Senate Ways & Means Committee Releases FY2020 State Budget Proposal

On May 7, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means released its FY2020 state budget proposal.The proposal provides increased funding for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program, the Alternative Housing Voucher Program, and Public Housing - three of CHAPA's top priorities for affordable housing, homelessness prevention, and community development resources. The budget also proposes an increase housing and services for homeless youth. Most other of CHAPA's affordable housing priorities were level-funded.

For an overview of funding levels for CHAPA's budget priorities, click here.

The budget proposal also includes language that would raise the fair market rent standard for mobile MRVP rental vouchers to current fair market rent levels, making the vouchers easier to use in high cost markets.

For a detailed language changes made to CHAPA's budget priorities by the Senate Ways and Means budget, click here.

Senators have until noon on Friday, May 10, to file amendments to the budget proposal. The Senate will then debate and finalize its budget proposal the week of May 20. The House and Senate will then reconcile the differences between their respective budget proposals in June.