increases funding to $12 million for housing and services for youth experiencing homelessness.
Preservation and Development
#89 – Small Properties Acquisition Fund (SPAF) (Sen. Jehlen)
Appropriates $1 million to the SPAF to purchase and rehabilitate existing 1-8 unit affordable housing and to keep it affordable.
#249 – Unlocking Housing Production (Sen. Cyr)
Provides funding to support increased building inspection capacity for modular development, establishes an Office of State Planning to better inform statewide and municipal development, and directs EOHLC to study the efficacy of a housing construction sales tax exemption program and a local option property tax exemption for new affordable housing developments.
by Jordan Stocker | May 7, 2025 | Housing News
Today, the Senate Ways and Means Committee released its Fiscal Year 2026 (FY2026) budget proposal. Amid ongoing uncertainty around federal funding, the budget includes funding increases for some housing programs, while others remain level-funded at FY25 levels or received less than proposals in the House budget.
The Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program received a significant increase, surpassing the funding levels proposed by both the Governor and the House. Public Housing Operating Subsidies also saw a modest increase. However, several programs received less support than in the House budget. The Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) was funded below the House proposal, while Sponsor-Based Permanent Supportive Housing was funded below the increase proposed by the House.Housing Consumer Education Centers and Public Housing Reform were also funded at lower levels than the House. The Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP), HomeBASE, and Unaccompanied Homeless Youth programs were level-funded at their FY2025 amounts.
Senators have until Friday afternoon to file amendments, with the full Senate debate set to begin the week of May 12.
An updated tracking grid of CHAPA’s Senate budget priorities is available here ,
by Jordan Stocker | May 1, 2025 | Featured News, Housing News
On Wednesday, the Massachusetts House of Representatives voted to approve a $61.5 billion state budget for fiscal year 2026, capping off two and a half days of debate and the adoption of seven consolidated amendment packages. The final vote was 151 to 6, with the budget now heading to the Senate for consideration.
This year saw a near-record number of amendments filed, with more than 1,600 submitted, reflecting strong interest in shaping the budget across many issue areas, including housing. To manage the volume, House leadership grouped amendments by topic into consolidated packages, which are developed internally and voted on as a single block. Housing amendments were included in Consolidated Amendment C, alongside public safety and judiciary items.
The final budget includes several positive housing developments. Just over $1.5 million was added to housing line items through the amendment process, primarily in the form of local earmarks. Highlights include $200,000 in increased funding for Saving Toward Affordable Sustainable Homeownership (STASH) and a $500,000 earmark for the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance (MHSA) to support permanent supportive housing. Harmful amendments that would have weakened or repealed key housing and zoning tools such as the MBTA Communities Act and Chapter 40B were also defeated, preserving critical pathways to build and preserve affordable homes.
At the same time, several high-priority housing proposals were not included at this stage. Amendments to increase funding for crucial programs such as MRVP, AHVP, HCEC, and the Fair Housing Trust Fund had strong support but were left out of the final package.
As the budget moves to the Senate, advocates are calling on lawmakers to take the next opportunity to invest in the tools we know work, including rental assistance, fair housing enforcement, and community-based supports.
The full Consolidated Amendment C can be viewed here.
by Jordan Stocker | Apr 25, 2025 | Featured News, Housing News
Amendment #1263, filed by Representative Vanna Howard, would significantly increase funding for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) in the FY26 state budget. The amendment would raise MRVP funding to $270 million — enough to maintain current rental assistance and create 800 new vouchers for households across the Commonwealth.
Right now, no new MRVP mobile vouchers are being issued due to funding constraints, and more than 168,000 households remain on the waitlist. Strengthening MRVP is essential to meeting urgent housing needs and ensuring that new affordable homes are truly within reach for the lowest-income households.
MRVP helps households avoid housing crises like eviction, exit emergency shelter, and move toward long-term stability with better access to schools, jobs, and healthcare. It offers a sustainable alternative to emergency shelter, saving thousands of dollars each month while supporting stronger futures for all.
You can find more information about the impact of Amendment #1263 in this fact sheet.
Please contact your representative and urge them to co-sponsor Amendment #1263 to expand access to safe, stable, and affordable housing across Massachusetts.
