Family Overflow Shelter Requirement Signed Into Law
Thanks to the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless for this summary update (and for its leadership and support in our own advocacy to help make this happen):
On Monday, the House of Representatives and Senate each passed the compromise version of the supplemental budget, which includes $250 million to address family homelessness issues as well as language to require at least one overflow shelter site for families who have been placed on the waiting list for longer term shelter placements.
In addition to this $250 million allocation to the family homelessness system, the almost $3.1 billion supplemental budget includes:
- $6 million for shelter and services for unaccompanied adults
- $500,000 for the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth
- $60.3 million for a reserve fund to support Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) workers who serve families and individuals applying for and/or participating in DTA cash assistance and nutritional assistance programs
- $10 million for refugee resettlement programs to resettle and support refugees and immigrants
THANK YOU to our western Massachusetts legislative delegation for their work to pass this budget, and thank you to Governor Healey for her leadership and signing the compromise version into law. Please relay your thanks to your own legislators – find their contact info here – and to Governor Healey by calling 617-725-4005 or via email here. If you take action, please let Pamela know at pschwartz@westernmasshousingfirst.org (and I will also relay to the Coalition for the Homeless – tracking our impact statewide!).
Together, we took an important step to keep families and individuals safe. While we have so much more work to do, this budget is a critical step in the right direction. Thanks to everyone who made it happen!
