The fiscal year 2006 budget proposed by the House Committee on Ways and Means provides funding increases to some key housing programs but falls far short of CHAPA's funding requests. Ways and Means did call for increases to the following DHCD programs: $500,000 for Residential Assistance for Families in Transition, $700,000 for the Alternative Housing Voucher Program, $2 million for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program, and $245,000 for the Housing Consumer Education Centers. The committee also removed language that would have placed time limits on the use of MRVP and prevented vouchers from being reissued.

Funding for public housing was particularly hard hit. The committee's budget calls for only $31.3 million in state operating subsidy funding. This is less than the projected need in FY 2005 and far less than the $39.5 million requested by CHAPA and MassNAHRO. CHAPA will work with MassNAHRO and support amendments to increase this line item.

A list of DHCD line items and the entire budget recommended by the House Committee on Ways and Means can be found on the state budget priorities page on CHAPA's web site. Budget amendments are due today at 5:00 p.m., and the House is expected to start its budget debate on Monday, April 25, at 1:00 p.m.

Budget Amendments Seek to Prioritize Housing

Members of the House are preparing and filing budget amendments now. Here are some of the amendments that CHAPA will be supporting.

MRVP (7004-9024): Representative Liz Malia (D-Boston) will file an amendment to add $3.9 million to the MRVP line item. This money would be used to cap the percentage of income that tenants must pay toward rent at not more than 50%. It is also in addition to the $2 million that the committee already included, which could allow 300 or more vouchers to be reissued.

Public Housing (7004-9005): Representative Robert Fennell (D-Lynn) will file an amendment to increase the public housing operating subsidy account so that it more accurately reflects the need facing local housing authorities.

AHVP (7004-9030): Representative Anne Paulsen (D-Belmont) will file an amendment to restore the Alternative Housing Voucher Program for people with disabilities to its original level of $4 million.

RAFT (7004-9316): Representative Stephen LeDuc (D-Marlborough) will file an amendment to fund the RAFT program at $4 million, to change the eligibility to 50% of the area median income rather than 130% of poverty, and to restore language that was omitted by the House Committee on Ways and Means that allows RAFT to be used for moving expenses.

ISSI: Representative Deborah Blumer (D-Framingham) will file an amendment to restart the Individual Self Sufficiency Initiative for homeless individuals.

Data Collection: Representative Jim Marzilli (D-Arlington) will file an amendment that requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to gather, compile, and report on who is being served by its housing programs.

You can still call and ask your Representative to cosponsor and support any of these amendments. The House switchboard can be reached at 617-722-2000. Next week, once amendments are filed and numbered, CHAPA will send out a legislative update.

Housing Bond Bill Favorably Reported

After a well-attended public hearing on March 29, the Joint Committee on Housing recommended that the $200 million bill to recapitalize the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and the Housing Stabilization Fund should pass. The favorably reported bill is now before the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures, and State Assets. CHAPA has already contacted the committee staff and all of the members of the committee and asked them to support moving the bill expeditiously. A complete list of the committee is available on CHAPA's web site if you would like to contact any or all of the members.

Governor Requests Additional Funds for RAFT

At the end of March, Governor Romney filed an FY 2005 supplemental budget with the legislature. In the budget, the governor asks the legislature to transfer $3 million from the Emergency Assistance Family Shelter account to the Department of Housing and Community Development for the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program. RAFT received $2 million in the FY 2005 budget. The program started in September 2004 and had to stop accepting applications at the end of January 2005, only half-way through the fiscal year, when the appropriated funds were exhausted. RAFT has assisted more than 1,300 families by providing funds for items such as security deposits, first and last months rent, and moving expenses. The supplemental budget is still awaiting legislative action.

Density Conference Planned

On May 13 and 14, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, MassHousing, Boston Society of Architects, and the AIA Center for Communities by Design will host a two-day conference entitled "Re-inventing the Urban Village: A Conference on the Role of Density in Building Vibrant Communities" The event will take place at Northeastern University. You can obtain more information by contacting dgeorgopulos@Masshousing.com, and you can register online at www.fhlbboston.com/densityconference.

Applications Sought for John Clancy Award

The John Clancy Award for Socially Responsible Housing was established in 2004. It is a biennial program, funded by the Boston architecture firm Goody Clancy, that recognizes and encourages excellence in the planning, design, construction and maintenance of socially responsible urban housing. Public- and private-sector projects anywhere in the United States are eligible. Awardees will be chosen based on: design excellence, livability, sustainability, accessibility/universal design, urban design, and diversity. Anyone can nominate a project, and built projects nominated for this award must have been completed and occupied during the decade preceding the award. There is an entry fee of $100. For additional information, including a complete list of requirements, contact Alexandra Lee at the Boston Society of Architects, alee@architects.org. Submissions are due by 4:00 p.m., June 13, 2005.