| A budget update from the Mass. Coalition for the Homeless:
Yesterday, the House Committee on Ways and Means (HWM) unveiled its fiscal year 2014 budget recommendations for the Commonwealth. This $33.8 billion budget marks the next step on the path to developing the state budget for the fiscal year that will begin on July 1st. Tomorrow afternoon will be the deadline for House members to file amendments to the HWM budget, with the House budget debate scheduled for the week of April 22nd. Please see the sections below for preliminary information on the House Ways and Mean’s budget proposals for housing, shelter, homelessness prevention, and cash assistance programs, as well as some information on relevant amendments. Please take action today on the known amendments, and stay tuned in the week ahead for a more detailed analysis and additional information about amendments.
As this is only the next of several proposals on the way to the final FY’14 budget, your voice will be critical to helping to protect housing, homelessness, and safety net programs for both families and individuals.
Thank you for advocating with us to protect and promote investment in these programs! |
| House Ways and Means FY’14 Budget Recommendations for Housing, Shelter, Homelessness Prevention, and Cash Assistance Programs
To access HWM’s complete budget recommendations, please go to HWM FY’14 budget recommendations.
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A Quick Look at Selected Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Line Items
1. The House Ways and Means budget would decrease funding for the Emergency Assistance family shelter and services program (line item 7004-0101) from the current FY’13 appropriation level of $119 million to $91.5 million for FY’14, leaving eligibility the same as the current standards, while slightly decreasing funding for EA motel placements (line item 7004-0103) from $16.6 million to $15 million. Of greater concern than the funding level is that the HWM budget does not include needed language that would require DHCD to provide shelter to otherwise eligible families who are at imminent risk of staying in places not meant for human habitation.
FY’13 funding level: Currently $135.6 million for the 2 accounts (including the mid-year $39 million supplemental budget appropriation).
FY’14 HWM funding proposal: $91.5 million for EA shelter + $15 million for EA motels = $106.5 million
FY’14 House 1 (Governor’s) funding proposal: $119 million for EA shelters + $10 million for EA motels = $129 million
FY’14 MCH funding request: $135.6 million, so as to restore access to families at imminent risk of having to stay in places not meant for human habitation and to avoid the need for further eligibility restrictions. We also are seeking clarifying language regarding “irregular housing situations”, so that families in such situations can more easily access shelter. See the EA fact sheet for more details.
Preliminary Amendment Information: Representative Kay Khan will be filing an amendment to add language to the EA line item so that families who are at imminent risk of staying in places not meant for human habitation are able to access shelter before having to actually stay in such places. The amendment also clarifies that families who otherwise meet the EA eligibility criteria who have been forced to stay in 3 or more places in the last 30 days can qualify under the “irregular housing” sub-category if they have nowhere else to go. Please ask your State Representative to sign on as a co-sponsor before 11 a.m. tomorrow, Friday, April 12th by contacting Lisa Rosenfeld at lisa.rosenfeld@mahouse.gov or617-722-2011. Please also ask your Representative to strongly support this amendment throughout the caucus and debate processes.
2. The House Ways and Means budget would decrease funding for the HomeBASE program (line item 7004-0108) to $58.8 million, reflecting the upcoming “timing out” of many families in the rental assistance portion of the program. This program provides short-term transitional subsidies, diversion, and moving assistance for certain EA-eligible families. Based on DHCD data, 98% of the 5,900 families currently enrolled in the rental assistance program would have to pay more than 50% of their income towards rent without the continuation of their HomeBASE subsidy, and 78% of the families would have to pay more than 100% of their income towards rent.
FY’14 HWM funding proposal: $58.8 million
FY’14 House 1 funding proposal: $58.8 million
FY’14 MCH funding request: Level funding at $88.7 million to continue serving current participants and to be able to offer household assistance and moving assistance to new families in FY’14 and to be able to extend housing and services benefits to families who otherwise would be timing out of HomeBASE rental assistance who lack feasible alternative affordable housing
Preliminary Amendment Information: Representative Byron Rushing will be fling an amendment to 1.) extend the HomeBASE rental assistance time limit to 36-months from the current 24-month limit; 2.) allow EA shelter access for families who will be unable to sustain their tenancies after their HomeBASE subsidies end; 3.) allow families timing out of the HomeBASE rental assistance program to access RAFT homelessness prevention resources or HomeBASE household assistance, if needed; 4.) affirm HomeBASE families’ priority status for state-funded affordable housing resources; and 5.) require DHCD to track and report on the number, status, and outcomes for HomeBASE families.
