July 6, 2026

Greetings!

On July 1st, the Legislature voted to approve the FY27 conference committee budget, House Bill 5555, and sent it to Governor Healey. The Governor has until July 11th to sign the budget and issue any vetoes. Check out this page to see what is on the Governor's desk and when she signs House Bill 5555, the FY27 budget, into law.

Keep reading below for more details on what is in the conference committee budget and how you can take action.

We have two action steps for you:

1.) Please sign and share our online action to Governor Healey to encourage her to sign the FY27 state budget into law swiftly, retaining key housing and homelessness provisions: tinyurl.com/fy27actiontogov (full link: https://win.newmode.net/fy27budgetadvocacytogovernor.) See below for more details on what we are asking her to sign into law/not veto.

In addition to signing and sharing the online action, you can:

• Call Governor Healey's Constituent Services staff at 888-870-7770 (toll-free), 617-727-3666 (TTY), or 617-725-4005
• Send an electronic message through the Governor's online form.

Sample text from our online action is included in a box below to help you prepare for your call or electronic message.

2.) Please also thank the budget conferees (names and links to their contact information are below), your State Representative, and your State Senator for their work in crafting and passing the FY27 state budget. The full contact information for each legislator is included on the Legislature’s website. Unsure who your legislator is? Find them by entering your address or the address where you are staying here: www.wheredoivotema.com or by calling the State House switchboard at 617-722-2000. After reaching out, let us know you took action and share any feedback by emailing Kelly.

FY27 budget conferees:

• House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz
• Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues
• House Ways and Means Assistant Vice Chair Kip Diggs
• Senate Ways and Means Vice Chair Joanne Comerford
• House Ways and Means Ranking Minority Member Todd Smola
• Senate Ways and Means Ranking Minority Member Patrick O’Connor

Thank you for all of your advocacy over the past six months to ensure that housing, homelessness prevention, and benefits programs were top priorities in the FY27 state budget!

With gratitude and hope,

Kelly and Julia

Kelly Turley

She/her/hers

Associate Director

kelly@mahomeless.org

Julia Garvey

She/her/hers

Community Organizer/Legislative Advocate

julia.garvey@mahomeless.org

P.S. Stay up to date with the Coalition’s advocacy initiatives by following us on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. (Links also included at the top of this message.)

Sample Text for Outreach to Governor Healey

Dear Governor Healey:

I am joining the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless in asking you to swiftly sign into law fiscal year 2027 funding for housing, homelessness prevention, and cash assistance line items and to quickly implement key FY27 budget provisions.

The priority line items and outside sections are:

• Residential Assistance for Families in Transition homelessness prevention program (RAFT, line item 7004-9316), funded at $209,000,000
• Emergency Assistance shelter and services program for children and families (EA, line item 7004-0101), funded at $259,900,648
• Bridge subsidies to promote housing stability for older adults (within line item 7004-0107), funded at $200,000
• HomeBASE rehousing program for children and families (line item 7004-0108), funded at $82,322,001
• Housing and services for unaccompanied youth and young adults experiencing homelessness (line item 4000-0007), funded at $10,539,590
• Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP, line item 7004-9024), funded at $278,341,728
• Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children program (EAEDC, line item 4408-1000), funded at $204,024,252
• Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children program (TAFDC, line item 4403-2000), funded at $437,259,755
• Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP, line item 7004-9030), funded at $19,263,183
• Public housing authority operating subsidies (line item 7004-9005), funded at $117,810,000
• Access to counsel in eviction proceedings (line item 0321-1800), funded at $3,000,000
• Shelter and services for unaccompanied adults experiencing homelessness (line item 7004-0102), funded at $114,086,718
• Home and Healthy for Good program for adults experiencing chronic homelessness (line item 7004-0104), funded at $8,890,000
• Transportation for students experiencing homelessness (line item 7035-0008), funded at $35,219,466
• Rapid rehousing for individuals experiencing homelessness (line item 7004-0202), funded at $5,000,000
• Sponsor-based permanent supportive housing (line item 7004-0105), funded at $10,572,875
• Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities administrative line item (EOHLC, line item 7004-0099), funded at $22,400,301
• Early intervention evaluations and assessments for children under the age of three sin family shelter programs (Outside Sections 70 and 131)
• Eviction protections for impacted federal workers during federal government shutdowns (Outside Sections 84 and 85)
• Repeal of the TAFDC Learnfare rule (Outside Section 90)

