House To Kick Off FY 25 Budget Debate Wednesday

Earlier this month, the House Ways and Means Committee released its budget proposal for FY 2025, which begins on July 1, 2024.  In the days immediately following that release, representatives submitted 1,495 amendments to that budget.  On Wednesday, the House begins its multi-day budget consideration process.  

Of those filed, CHAPA has identified ten priority amendments.  Please contact your state representative and urge them to support the following:

#26 - Home and Healthy for Good
Sponsored by Rep. Hawkins
Directs $500k to the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance to provide technical assistance and engage in resource development and systems work to advance housing solutions to homelessness.

#563 - Public Housing Operating
Sponsored by Rep. McMurtry
Increases the Public Housing Operating line item by $5 million to $117 million.

#592 - Housing Assistance for People in Reentry
Sponsored by Rep. Gonzalez
Increases funding for the line item by $4.2 million to $9 million.

#613 - Saving Towards Affordable & Sustainable Homeownership Program (STASH) 
Sponsored by Rep. Worrell
Provides $750k to support first-time homeownership through the STASH Program.  

#667 - Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP)
Sponsored by Rep. Consalvo
Increases funding for AHVP by $500k to $16,855,696, restoring the funding to the FY24 amount.

#737 - HomeBASE
Sponsored by Rep. Barber
Adjusts guidelines for HomeBASE to make short-term housing transition benefits available for 12-month renewable allotments to re-housed families, allows for renewals for eligible families beyond 3 years if necessary, eases certain current spending limitations to keep families housed, and continues the prior appropriation. 

#790 - Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) 
Sponsored by Rep. Decker
Adjusts RAFT guidelines by making additional funds available to administrating agencies to resolve housing crises, and eliminates the need for a utility shut-off notice, a notice to quit, or a summary process summons and complaint to access RAFT.

#1101 - Housing Consumer Education Centers (HCECs) 
Sponsored by Rep. Garballey
Increases funding for HCECs by $1.7 million to $10,474,000, restoring the funding to the FY24 amount.

#1461 - Office of Fair Housing 
Sponsored by Rep. D. Rogers
Earmarks $1.5 million for the operation of an Office of Fair Housing by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, bringing the line item to $16,856,798.

#1479 - Access to Counsel
Sponsored by Rep. D. Rogers
Amends the Access to Counsel line item to clarify that a pilot program would be state-wide, establishes that legal assistance is full representation (not limited assistance), and authorizes the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, in consultation with an advisory committee, to determine how to implement the program.