Senate Ways and Means Releases FY27 Budget: Housing Item Analysis

by Jordan Stocker | May 6, 2026 | Housing News

The Senate Ways & Means Committee released its FY2027 budget proposal yesterday. The $63.3 billion budget represents approximately a 3.6% increase over FY2026. Below is an overview of where CHAPA’s priority items stand following the Senate Ways & Means budget release, including comparisons to FY2026 funding levels and key policy changes key policy changes compared to the final House budget.

A full side-by-side of funding figures is available in CHAPA’s updated FY2027 Budget Tracker.

Rental Assistance

MRVP (7004-9024)

• Senate Ways & Means funds MRVP at $278,341,728, compared to $281,341,728 in the final House budget, and $25,029,888 above the FY2026 conference budget of $253,311,840. CHAPA is requesting $300 million.
• Both the House and Senate Ways & Means maintain the “not less than 75%” voucher targeting floor for households at or below 30% AMI and the “initial occupancy” income measurement standard. This protection is preserved heading into conference.
• The House had changed the required household payment from a fixed 30% to “not more than 30%” of monthly adjusted income, and added a gross rent definition. Senate Ways & Means does not include these changes.
• FY2026 already required mobile voucher households to pay no more than 30% of their income toward rent. The House kept that rule but added a definition of “gross rent” to the clause. Senate Ways & Means keeps the 30% rule but does not include a definition of gross rent.
• FY2026 and the House both limited new rent limit changes to mobile vouchers issued after a specific date, with a hard cap of exactly 110% of fair market rent. Senate Ways & Means removes the date cutoff and applies new limits to all voucher types immediately.

RAFT (7004-9316)

• Senate Ways & Means funds RAFT at $201,205,991, compared to $210,060,000 in the final House budget, and $6,271,724 below FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $300 million.
• Senate Ways & Means does not include a provision that was present in FY2026, the Governor’s budget, and the House final budget: the geographic equity clause requiring funds to be distributed in a manner that prioritizes geographic equity across the state. The $3,000,000 set-aside for elders, persons with disabilities, and unaccompanied youth is present in Senate Ways & Means.
• Note: Policy asks on RAFT eligibility and the benefit cap increase were not included.

HomeBASE (7004-0108)

• Senate Ways & Means funds HomeBASE at $82,322,001, matching the final House budget. 
• The House final budget had converted the extraordinary hardship fund from a floor of “not less than $2,500,000”to a cap of “not more than $2,500,000.” Senate Ways & Means includes the floor language, matching FY2026.
• The House final budget had added a 12-month time limit on the income-increase grace period. Senate Ways & Means does not include that limit and instead maintains the FY2026 protection.
• FY2026 included quarterly reporting requirements covering shelter exits and families diverted from emergency shelters, which the House maintained and supplemented with an additional report on collaboration with refugee and immigrant resettlement agencies. Senate Ways & Means includes quarterly reporting but narrows the scope, dropping the shelter exit and diversion data that were in FY2026 as well as the House’s refugee and immigrant collaboration reporting.

DMH Rental Subsidy (7004-9033)

• Senate Ways & Means funds the DMH Rental Subsidy at $16,548,125, compared to $20,000,000 in the final House budget, and matching FY2026 exactly. CHAPA is requesting $23,548,125.

AHVP (7004-9030)

• Senate Ways & Means funds AHVP at $19,263,183, roughly $198,000 below FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $30 million.
• Senate Ways & Means maintains the cap-free structure from FY2026, as did the House.
• FY2026 and the House protected existing AHVP households from rent limit changes in two ways: new limits only applied to newly issued vouchers (not existing ones), and even then, not until the lease anniversary date. Senate Ways & Means removes the first protection so new limits can now apply to all vouchers immediately, but keeps the anniversary-date protection, meaning a household currently under a lease will not see the change until that lease renews.
• FY2026 included both a damage termination provision and a reporting requirement, both of which the House maintained. Senate Ways & Means also maintains both provisions.
• The House final budget made the 25% household payment floor unconditional. Senate Ways & Means restores flexibility for EOHLC to set payment standards or utility allowances that could reduce tenant payments below that floor, a notable difference for AHVP households on fixed incomes

Re-Entry Voucher Program (7004-9034)

• Senate Ways & Means funds the Re-Entry Voucher Program at $3,120,000, compared to $3,200,000 in the final House budget, and matching FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $3,620,000.
• The House had directed funding to a nonprofit for comprehensive re-entry services. Senate Ways & Means funds a Kinship Reentry Pilot Program administered in coordination with the Department of Correction instead, which was the approach used in FY2026.
• The House had added an early program design report due October 2, 2026. Senate Ways & Means includes a year-end outcomes report due June 30, 2027 in consultation with the Department of Correction, consistent with the kinship pilot model.

