Please join us online this Friday, March 29th for our next Housing and Benefits Committee meeting!

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March 27, 2024

Hello!

It's almost time for our March Housing and Benefits Committee meeting, coming up this Friday, March 29th, 10:00–11:30 a.m. on Zoom. Please RSVP and plan to join us!

Here is our agenda:

Welcome/Introductions

Launching the Youth Count – Presented by Alice Colgrove, Director - Homeless Youth Services, Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS)
The Massachusetts Youth Count is an annual survey sponsored by the Massachusetts Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Commission to learn about the scope, needs, and demographics of youth and young adults under the age of 25 who are unstably housed or experiencing homelessness. The Youth Count partners with youth, young adults, providers serving youth and young adults experiencing homelessness, Continua of Care, and other community partners to conduct the survey. The insights and data gathered from the survey process are used to influence advocacy and programming to address youth and young adult homelessness.
The 2024 survey will take place from Monday, April 1st–Tuesday, April 30th.
For more information, click here.

Updates on the Joint Committee on Ways and Means FY 2025 Budget Hearing – Presented by Kelly Turley, Associate Director, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll filed their $56.1 billion FY25 budget proposal on January 24, 2024. See their press release here.
Other materials:
Statewide Summary
Line Item Summary
Outside Sections
See the Coalition's FY25 budget chart for details on our top priorities: https://tinyurl.com/mchfy2025
Coalition's key FY'25 budget requests (PDF version)
Bridge Subsidy Program for Older Adults Fact Sheet
The Joint Committee on Ways and Means FY 2025 Budget Public Hearing was held on Tuesday, March 26th. The livestream can be found here.
Online testimony will be accepted until today (3/27) at 5:00 p.m. You can submit your testimony via MyLegislature or email it to staff: Emerson.Gagnon@masenate.gov and Kerry.Rugenstein@mahouse.gov

Updates on the Emergency Assistance Family Shelter System & Supplemental Budget – Presented by Kelly Turley, Associate Director, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
The Senate passed the Senate Ways and Means version of Governor Healey's supplemental budget request as part of a formal session on Thursday, March 21st.
Link to final Senate proposal: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S2711
MCH action alert on Senate amendments from last week: https://conta.cc/4ajcH0q
Link to final House proposal: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H4466
Link to the Governor's proposal: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H4284
More information can be found on our bill and budget priorities page.
Check out some of the related EA news coverage in this Google Folder.

Brief Overview of Coalition's Legislative Action Day/Thank You
Legislative Action Day 2024 took place at the Massachusetts State House on Thursday, March 7th. This year's Legislative Action Day event was hosted by State Representative Jim O'Day. At LAD, we heard from state legislators, people who have or currently are experiencing housing instability and/or homelessness, advocates, and others on issues and policy recommendations to address homelessness in Massachusetts. For more information on our speakers, check out our most recent action alert.
The Coalition advocated for key budget and bill priorities. Links to fact sheets on the Coalition's key FY'25 budget requests (PDF), 2023-2024 bill priorities (PDF), and other materials can be found here.
We are very thankful to everyone who met and/or called legislators and staff in the afternoon to advocate for key homelessness and housing bill and budget priorities. If you did speak with legislators and staff, please complete the legislative response form.
Thank you to all the attendees for joining us in the fight to end homelessness. We had 200 people with us: families, youth, and adults with lived experience of homelessness, providers, advocates, and legislators all speaking up for solutions to homelessness, housing instability, and poverty, and taking action to ensure that everyone has a place to call home.