The Massachusetts House and the Senate concluded the FY2021 budget debate this week while maintaining increased funding for many of CHAPA's affordable housing, emergency assistance, and homelessness prevention priorities.
Housing News
On November 12, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means released its state budget proposal for FY2021. CHAPA thanks Senate President Spilka, Senator Michael Rodrigues, Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, and other members of the Ways and Means Committee for their strong investments in affordable housing, eviction prevention, and rental assistance programs! Read more about the budget proposal on CHAPA's website.
On November 12, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means (SWM) released its state budget proposal for the 2021 fiscal year (FY2021).
Please note the number of signers and homes protected by the pledge have been updated since this press release. Please see this page for an updated count.
On November 5th, the House Committee on Ways and Means released its state budget proposal for FY2021. CHAPA thanks House Speaker DeLeo, Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, and other members of the Ways and Means Committee for their strong investments in affordable housing, eviction prevention, and rental assistance programs! Read more about the budget proposal on CHAPA's website.
On November 5, the House Committee on Ways and Means (HWM) released its $46 billion state budget proposal for the 2021 fiscal year (FY2021).
The budget proposal (H.5150) assumes a $2 billion reduction in tax revenues from FY2020 due to the pandemic. The House proposes a 5.3% spending increase over the $43.6 billion FY2020 state budget.
CHAPA is seeking to hire an additional Municipal Engagement Program Associate, a new position for CHAPA’s Municipal Engagement Initiative. The primary responsibility of the Municipal Engagement Program Associate is to work to build support for affordable housing production and bolster efforts to expand housing opportunities at the local level in communities across the Commonwealth. The Municipal Engagement Program Associate will be part of a three-person team and report to the Municipal Engagement Director.
Specific Responsibilities
When the eviction moratorium expired on October 17th, the Baker Administration launched an Eviction Diversion Initiative with $171 million in resources and a new framework that encourages mediation between tenants and landlords to prevent evictions and homelessness. This Initiative will help thousands of people stay in their homes, but its success requires commitments from property owners and tenants.
On October 25, 2020, Judge Mark Mastroianni of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a stay and nationwide preliminary injunction against Secretary Ben Carson and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
On October 21, the Baker-Polito Administration announced the 2020 Affordable Rental Housing Awards. The awards will result in the production or preservation of more than 2,400 housing units, including 2,166 affordable rental units in communities across the Commonwealth. This round of awards provides more than $105.7 million in direct funding and allocated $53 million in state and federal tax credits to 28 projects in 19 communities.