Public Housing

Public Housing Operating (7004-9005)

• Senate Ways & Means funds Public Housing Operating at $117,810,000, $2,210,000 above FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $132.9 million.
• Senate Ways & Means includes a governance provision prohibiting housing authority employees from simultaneously holding elected office in the same municipality, matching FY2026.
• The House included a first-preference requirement for MRVP voucher holders age 60 and older for vacant elderly public housing units. Senate Ways & Means does not include it.
• Senate Ways & Means does not include the provision present in FY2026 and the House that prohibited using funds from this item to compensate state employees.

Public Housing Reform (7004-9007)

• Senate Ways & Means funds Public Housing Reform at $1,269,215, $19,215 above FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $1.6 million.

Homelessness and Supportive Housing

Home and Healthy for Good (7004-0104)

• Senate Ways & Means funds this program at $8,890,000, matching FY2026 and CHAPA’s request.
• The House had added a reporting requirement covering number of people served, average cost per participant, prior EOHLC service history, and projected cost savings. Senate Ways & Means includes this report with a due date of February 26, 2027.

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (4000-0007)

• Senate Ways & Means funds this item at $10,439,590, $206,260 below FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $15 million.
• The House included a $100,000 set-aside for direct cash assistance to unaccompanied homeless youth. Senate Ways & Means does not include it.
• FY2026 included a seven-item reporting structure separating prevention and stabilization outcomes, which the House carried forward unchanged. Senate Ways & Means includes reporting due February 12, 2027 with a seven-item structure, but rewords item (iii) from outcomes “after experiencing homelessness” to outcomes “after receiving prevention support.”

Sponsor-Based Permanent Supportive Housing (7004-0105)

• Senate Ways & Means funds this item at $10,072,875, matching the final House budget and FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $12,072,875.
• The House had added a $2,100,000 minimum set-aside to sustain low-threshold sponsor-based leasing previously linked to Social Innovation Financing pay-for-success projects. Senate Ways & Means does not include this provision.

New Lease for Homeless Families (7004-0106)

• Senate Ways & Means funds this item at $250,000, matching the final House budget and FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $400,000.

Housing Stability and Homeownership

Housing Consumer Education Centers (7004-3036)

• Senate Ways & Means funds HCECs at $5,200,000, $650,000 below FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $8,974,000.
• Senate Ways & Means preserves the $200,000 set-aside for the Regional Housing Network of Massachusetts for coordination and information technology, which the House had added.
• Senate Ways & Means does not include the annual reporting requirement or the consolidation study that the House had added.

First-Time Homebuyer and Foreclosure Counseling (7006-0011)

• Senate Ways & Means funds this item at $1,500,000, matching FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $3,050,000.
• The House had doubled this item to $3,000,000 and added a mandatory $1,500,000 grant floor for foreclosure counseling centers. Senate Ways & Means returns to discretionary grant language leaving the amount to the commissioner’s determination.

Access to Counsel (0321-1800)

• FY2026 funded Access to Counsel at $2,500,000. The House increased this item to $3,000,000. CHAPA is requesting $4,000,000.
• This item does not appear in the Senate Ways & Means sections available for this analysis. It may be included in other sections of the Senate budget. Senate treatment is currently unknown.

MassAccess Registry (4120-4001)

• Senate Ways & Means funds this item at $150,000, matching FY2026 and CHAPA’s request.

STASH (7004-0107)

• Senate Ways & Means funds line item 7004-0107 at $100,000 for local housing program administration, but does not include directed funding for STASH. CHAPA is requesting $1,000,000 for STASH. The final House budget included $500,000 for STASH through this broader line item, bringing the line to $1,065,000.

Administrative Capacity

EOHLC Administration (7004-0099)

• Senate Ways & Means funds EOHLC Administration at $21,785,301, $5,767,497 above FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $22,000,000.

Healthy Homes

• Healthy Homes initiative funding was not included in the House final budget or in Senate Ways & Means.

Office of Fair Housing

• New Office of Fair Housing funding was not included in the House final budget or in Senate Ways & Means.