3. The House Ways and Means budget would decrease funding for the line item that provides funding for shelter and services for unaccompanied individuals at-risk and experiencing homelessness (line item 7004-0102) to $38 million.
FY’13 funding level: $40.5 million
FY’14 House 1 funding proposal: $40.3 million
FY’14 MCH funding request: $40.5 million
4. The House Ways and Means budget would fund theMassachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP, line item 7004-9024) at $46.5 million, a $4.5 million increase from the FY’13 allocation. This level matches the Governor’s proposal. The language also would shift income eligibility from 200% of the federal poverty guidelines to 50% area median income, a change that has been sought by advocates for several years and which would bring the program inline with other subsidized housing programs.
FY’13 funding level: $42 million
FY’14 HWM funding proposal: $46.5 million
FY’14 House 1 funding proposal: $46.5 million
FY’14 MCH funding request: $60 million. See the Housing Solutions Campaign MRVP fact sheet for more details.
Preliminary Amendment Information: We are working with the Housing Solutions Campaign to increase funding for MRVP through the amendment process. Further amendment details forthcoming.
5. The House Ways and Means budget would provide level funding for the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition Program (RAFT, line item 7004-9316) at $8.8 million.
FY’13 funding level: $8.8 million
FY’14 HWM funding proposal: $8.8 million
FY’14 House 1 funding proposal: $8.8 million
FY’14 MCH funding request:$8.8 million
Preliminary Amendment Information: We are seeking language that would clarify that families in the HomeBASE rental assistance program may be eligible for RAFT resources to maintain their housing once their HomeBASE subsidy ends.
6. The House Ways and Means budget would provide $62.4 million in funding for public housing authority operating subsidies (line item 7004-9005), a $2.1 million decrease from the FY’13 level.
FY’13 funding level: $64.5 million
FY’14 HWM funding proposal: $62.4 million
FY’14 House 1 funding proposal: $64.4 million
FY’14 MCH funding request: $71.0 million
Preliminary Amendment Information:
Representative Peter Kocut will be fling an amendment to restore the $2 million of the cut to public housing.
7. The House Ways and Means budget would increase funding for the Home and Healthy for Good Program (line item 7004-0104) to $1.8 million. This program employs a Housing First model and historically has provided housing and services to unaccompanied adults who have experienced chronic homelessness. HWM included language to create a pilot program to serve lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) unaccompanied youth and young adults, funded at at least $200,000.
FY’13 funding level: $1.4 million
FY’14 HWM funding proposal: $1.8 million
FY’14 House 1 funding proposal: $1.4 million
FY’14 MCH funding request: $2.2 million
8. The HWM budget, as the Governor’s budget, incorporates a new Housing Preservation and Stabilization Trust Fund(Outside Sections 49 and 74), to be used to flexibly address unmet housing needs via recaptured savings from other housing line items. The HWM budget proposes an initial investment of up to $10 million into the fund from FY’13 surpluses (if such surpluses exist.) The Coalition fully supports further investments in housing and prevention. We hope that the Legislature will ensure that any “savings” are not accrued by unintentionally harming other low-income families and individuals, and that the Legislature remains closely engaged in the dialogue with DHCD about how state housing funds are allocated.
9. The HWM budget does not include funding for furniture bank programs, which would help families and individuals exiting homelessness and those living in poverty to obtain furniture and basic household goods. Click here for more information about this campaign.
Preliminary Amendment Information:
Representative Jim O’Day will be filing an amendment to secure $200,000 in funding to help support a statewide network of furniture banks to assist low-income households transitioning from homelessness into housing. Please ask your State Representative to sign on as a co-sponsor before 3:30 p.m tomorrow, Friday, April 12th by contacting Robert Oftring atrobert.oftring@mahouse.gov or 617-722-2810. Please also ask your Representative to strongly support this amendment throughout the caucus and debate processes.
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