Massachusetts Senate Concludes Debate on FY2022 State Budget Proposal

On May 27th, the Massachusetts Senate concluded debate on its FY2022 state budget proposal. The budget includes strong investments in CHAPA’s affordable housing priorities. The House proposed increases for Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), Alternative Housing Voucher Program, Public Housing, Housing Consumer Education Centers, and DMH Rental Subsidies.

The Senate also included a program change for RAFT which will allow applicants to access up to $10,000 maximum RAFT benefit through the end of the year, then upto $7,000 for the rest of FY22. The Senate budget also allows families to access the maximum benefits for both RAFT and HomeBASE, if eligible until the end of FY22. 

Unfortunately, the amendments advocated for by CHAPA on MRVP, HomeBASE, Community Preservation Act recording fees for affordable housing and Tenancy Preservation Program were not adopted during the budget debate. CHAPA thanks all the Senators who sponsored and co-sponsored these amendments.

Thanks to Speaker Spilka, Senate Ways and Means Chair Rodrigues, and all Senate members for supporting affordable housing, homelessness prevention, and community development resources in the final House FY2022 state budget proposal! 

The conference committee appointed by House of Representatives and State Senate will now reconcile the differences in the House and Senate budget. Each branch appointed its Ways and Means Committee chair, vice chair and ranking minority member to the budget conference committee: Reps. Aaron Michlewitz, Ann-Margaret Ferrante, and Todd Smola in the House, and Sens. Michael Rodrigues, Cindy Friedman, and Patrick O'Connor in the Senate.

Please stay tuned on the next steps for the budget advocacy!