May 15, 2014
Looking Ahead to Fiscal Year 2015: The Senate Ways and Means Committee Has Released Its Budget Recommendations for the Upcoming Year A Quick Look at Selected Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Line Items 1. The Senate Ways and Means (SWM) budget would fund the Emergency Assistance family shelter and services program (line item 7004-0101) at $137 million for FY'15, combining shelter, services, and motel funding back under one line item. These amounts are above the initial FY'14 funding levels, but $18 million below the current funding after mid-year funding was provided. Of greater concern than the funding level is that the SWM budget does not include needed language that would require DHCD to provide shelter to otherwise eligible families who are at imminent risk of staying in places not meant for human habitation. It also removes important language that allows families who only are placed in shelter temporarily pending verification who ultimately are found ineligible for ongoing shelter to re-access shelter within 12 months if they meet the other eligibility criteria. FY'14 funding level: Currently $155.1 million for the 2 accounts (not including the pending mid-year supplemental budget request of $6.2 million) FY’15 SWM funding proposal: $137.0 million for EA shelters and motels under line item 7004-0101 FY'15 final House funding proposal: $125.2 million for EA shelter + $15.1 million for EA motels = $140.3 million FY'15 House 2 (Governor's) funding proposal: $167.3 million for EA shelters + $12.3 million for EA motels = $179.6 million FY'15 MCH funding request: $179.6 million, so as to restore access to families at imminent risk of having to stay in places not meant for human habitation and to avoid the need for further eligibility restrictions. Preliminary Amendment Information: Senator Ken Donnelly of Arlington will be filing an amendment to add language to the EA line item so that families who are at imminent risk of staying in places not meant for human habitation are able to access shelter before having to actually stay in such places, and to restore the 12-month rule exemption for families placed presumptively. Please ask your State Senator to sign on as a co-sponsor before noon tomorrow, Friday, May 16th by contacting Hannah Buntich at
[email protected] or 617-722-1432. Please also ask your Senator to strongly support this amendment throughout the caucus and debate processes. 2. The Senate Ways and Means budget would decrease funding for the HomeBASE program (line item 7004-0108) from $58.8 million to $24.2 million, reflecting the end of the rental assistance portion of the program. The remaining household assistance portion of program will continue to provide shallow rental subsidies, diversion, and moving assistance for certain EA-eligible families. The SWM proposal initially would allow families to receive up to $6,000 in HomeBASE funds, up from the current limit of $4,000 per household. (During FY'14, some families have been able to receive up to $6,000 total, however, through a combination of $4,000 in HomeBASE funds plus $2,000 from the Housing Preservation and Stabilization Trust Fund.) The language would require DHCD to develop a st maximum benefit cap plan by September 1 , meaning that families might be able to access more than $6,000 after that date if needed to stabilize their housing situation. The funding level likely will not be enough to serve all families in need during FY’15. FY'14 funding level: $58.5 million
FY’15 SWM funding proposal: $24.2 million FY'15 final House funding proposal: $26.0 million FY'15 House 2 funding proposal: $24.3 million FY'15 MCH funding request: At least $29 million to be able to offer household assistance and moving assistance to new families in FY'15 and to be able to extend housing and services benefits to families who need additional assistance after timing out of HomeBASE rental assistance who lack feasible alternative affordable housing, and to increase the cap to $8,000/family 3. The Senate Ways and Means budget would increase funding for the line item that provides funding for shelter and services for unaccompanied individuals at-risk and experiencing homelessness (line item 7004-0102) to $42.2 million. FY'14 funding level: $40.5 million FY’15 SWM funding proposal: $40.5 million FY'15 Final House funding proposal: $42.6 million FY'15 House 2 funding proposal: $40.8 million FY'15 MCH funding request: At least $40.8 million 4. The House Ways and Means budget would fund the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP, line item 7004-9024) at $70.0 million, a $12.5 million increase from the FY'14 allocation. This is an important step forward toward our goal of dramatically increased funding. The language restricts DHCD from using shelter status as a criteria for awarding new MRVP subsidies. This means that families in shelters may receive subsidies if they already are on the MRVP waiting list, but they will not be prioritized, as has happened in recent years. FY'14 funding level: $57.5 million FY’15 SWM funding proposal: $70.0 million FY'15 final House funding proposal: $60.5 million FY'15 House 2 funding proposal: $57.5 million FY'15 MCH funding request: $87.5 million. See the Housing Solutions Campaign MRVP fact sheet for more details. 