Housing Production and Zoning (Outside Sections)

In addition to line-item appropriations, the Senate Ways & Means budget includes outside sections that could make changes to Massachusetts zoning law. The House final budget did not include these, so these provisions will be important to watch during the conference process.

Electronic Notifications

• Senate Ways & Means allows zoning-related notices to be sent electronically alongside existing mail requirements.

Vested Rights and Permit Protections

• Senate Ways & Means expands protections for housing projects once an application or permit is filed, including allowing certain protections to begin when an application is filed rather than when a permit is issued, extending the building permit protection period from 12 to 24 months, excluding the time needed to pursue other required permits from that 24-month period, and extending the nonconforming use abandonment period from 2 to 4 years. These provisions are included in Senate Ways & Means but not in the House final budget.

As-of-Right Extensions for Nonconforming Lots

• Senate Ways & Means allows structures on lots with pre-existing nonconformities as to size, shape, frontage, or coverage to be extended or altered without a variance or special permit, as long as the work meets current height, story, and setback requirements. This affects a large share of older Massachusetts homes.

Variance Standard Reform

• Senate Ways & Means replaces the existing variance standard. Under current law, a variance requires proof that soil, shape, or topography conditions cause substantial hardship. The Senate replaces this with a “practical difficulty” balancing test that explicitly requires boards to consider the public interest in housing production. The variance lapse period is also extended from one year to two years, excluding time spent in appeals.

Streamlined Disposition of Public Housing

• Senate Ways & Means removes the requirement that public housing property be unused for at least two years before a housing authority may dispose of or redevelop it.

What’s Next

While the Senate Ways & Means Budget maintains important housing investments, more must be done to meet the scale of housing need, especially as costs continue to rise and far too many Massachusetts residents struggle to find a home they can afford. Key housing priorities remain, and the Senate amendment process next week will be an important opportunity to continue advocating for the resources and policies needed to address housing challenges across the Commonwealth.

CHAPA will share specific asks and co-sponsorship opportunities as the Senate process moves forward. To stay engaged in the budget process, please join us for the next Building Blocks Coalition meeting on May 13th at 3 PM. You can register for that meeting here.

FY2027 House Budget Debate Recap

by Jordan Stocker | Apr 30, 2026 | Housing News

The House wrapped up work on its FY2027 budget bill, H.5500, this week,  with housing items filed under Consolidated Amendment “F”.

Thank you to everyone who reached out to their Representatives and engaged in outreach throughout the week. Below is an overview of where CHAPA’s priority items stand following the House consolidated amendment.

A full side-by-side of funding figures is available in CHAPA’s updated FY2027 Budget Tracker.

NOTE: MBTA Communities Act

• The House rejected all five amendments that sought to weaken or repeal the MBTA Communities Act.
• Rep. Adrianne Ramos spoke on the floor highlighting the real progress municipalities have made under the law. She pointed to Amesbury, which created a Multi-Family Overlay District allowing for up to 433 units of “missing middle” housing, including townhomes, duplexes, and multi-unit options that create a more diverse housing stock. She noted that communities like hers had worked closely with EOHLC to get this completed, and that the law is an important part of how Massachusetts gets to the 222,000 homes the state needs by 2035.
• Amendments #1581 (outright repeal), #1326, #1582, and #1644 (limiting grant funding compliance incentives), and #1333 (new municipal reporting requirements) were all defeated. With 94% of MBTA communities having adopted compliant zoning, the House vote reflects the progress the law has made and keeps it moving forward

ADOPTED IN THE CONSOLIDATED AMENDMENT

Saving Toward Affordable and Sustainable Homeownership (STASH) (7004-0107)

• The House budget included $100,000 for local housing program administration under this line, but did not include dedicated funding for STASH, the matched savings and homebuyer education program for first-generation homebuyers. CHAPA is requesting $1,000,000.
• The consolidated amendment directs $500,000 to the Massachusetts Affordable Homeownership Alliance for STASH, bringing the line to $1,065,000.

EOHLC Administration (7004-0099)

• The House budget included $21,785,301. CHAPA is requesting $22,000,000.
• The consolidated amendment adds $240,000 – $200,000 to Revitalize Community Development Corporation and $40,000 to Maverick Landing Community Services – bringing the line to $22,025,301, above CHAPA’s request.

Re-Entry Voucher Program (7004-9034)

• The House budget included $3,000,000, which is $120,000 below the FY26 level.
• The consolidated amendment directs $200,000 to Justice 4 Housing, Inc. for housing, vocational, and family reunification services, bringing the line to $3,200,000 – above the FY26 level.