Please find additional details in Column E of the Coalition’s budget chart: https://tinyurl.com/mchfy27

Along with the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, I hope that you will support the Legislature’s recommended funding for these housing, homelessness prevention, emergency shelter, cash assistance, nutritional assistance, legal assistance, and related programs, as well as language that best supports families and individuals and expands data transparency.

Thank you for your time, consideration, and commitment to supporting people experiencing homelessness and housing instability.

Sincerely,

(Add in your name and contact information)

Overview of Key Housing, Homelessness Prevention, and Cash Assistance Requests and Conference Committee Budget Outcomes

Residential Assistance for Families in Transition homelessness prevention program (RAFT, Line Item 7004-9316):

Conference committee requests:

• Include $210,060,000, as recommended by the House.

Conference committee outcome:

• The final legislative budget provides $209,000,000, a compromise amount between the House and Senate proposals.

Emergency Assistance shelter and services program for children and families (EA, Line Item 7004-0101):

Conference committee requests:

•  Include at least $259,435,648, as recommended by the Senate.

Conference committee outcome:

• The final legislative budget provides $259,900,648, slightly higher than the House and Senate proposals.

Bridge subsidies to promote housing stability for older adults (within Line Item 7004-0107):

Conference committee requests:

• Include $200,000 in the local housing program earmarks line item to extend the Somerville bridge subsidy pilot program, as recommended by the Senate.
• Adopt Senate language to continue the Somerville bridge subsidy pilot program.

Conference committee outcomes:

• The final legislative budget provides $200,000 for bridge subsidies, as recommended by the Senate.
• It also includes Senate language to continue the Somerville bridge subsidy pilot program.

HomeBASE rehousing program for children and families (Line Item 7004-0108):

Conference committee requests:

• Include $82,322,001, as recommended by both the House and Senate.
• Adopt Senate language that would set aside at least $2.5 million in the line item to allow families to access HomeBASE assistance above $30,000/24 months if the provider determines that the additional funds are “essential to resolve a housing crisis.” (House language would allow providers to use no more than $2.5 million to assist families in this way.)
• Adopt Senate language that would continue the current policy of allowing families to increase their income while in HomeBASE without the threat of termination from the program if they continue to meet the requirements of their housing stabilization plans.
• Adopt Senate language that would continue the current policy of allowing otherwise eligible families living in domestic violence shelters to access HomeBASE.

Conference committee outcomes:

• The final legislative budget provides $82,322,001, as recommended by both the House and Senate.
• It also includes Senate language that sets aside at least $2.5 million to allow administering agencies to provide HomeBASE awards above $30,000 over two years to families for whom the additional funds are "essential to resolve a housing crisis."
• The final legislative budget includes Senate language that continues the existing policy of allowing families to increase their income while in HomeBASE without the threat of termination from the program if they continue to meet the requirements of their housing stabilization plans.
• It also includes Senate language that continues the current policy of allowing otherwise eligible families in domestic violence shelters, family residential treatment programs, and sober living programs to access HomeBASE.

Housing and services for unaccompanied youth and young adults experiencing homelessness (Line Item 4000-0007):

Conference committee requests:

• Include $10,539,590, as recommended by the House.
• Adopt House language to earmark $100,000 in the line item for the BAY-CASH program to continue to provide direct cash assistance to unaccompanied young adults who are experiencing homelessness.