5. The Senate Ways and Means budget would provide slightly increased funding for the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition Program (RAFT, line item 7004-9316) at $10.5 million. The SWM proposal, however, removes the language authorizing the Seven Day Temporary Emergency Accommodations Program (SDTEA), which served 539 families who were denied access to shelter and otherwise would have stayed in places not meant for human habitation before the FY'14 funding ran out in December 2013. SWM maintains the change made in the recent supplemental budget that allows DHCD to provide up to 50% of the RAFT funding to families between 30-50% of the area median income (versus the previous cap of 10% of the funds), while at least 50% of the funds will be directed to families with incomes below 30% of area median income. FY'14 funding level: $10 million FY’15 SWM funding proposal: $10.5 million FY'15 final House funding proposal: $11.0 million FY'15 House 2 funding proposal: $9.5 million FY'15 MCH funding request: $12.5 million Preliminary Amendment Information: Senator Ken Donnelly of Arlington will be filing an amendment to restore the Seven Day Temporary Emergency Accommodations Program through RAFT, and to increase funding in the account to $12.5 million. Please ask your State Senator to sign on as a co-sponsor before noon tomorrow, Friday, May 16th by contacting Hannah Buntich at
[email protected] or 617-722-1432. Please also ask your Senator to strongly support this amendment throughout the caucus and debate processes. 6. The Senate Ways and Means budget would provide $64 million in funding for public housing authority operating subsidies (line item 7004-9005), a $400,000 decrease from the FY'14 funding level.
FY'14 funding level: $64.4 million FY’15 SWM funding proposal: $64.0 million FY'15 final House funding proposal: $64.04 million FY'15 House 2 funding proposal: $64.3 million FY'15 MCH funding request: $82.0 million 7. The Senate Ways and Means budget would decrease funding for the Home and Healthy for Good Program (line item 7004-0104) to $1.4 million. This program employs a Housing First model and historically has provided housing and services to unaccompanied adults who have experienced chronic homelessness. SWM eliminated language to continue a pilot program that serves lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) unaccompanied youth and young adults (funded in FY’14 at no less than $200,000). FY'14 funding level: $1.6 million FY’15 SWM funding proposal: $1.4 million FY'15 final House funding proposal: $1.8 million FY'15 House 2 funding proposal: $1.4 million FY'15 MCH funding request: $2.2 million Also of note, SWM included Outside Section 63 regarding the Housing Stabilization and Preservation Trust Fund, which was part of the FY’14 budget, but not included in the House budget or Governor’s budget.
A Quick Look at Selected Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) Line Items 1. The Senate Ways and Means budget did not include any funding under the EOHHS administrative account (line item 4000-0300) to better address the needs of unaccompanied youth and young adults through age 24 who are experiencing homelessness. $500,000 in funding is requested so that the Massachusetts Special Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth can accomplish the tasks outlined in the budget language: provide housing and services to unaccompanied youth and to conduct a count to better understand the scope of the needs of unaccompanied youth. FY'14 funding level: $150,000 FY’15 SWM funding proposal: $0 FY'15 final House funding proposal: $150,000 FY'15 House 2 funding proposal: $150,000 FY'15 MCH funding request: $500,000 Preliminary Amendment Information: Senator Harriette Chandler of Worcester will be filing an amendment to add $500,000 to the EOHHS administrative line item. The funds would be used to 1) Continue to survey unaccompanied youth across Massachusetts and conduct youth outreach to better understand the youth’s needs and experiences of homelessness and housing stability; 2) Fund 3-6 demonstration projects to identify service and housing models appropriate to support unaccompanied youth in their education and successful transition from childhoods to adulthood; and 3) Fund a part time staff person or consultant to oversee implementation, analyze data, and to report to the Massachusetts Special Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth. Please ask your State Senator to sign on as a co-sponsor to this amendment before noon tomorrow, Friday, May th 16 by contacting Tim Daley at
[email protected] or 617-722-1544. Please also ask your Senator to strongly support this amendment throughout the caucus and debate processes. Senator Jason Lewis of Winchester will be filing an amendment to include the language from House Bill 135, An Act providing housing and support services to unaccompanied homeless youth as an outside section to the FY’15 budget. This language would create a statewide continuum of housing and support services for unaccompanied youth and young adults under the age of 25 who are experiencing homelessness out on their own, without a parent or guardian. This outside section would build upon the work of the Massachusetts Special Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth to create youth-specific housing and wraparound services to improve housing stability, reduce the risk of harm and improve education, physical and mental health outcomes for these unaccompanied homeless youth. Click here to see the related bill fact sheet. Please ask your State Senator to sign on as a co-sponsor to this amendment before noon tomorrow, Friday, May th 16th by contacting Senator Lewis’ office by noon on Friday, May 16 : 617-722-1206, Laura: x1298 or Dennis at
x1208. Please also ask your Senator to strongly support this amendment throughout the caucus and debate processes.
