News

WASHINGTON – U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD is proposing new regulatory requirements under its HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME).   HOME is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to produce affordable housing for low-income families. Since 1992, the HOME Program has successfully assisted more than one million affordable homes for lower income families.

State Updates

Patrick-Murray Administration and Legislature Support Supplemental Budget to Address High Demand for Emergency Shelter and Short-Term Rental Assistance

Since launching reforms to change the Commonwealth’s response to homelessness, over 2,500 families have sought access to Emergency Assistance or HomeBase, the Commonwealth’s new alternative to shelter, each month.  Approximately 38% of these families have been deemed eligible to receive benefits.  Neither program is budgeted to meet that level of demand. 

The legislation provides $21 million for Emergency Assistance and $18 million for HomeBase.  It prevents eligibility changes to Emergency Assistance through regulatory or policy changes and prohibits access to HomeBase rental assistance for families that apply after Oct. 28^th.   

Please click here to download the policy paper, "Ending Homelessness among Older Adults and Elders through Permanent Supportive Housing."