Conference committee outcomes:

• The final legislative budget provides $10,539,590, as recommended by the House.
• It also includes House language to earmark $100,000 in the line item for the BAY-CASH program to continue to provide direct cash assistance to unaccompanied young adults who are experiencing homelessness.

Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP, Line Item 7004-9024):

Conference committee requests:

• Include $281,341,728, as recommended by the House.
• Add language to require the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to provide the Legislature with 90 days’ advance notice before making any eligibility restrictions or benefit reductions, matching language already included in the Emergency Assistance and HomeBASE program line items.

Conference committee outcomes:

• The final legislative budget provides $278,341,728, as recommended by the Senate.
• It does not include advance notice language.

Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children program (EAEDC, Line Item 4408-1000):

Conference committee requests:

• Include $204,024,252, as recommended by both the House and Senate.

Conference committee outcome:

• The final legislative budget provides $204,024,252, as recommended by both the House and Senate.

Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children grant payments (TAFDC, Line Item 4403-2000 and outside section language):

Conference committee requests:

• Include $437,259,755, as recommended by both the House and Senate.
• Adopt Senate language to maintain the current annual clothing allowance of $500 per eligible child instead of $450 per eligible child, as recommended by the House.
• Adopt Senate outside section language to repeal the TAFDC Learnfare rule, which penalizes families participating in the TAFDC program for children's absences from school.
• Adopt Senate language that would allow more flexibility in how pregnant applicants with no other children could verify their pregnancies. House language would require pregnancies to be “medically verified,” which could delay access to critical cash assistance while applicants are awaiting medical care.

Conference committee outcomes:

• The final legislative budget provides $437,259,755, as recommended by both the House and Senate.
• It includes Senate language to maintain the current annual clothing allowance at $500/child.
• The final legislative budget includes Senate outside section language to repeal the TAFDC Learnfare rule, which penalizes families participating in the TAFDC program for children's absences from school.
• It also includes Senate language that allows more flexibility in how pregnant applicants with no other children can verify their pregnancies.

Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP, Line Item 7004-9030):

Conference committee request:

• Include $19,263,183, as recommended by both the House and Senate.
• Add language to require the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to provide the Legislature with 90 days’ advance notice before making any eligibility restrictions or benefit reductions, matching language already included in the Emergency Assistance and HomeBASE program line items.

Conference committee outcomes:

• The final legislative budget provides $19,263,183, as recommended by both the House and Senate.
• It does not include advance notice language.

Public Housing Authority operating subsidies (Line Item 7004-9005):

Conference committee request:

• Include $117,840,000, as recommended by the House.

Conference committee outcome:

• The final legislative budget provides $117,810,000, as recommended by the Senate.

Access to counsel in eviction proceedings (ATC, Line Item 0321-1800):

Conference committee request:

• Include $3,000,000, as recommended by the House.
• Adopt House language to continue the access to counsel in eviction proceedings program

Conference committee outcomes:

• The final legislative budget provides $3,000,000, as recommended by the House.
• It also includes House language to continue the access to counsel in eviction proceedings program.

Shelter and services for adults experiencing homelessness (Line Item 7004-0102):

Conference committee request:

• Include $115,000,000, as recommended by the House, plus $8,000,000 in new line item 7004-0111 for expanded winter shelter bed capacity, as recommended by the House.

Conference committee outcome:

• The final legislative budget provides $114,086,718, a compromise amount between the House and Senate proposals.

Home and Healthy for Good permanent supportive housing program (Line Item 7004-0104):

Conference committee request:

• Include $8,890,000, as recommended by both the House and Senate.

Conference committee outcome:

• The final legislative budget provides $8,890,000, as recommended by both the House and Senate.

Transportation for students experiencing homelessness (Line Item 7035-0008):

Conference committee request:

• Include $35,219,466, as recommended by both the House and Senate.

Conference committee outcome:

• The final legislative budget provides $35,219,466, as recommended by both the House and Senate.

Our full list of recommendations and the outcomes at each previous stage of the budget process can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/mchfy27.



Thank you for your advocacy!