2. The Senate Ways and Means budget would decrease funding for the Department of Transitional Assistance's Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children Program (EAEDC, line item 4408-1000), bringing the funding level down to $88.4 million. [As of February 2014, there were 22,877 households served by EAEDC, a decrease in caseload over last year’s figures.] SWM included 60 day advance notice language that requires the Administration to notify the Legislature before implementing eligibility restrictions or benefit cuts. FY'14 funding level: $93.2 million FY’15 SWM funding proposal: $88.4 million FY'15 final House funding proposal: $87.6 million FY'15 House 2 funding proposal: $88.9 million FY'15 MCH funding request: $88.9 million
3. The Senate Ways and Means budget would decrease funding for the Department of Transitional Assistance's Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children grants (TAFDC, line item 4403-2000) to $253.2 million for FY'15. The SWM budget, like the final House budget, would retain the long-standing $40/month rental allowance for families living in private market apartments. The language also would require DTA to notify the Legislature 75 days before making any eligibility or benefits changes. (As of February 2014, there were 45,643 households served by TAFDC. For more DTA program data, see their March 2014 Facts and Figures report.) The Coalition and partner organizations are seeking level funding with the FY’14 appropriation. With declining caseloads, this level would be able to fund a much-needed $70/month/family increase to the grant levels. FY'14 funding level: $302.0 million FY’15 SWM funding proposal: $253.2 million FY'15 final House funding proposal: $255.7 million FY'15 House 2 funding proposal: $263.8 million MCH FY'15 funding request: $302 million to provide a modest increase in monthly cash assistance benefits, retain the rental allowance, and maintain current eligibility standards Preliminary Amendment Information: Senator Dan Wolf of Harwich will be filing an amendment to invest part of the anticipated account savings back into TAFDC to provide a 15% increase (approximately $70/month) to program participants, and to increase the line item appropriation to $289.2 million. Please ask your State Senator to sign on as a co-sponsor by contacting Katie Barry at
[email protected]. Please also ask your Senator to strongly support this amendment throughout the caucus and debate processes. In addition, the SWM budget would reduce funding for the Employment Services Program (line item 4401-1000) from $7.1 million to $4.4 million and provide level funding for Teen Living Programs (TLP, line item 4403-2119) at $9.2 million.
A Quick Look at the Education Transportation Line Item The SWM budget would provide $7.35 million, or level funding, for reimbursements to cities and towns for costs associated with transporting students experiencing homelessness under the McKinney-Vento Act (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Line Item 7035-0008 in the Senate and House budgets, and 7035-0005 in the House 2 budget). The Coalition is requesting $14.9 million, to match the anticipated FY’14 expenditures. FY'14 funding level: $7.35 million FY’15 SWM funding proposal: $7.35 million FY’15 final House funding proposal: $7.35 million FY'15 House 2 funding proposal: $7.35 million FY'15 MCH funding request: $14.9 million
For more information, please contact Kelly Turley at
[email protected] or 781-595-7570 x17.
