Please join us online this Friday, July 31st for our next Housing and Benefits Committee meeting

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July 29, 2026

Greetings!

It's almost time for our July Housing and Benefits Committee meeting, coming up this Friday, July 31st, 10:00–11:30 a.m. on Zoom. Please RSVP and plan to join us!

Here is our agenda:

Welcome/Introductions

Students Experiencing Homelessness in Massachusetts: Educational Issues and Trends – Presented by Shirley Fan-Chan, Homeless Education State Coordinator, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is "responsible for all public school services in the Commonwealth from pre-K to high school. In addition to traditional schooling, DESE provides a number of services for students, families, and educators including special needs accommodations, professional development, vocational and other alternative schooling, and opportunities for college preparation."
During the 2024–2025 school year, Massachusetts public schools identified 33,679 students experiencing homelessness, a 6.6% increase from the 2023–2024 school year.
Massachusetts Homeless Student Program Data 2024–2025
Homeless Education Liaison Contact List (choose "Homeless Liaison" from the Function drop-down list and click on "Get Results").

Updates on the FY2027 State Budget – Presented by Kelly Turley, Associate Director, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
On June 30th, the FY27 Budget Conference Committee released its version of the FY27 budget. On the following day, July 1st, the House and Senate voted to adopt the Conference Committee recommendations (142–6 in the House and 39–1 in the Senate). The budget, House Bill 5555, was then sent to Governor Healey's desk.
On July 9th, Governor Healey signed the $63.4 billion FY27 budget into law. Check out the budget documents and our FY27 budget chart for more details.
Read Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll's press release here.
For an overview of key FY27 housing, homelessness prevention, and cash assistance requests and final budget outcomes, check out https://tinyurl.com/mchfy27 and our action alert.

Findings of the 2025 National Renter Survey – Presented by Sarah Abdelhadi, Manager, State and Local Research, National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and Zenayah Roache, Housing Advocacy Organizer, National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC)
The National Low Income Housing Coalition "is dedicated to achieving racially and socially equitable public policy that ensures people with the lowest incomes have quality homes that are accessible and affordable in communities of their choice."
The 2025 National Renter Survey "was designed to ask questions and gather data not frequently captured by national surveys. It includes questions on experiences applying for and receiving housing assistance, renter-landlord interactions related to habitability, experiences with moving and displacement, and the unique needs and experiences of renter households with disabilities or chronic health issues."
The full report can be downloaded here.
Individual figures and images from the report can be downloaded here.

Updates on the 2026 Economic Development Bill – Presented by Kelly Turley, Associate Director, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
On July 16th, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means released its version of the economic development bill, Amendment S.3178. We worked with Senators to file key homelessness and housing amendments, including expanding access to Mass IDs for people experiencing homelessness and improving the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program.
The full Senate debated the bill on July 22nd and July 23rd. Following debate, the amended version of S.3178 was passed to be engrossed by a voice vote.
The economic development bill will now head to a conference committee that will be tasked with creating a compromise between the House and Senate versions of the legislation.
For an overview of amendment outcomes, please see our economic development bill chart and our most recent action alert.
On July 6th, the House Committee on Ways and Means released its version of the bill, House Bill 5562. We worked with Representatives to file key homelessness and housing amendments, including expanding access to Mass IDs for people experiencing homelessness.
The full House debated the bill on July 8th. The amended version, House Bill 5576, was passed to be engrossed by a vote of 148–2.
For an overview of amendment outcomes, please see our economic development bill chart and the related action alert.
On April 16th, Governor Healey filed an economic development bill, An Act relative to Massachusetts winning global investment, talent, and innovation, also known as the Mass Wins Act (House Bill 5386).
Read the Administration's press release here.

Announcements and Invitations
One-minute Everyone Needs ID online action: Please take action with us today to help pass the Everyone Needs ID bill to expand access to Mass IDs for people experiencing homelessness by signing and sharing our online action to key legislators.
Full link to online action: https://win.newmode.net/everyoneneedsidbill
Bill fact sheet
House version of the bill
Senate version of the bill
Breaktime x Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless op-ed about the Mass ID access campaign: https://tinyurl.com/massid-mchbt