Public Housing Operating (7004-9005)

• The House budget included $117,810,000, a $2.2 million increase over FY26. CHAPA is requesting $132.9 million.
• The consolidated amendment adds $30,000 for repairs at the Norwell and Rockland Housing Authorities ($15,000 each), bringing the line to $117,840,000

RAFT (7004-9316)

• The House budget included $210,000,000.
• The consolidated amendment directs $60,000 to the Northern Bristol County Assistance Collaborative for construction of low- and moderate-income housing for seniors, bringing the line to $210,060,000.
• Note: CHAPA’s policy asks on RAFT eligibility (#805) and the benefit cap increase (#1707), which were not included.

Emergency Shelter and Homelessness Services (7004-0101, 7004-0102)

• The consolidated amendment adds over $515,000 across the emergency shelter and homelessness lines.

What’s Next

The focus now shifts to the Senate. Items not included in the House consolidated amendment remain opportunities for Senate advocacy, including MRVP, RAFT, public housing, HCEC’s, Access to Counsel, and other CHAPA priorities.

CHAPA will share specific asks and co-sponsorship opportunities as the Senate process moves forward. Thank you again for your advocacy this week. To stay engaged in the budget-advocacy process, please join us for the next Building Blocks Coalition meeting on May 6. You can register for that meeting here.

House Ways and Means Releases FY2027 Budget: Housing Highlights

by Jordan Stocker | Apr 15, 2026 | Housing News

The House Ways and Means Committee released its FY2027 budget, H.5500, today. The $63.3 billion budget includes meaningful increases for several key housing programs. Below is a summary of where H.5500 lands on CHAPA’s priority items.

A side-by-side overview of CHAPA’s funding asks alongside FY26 GAA, Governor’s Budget (H.2), and H.5500 figures is available in CHAPA’s updated FY2027 Budget Tracker.

Rental Assistance

MRVP (7004-9024)

• H.5500 funds MRVP at $281,341,728, $28 million above FY26. This funding would support existing vouchers.
• CHAPA is requesting: $300 million, which would create approximately 1,000 new vouchers.
• What changed in policy language:H.5500 makes several policy updates:
  • Restores the “not less than 75%” voucher targeting floor for households at or below 30% AMI. This keeps the program focused on households with the lowest incomes, instead of making that target optional.
  • Adds mobile voucher award authority for households in project-based units whose contracts are not renewed, allowing them to keep their assistance and move rather than lose help when a contract ends.
  • Lists the payment standard at 110% of fair market rent. This makes the higher payment standard clear and consistent.
  • Adds a $50 per voucher per month administering agency fee floor.
  • Protects continuing households from HUD fair market rent reductions. This helps shield current voucher holders if federal rent benchmarks fall later.
  • Prohibits reducing subsidies for inspection costs. This helps ensure tenants do not lose rental support because of required inspections.
  • Anchors new mobile voucher rent limits at 110% FMR effective July 1, 2026, with anniversary-date protection for existing leases. This sets a clear rule for new vouchers while protecting current tenants from mid-lease changes.

RAFT (7004-9316)

• H.5500 funds RAFT at $210,000,000, $2.5 million above FY26.
• CHAPA is requesting: $300 million.
• H.5500 also includes a set-aside of not less than $3 million for elders, persons with disabilities, and unaccompanied youth.

HomeBASE (7004-0108)

• H.5500 funds HomeBASE at $82,322,001, a $25 million increase over FY26.
• CHAPA is requesting: $80 million.
• H.5500 adds quarterly reporting requirements and explicitly includes hotel and motel placements in its performance targets, directing the executive office to move families out of hotels, motels, and shelters into sustainable housing.
• Two additional differences worth noting:
  • H.5500 reintroduces a 12-month time limit on the income-increase ineligibility grace period. This could limit the eligibility window for families whose income has increased
  • H.5500 converts the extraordinary housing crisis exception pool to a spending cap of $2.5 million.

DMH Rental Subsidy (7004-9033)

• H.5500 funds the DMH subsidy program at $20,000,000, $3.45 million above FY26. This expands support for people with mental health needs who need stable housing.

