Governor Healey Releases FY2024 State Budget Proposal
On March 1, Governor Healey released her FY2024 state budget proposal. The $55.5 billion budget includes increased funding for several of CHAPA’s affordable housing priorities, including MRVP, AHVP, and RAFT. Public housing remained level funded while Housing Consumer Education Centers and Home and Healthy for Good received funding cuts.
The table below highlights funding proposals for affordable housing, community development, and homelessness prevention programs. A list with descriptions of proposed language changes to the budget program follows the table.
The budget process now turns to the Massachusetts House which wild debate its budget proposal in April.
|
Line-Item |
Program |
DRAFT FY2024 Requests |
Gov’s FY2024 Budget |
FY2023 Budget |
|
7004-9024 |
Mass. Rental Voucher Program |
$250,000,000 |
$168,247,567 |
$154,000,000† |
|
7004-9030 |
Alternative Housing Voucher Program |
$26,000,000 |
$14,108,528 |
$13,685,355‡ |
|
7004-9316 |
Residential Assistance for Families in Transition |
$250,000,000 |
$162,602,462 |
$150,000,000* |
|
7004-9005 |
Public Housing Operating |
$184,000,000 |
$92,000,000 |
$92,000,000 |
|
7004-3036 |
Housing Consumer Education Centers |
$10,185,000 |
$8,774,000 |
$9,700,000 |
|
7004-9007 |
Public Housing Reform |
$7,700,000 |
$2,200,000 |
$1,000,000 |
|
7004-0104 |
Home & Healthy for Good |
$8,390,000 |
$4,162,300 |
$6,390,000 |
|
7004-0108 |
HomeBASE |
$60,000,000 |
$42,070,445 |
$59,411,201 |
|
7006-0011 |
Foreclosure & Housing Counseling |
$3,050,000 |
$1,500,000 |
$3,050,000 |
|
NEW |
Access to Counsel Program |
$7,000,000 |
- |
- |
|
7004-3045 |
Tenancy Preservation Program |
$1,800,000 |
$2,042,755 |
$1,800,000 |
|
4120-4001 |
MassAccess Registry |
$150,000 |
$150,000 |
$150,000 |
|
4000-0007 |
Unaccompanied Homeless Youth |
$12,000,000 |
$10,545,850 |
$9,500,000 |
|
7004-0106 |
New Lease for Homeless Families |
$250,000 |
$250,000 |
$250,000 |
|
7004-0105 |
Sponsor-Based Permanent Supportive Housing |
- |
$7,600,000 |
$7,100,000 |
|
7004-9032 |
Economic Mobility |
- |
$1,500,000 |
- |
† Includes language to carryover unspent funds from FY22 bringing total FY23 funding for MRVP to an estimated $175 million
‡ Includes language to carryover unspent funds from FY22 bringing total FY23 funding for AHVP to an estimated $19.2 million
* An estimated $60 million in unspent RAFT funds from FY22 will carryover into FY23 bringing total FY23 funding for RAFT to an estimated $210 million
MASSACHUSETTS RENTAL VOUCHER PROGRAM (7004-9024)
Description of Changes:
- Allows project based vouchers to follow applicable limits on tenant paid rent under another federal or state program the voucher may be subject to
- Makes technical changes to allow for phasing in of payment standard
- Sets payment standard at 100% of the Fair Market Rent and allows the use of Small Area Fair Market Rents. Changes the current language of allowing payment standard to use up to 110% of the Fair Market Rent
- Allows use of a higher payment standard as a reasonable accommodation or otherwise at the discretion of the executive office
- Allows households to pay more than 40% of their income towards rent after the first year of participation in the program. The current budget language only allows households to pay up to 40% of their income towards rent after the first year of participation in the program.
- Removes the language to carry over the unspent funds from FY2023
ALTERNATIVE HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAM (7004-9030)
Description of Changes:
- Allows AHVP vouchers to be project based
- Allows AHVP maximum rents to use up to 110% of the Small Area Fair Market Rent
- Adds language suggesting that AHVP may move to a payment standard
- Removes the language to carry over the unspent funds from FY2023
RAFT (7004-9316)
Description of Changes:
- Caps RAFT benefit to $7,000 over a 24-month period. Current language allows a maximum benefit of $7,000 over a 12-month period.
- Removes language that sets a $10,000 maximum benefit for the program through the end of FY2023 on June 30, 2023
- Removes $3 million set aside for providing assistance to households of all sizes and configurations
- Removes reporting requirements
HOMEBASE (7004-0108)
Description of Changes:
- Sets $10 million aside for circumstances where an award of more than $20,000 over two years is essential to resolve a housing crisis
- Limits HomeBASE benefit to citizens and lawful residents
- Allows households to increase their income beyond the income limit during the 2 years the household is receiving HomeBASE
- Removes reporting requirements
HOUSING CONSUMER EDUCATION CENTERS (7004-3036)
Description of Changes:
- Removes housing stabilization earmark
- Removes reporting requirement
- Removes funding to support the Regional Housing Network
FORECLOSURE AND HOUSING COUNSELING (7006-0011)
Description of Changes:
- Lowers the amount of retained revenue from licensure fees from $3.05 million to $1.5 million
- Removes the $1.5 million minimum set aside for foreclosure and housing counseling grants.