• Technology Improvements for the Emergency Assistance Program funding and language:
• Provide $400,000 to create a streamlined online application process and improved telephonic application process for the Emergency Assistance family shelter program.
• See language in Line Item 1599-6087 in the final Senate version of the bill, S.3030.
• This is language from the redrafted version of Amendment #281, originally filed by Senator Adam Gomez.
• Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, families mainly have had to apply for shelter by phone, as access for in-person applications is limited and online access is non-existent. The current phone system's limitations make it difficult for many families with children to access the vital resources they need in a timely, dignified manner.

• Eviction record sealing/HOMES Act language:
• Create a process for tenants to petition the courts to seal their eviction records on a case-by-case basis. As noted by our colleagues at Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, "Right now there is no recourse for tenants. Even if they win their case or satisfy a judgment, their eviction record is public, permanent, and has a lasting impact on their ability to find housing and jobs."
• See Section 135C in the final Senate version of the bill, S.3030.
• This is language from Amendment #18, filed by Senator Lydia Edwards.
• Check out the latest HOMES Act fact sheet.

• House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz
• House Chair of the Joint Committee on Revenue Mark Cusack
• House Ranking Minority Member of the Joint Committee on Revenue Michael Soter
• Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues
• Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies Eric Lesser
• Senate Ways and Means Ranking Minority Member/Senate Ranking Minority Member of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies Patrick O'Connor

• House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz
• House Ways and Means Vice Chair Ann-Margaret Ferrante
• House Ways and Means Ranking Minority Member Todd Smola
• Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues
• Senate Ways and Means Vice Chair Cindy Friedman
• Senate Ways and Means Ranking Minority Member Patrick O'Connor.

• Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (line item 7004-9316):
• Requests: At least match the higher Senate funding level of $150,000,000 in direct appropriations. Include Senate language to explicitly restore the RAFT benefit cap to $10,000/household for FY23 and to simplify income verification for MassHealth and Department of Transitional Assistance program participants plus House language to expand categories of households eligible for RAFT with incomes above 50% area median income (AMI) but below 60% AMI. We also asked the Conference Committee to protect upstream access to RAFT by prohibiting the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) from requiring a notice to quit, summary process summons and complaint, and/or utility shut-off notice to access RAFT.
• Outcomes: Funded at $150,000,000 in direct appropriations, plus an expected $50,000,000 from carried over unspent funds from FY22. Includes language to set the RAFT benefit cap for FY23 at $10,000/household over a 12-month period (up from the $7,000 limit in effect since January 1, 2022); does not include language to expressly protect upstream access to RAFT.

• Emergency Assistance (EA) family shelter and services (line item 7004-0101):
• Requests: At least match the higher House funding level of $218,641,057. Include Senate tracking and reporting language plus related Senate language from Outside Section 4 on public posting of reports; include 90-day advance notice requirement before eligibility restrictions or benefit reductions could be implemented; include expanded tracking and reporting language.
• Outcomes: Funded at $219,441,057 (higher than amounts initially proposed by House and Senate). Includes 90-day advance notice requirement and tracking and reporting language, with relevant language in Outside Section 4 on transparency and access to data and reports; does not include language originally requested to increase income eligibility for families applying for EA or seeking to retain EA benefits or ombudsperson unit language.

• Housing and Services for Unaccompanied Youth and Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness (line item 4000-0007):
• Requests: Fund at the Senate funding level of $9.500,000
• Outcome: Funded at $9,500,000

• HomeBASE (line item 7004-0108):
• Requests: Provide the Higher House funding level of $59,411,201. Include language from the House, Senate, and Governor to make HomeBASE a two-year program instead of a one-year program. Include Senate language to lift the income eligibility limit for families once they enroll in HomeBASE to allow families to maximize their income plus related Senate language from Outside Section 4 on public posting of reports. Decouple RAFT and HomeBASE benefits so as to allow eligible households to maximize funding from both programs.
• Outcomes: Funded at $59,411,201. Includes language to make HomeBASE a multi-year program to allow families to access up to $20,000 over a two-year period; includes compromise language to allow families to maintain benefits for 12 months after exceeding the income eligibility limit (set at 50% of area median income); removes language that would cap the combination of HomeBASE and RAFT assistance, thus allowing families to maximize benefits under both programs.

• Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (line item 7004-9024):
• Requests: Fund at the higher Senate funding level of $154,300,000 with language to carryover unspent FY22 funds. Include Senate language on counting tenants' utility payments in the calculation of their rent share, to be capped at 30% of income, instead of the current general standard of 40% of income for rent.
• Outcomes: Funded at $154,300,000 in direct appropriations, with language to carryover unspent funds from FY22. Includes language directing the Department of Housing and Community Development to establish payment standard protocols for the MRVP program by January 1, 2023, which would set the tenant rent share at 30% of a household's monthly adjusted income and would set the payment standard between 100-110% of the fair market rent, with additional flexibility to provide reasonable accommodations to families and individuals with disabilities; additional language included to protect tenants seeking to stay in their unit after any decrease in the fair market rent levels by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

• Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children Program (line item 4408-1000):
• Requests: Fund at the Higher Senate funding level of $140,645,184. Include Senate language to increase monthly grants by 10%, but implement the grant increase earlier in the fiscal year than April 2023 as proposed by the Senate.
• Outcomes: Funded at $147,462,852 (higher than amounts initially proposed by House and Senate.) Includes language to implement a 10% grant increase earlier in the fiscal year, starting in October 2022.