AHVP (7004-9030)

• H.5500 funds AHVP at $19,263,183, roughly $200,000 below FY26. This funding would support existing vouchers.
• CHAPA is requesting: $30 million.
• H.5500 adds a lease anniversary protection, meaning that if rent limits change, existing voucher holders are protected from any increase until their lease anniversary date. It also adds a damage termination provision and a three-element reporting requirement.
• H.5500 removes the executive office’s flexibility to set a payment standard or utility allowance that could allow households to pay less than 25% of net income. The 25% floor is now unconditional. Given that AHVP serves people with disabilities on fixed incomes like SSI, this is a change worth watching.

Re-Entry Voucher Program (7004-9034)

• H.5500 funds the Re-Entry Voucher Program at $3,000,000, $120,000 below FY26.
• H.5500 adds a six-element program design reporting requirement due October 2, 2026.

Public Housing

Public Housing Operating (7004-9005)

• H.5500 funds Public Housing Operating at $117,810,000, a $2.2 million increase over FY26.
• CHAPA is requesting: $132.9 million.
• H.5500 adds a first-preference requirement for vacant elderly public housing units, giving priority to MRVP voucher holders aged 60 and older.

Public Housing Reform (7004-9007)

• H.5500 funds Public Housing Reform at $1,243,831, roughly flat with FY26’s $1,250,000.
• CHAPA is requesting: $1.6 million.

Homelessness and Supportive Housing

Home and Healthy for Good (7004-0104)

• H.5500 funds this program at $8,890,000, matching both FY26 and CHAPA’s request.

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (4000-0007)

• H.5500 funds this item at $10,439,590, roughly $206,000 below FY26.
• CHAPA is requesting: $15 million.

Sponsor-Based Permanent Supportive Housing (7004-0105)

• H.5500 funds this item at $10,072,875, matching FY26 and what CHAPA is requesting.
• H.5500 adds a $2.1 million minimum set-aside to sustain low-threshold sponsor-based leasing previously linked to Social Innovation Financing pay-for-success projects.

New Lease for Homeless Families (7004-0106)

• H.5500 funds this item at $250,000, matching FY26 and what CHAPA is requesting. This maintains funding for the homeless family preference program in private multi-family housing operated by New Lease for Homeless Families, Inc.

Housing Stability and Homeownership

Housing Consumer Education Centers (7004-3036)

• H.5500 funds this item at $5,200,000, $650,000 below FY26.
• CHAPA is requesting: $8,974,000.
• H.5500 adds an annual reporting requirement and a $200,000 set-aside for the Regional Housing Network of Massachusetts for coordination and information technology.

First-Time Homebuyer and Foreclosure Counseling (7006-0011)

• H.5500 funds this item at $3,000,000, doubling the FY26 level of $1,500,000.
• CHAPA is requesting: $3,050,000.
• H.5500 also makes the grant commitment mandatory, requiring the Division of Banks commissioner to expend $1,500,000 in grants rather than leaving the amount to the commissioner’s discretion. This makes the funding more dependable.

Access to Counsel (0321-1800)

• H.5500 funds this program at $3,000,000, $500,000 above FY26.
• CHAPA is requesting: $4,000,000.

MassAccess Registry (4120-4001)

• H.5500 funds this item at $150,000, matching FY26 and what CHAPA is requesting.
• This maintains support for a resource that helps connect people with accessible housing.

STASH (7004-0107)

• H.5500 includes $100,000 for local housing program administration under this line but does not include any directed funding for STASH, which provides a matched-savings program, financial literacy, and homebuyer education to help first-generation homebuyers.
• CHAPA is requesting: $1,000,000.

Administrative Capacity

EOHLC Admin (7004-0099)

• H.5500 funds EOHLC administration at $21,785,301, a $5.8 million increase over FY26.
• CHAPA is requesting: $22 million.
• H.5500 adds a mandate to maintain in-person intake offices in 10 cities and towns and a September 16, 2026 deadline for EOHLC to promulgate regulations protecting housing preference status for households receiving temporary assistance including HomeBASE.

What’s Next

While the House Ways and Means Budget maintains important housing investments, more must be done to meet the scale of housing need, especially as costs continue to rise and far too many Massachusetts residents struggle to find a home they can afford.

Over the coming weeks, the House will take up amendments to H.5500. CHAPA will be working with members and partners to advocate for the funding needed to address housing challenges across the Commonwealth. For a more detailed discussion of H.5500 and to plug into shared advocacy strategy, please join the Building Blocks Coalition. The next Building Blocks Coalition meeting will be 4/22/2026 and you can register for the meeting here.