Public Policy

The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless has a rich 28-year history as a leader in the fight to prevent and end homelessness here in the Commonwealth. The agency is steadfast in our belief that homelessness can be resolved by supplying safe, affordable, permanent housing for the lowest income households and providing opportunities for families and individuals to build economic stability.  To achieve these goals, the Coalition and our members undertake campaigns in support of affordable housing, income and benefit programs, access to education, and emergency shelter.

* Thank you for joining us at our annual Legislative Action Day on Wednesday, February 27, 2013 at the Massachusetts State House! * Click here to access the Legislative Action Day page.

 To learn more about our unaccompanied youth homlessness campaign, please click here.

 To learn more about our Emergency Assistance shelter and services for families with children campaign, please click here.

 

Current Policy Campaigns

Information on the Coalition's 2013-2014 Bill Priorities

Youth Homelessness Bill, An Act to provide housing and support services to unaccompanied homeless youth, filed by Representative Jim O'Day and Senator Katherine Clark: Fact sheet and text of House Bill 135 (formerly House Docket #364) We are thrilled that the bill has 66 co-sponsors!

"No Place Like Home" Homelessness Prevention Bill, filed by Representative Denise Provost: Fact sheet and text of House Bill 143 (formerly House Docket #639)

An Act to Invest in Our Communities Bill, filed by Representative Jim O'Day and Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz: Fact sheet and text of House Bill 2687/Senate Bill 1313.

Information on the Coalition's FY'14 Budget Campaigns

• Overall budget campaign fact sheet
• Emergency Assistance Family Shelter and Services Program fact sheet #1 and fact sheet #2. Click here to find out more information about newly imposed eligibility restrictions on families' access to emergency shelter through the Department of Housing and Community Development.
• Housing and services for unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness. For an overview of the Coalition's current work on unaccompanied youth homelessness, click here.
• Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program
• Home and Healthy for Good Program
• Statewide network of furniture banks

FY'14 Senate Budget Debate Fact Sheets:

• Unaccompanied youth homelessness
• Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) 
• HomeBASE

FY'14 House Budget Debate Fact Sheets:

• Overall amendment fact sheet
• Emergency Assistance, Amendment #585
• Unaccompanied youth homelessness, Amendment #503

 

The Coalition's Previous Legislative Priorities

Overview of the Coalition's FY'13 budget priorities and 2011-2012 bill priorities (Please note that the FY'13 priorities are for the state fiscal year that started on July 1, 2012 and ends on June 30, 2013.)

Fact Sheets on the Coalition's FY'13 Budget Campaigns

• Emergency Assistance (EA) fact sheet from the Coalition and Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
• Transportation for students experiencing homelessness/McKinney-Vento Act fact sheet
• Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) fact sheet
• Furniture bank network fact sheet
• For more information about the HomeBASE program, please click here. (Scroll to bottom of page for program details and data.)
• Fact sheets from the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance on the shelter and services account for individuals and the Home and Healthy for Good Housing First program

Conference Committee/Post-Conference Commitee Budget Materials:

• Budget comparison chart tracking the FY'13 budget process from the Governor's recommendations through the Legislature's Conference Committee budget
• Conference Committee budget text
• Coalition's letter to Governor Patrick on budget signing and vetoes (7-5-12)
• Conference Committee outcomes alert (6-28-12)
• Action alert (6-11-12)
• Conference Committee budget request letters to Senate President Therese Murray and House Speaker Robert DeLeo
• Emergency Assistance program budget requests (6-7-12)
• Press release on passage of unaccompanied youth homelessness commission language (7-13-12)

Other Budget Materials

• • Talking points for Legislative Action Day
  • Coalition's budget letter to Governor Patrick on FY'13 budget priorities
  • Governor Patrick's FY'13 budget proposal, released January 25, 2012
  • Coalition's overview of Governor Patrick's FY'13 budget proposal
  • Letter from Department of Transitional Assistance Commissioner Dan Curley on DTA Accounts in Governor Patrick’s FY'13 budget proposal 
  • House Ways and Means Committee's FY'13 budget proposal
  • House budget debate fact sheets:
    • Emergency Assistance
    • Furniture banks
    • Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Card Use and roll call vote results
    • Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC cash assistance)
  • Senate budget debate fact sheets/information:
    • Emergency Assistance (EA)
    • Unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness amendment language and fact sheet
    • Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP)
    • Furniture banks
    • Transportation for students experiencing homelessness
    • Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Card Use
    • Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children (EAEDC cash assistance) and Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC cash assistance) and amendment fact sheet

The Coalition's Bill Priorities for the 2011-2012 Legislative Session

• An Act Providing Housing and Support Services for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (House Bill 3838):
  • The Coalition's video on unaccompanied youth homelessness and House Bill 3838
  • Fact Sheet (Updated 5-27-12)
  • Copy of Bill Language
  • Legislative Page for Bill
• An Act to Prevent Homelessness Among Recipients of Transitional Assistance, a.k.a. "No Place Like Home" (House Bill 2681): Fact Sheet
• An Act to Expand Housing Opportunities (House Bill 2130): Fact Sheet
• An Act to Invest in Our Communities (House Bill 2553/Senate Bill 1416): Fact Sheet

 

To learn about the Coalition's previous legislative priorities for Fiscal Year 2012 (July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012), click here.