70040099 - Department of Housing and Community Development Administration

Account Description FY2014
Spending
FY2015
GAA
7004-0099 Department of Housing and Community Development Administration
For the operation of the department of housing and community development; provided, that the department may make expenditures against federal grants for certain direct and indirect costs under a cost overhead allocation plan approved by the comptroller; provided further, that the comptroller shall maintain an account on the Massachusetts management accounting and reporting system to make these expenditures; provided further, that expenditures made against the account shall not be subject to appropriation and may include the cost of personnel; provided further, that the department shall provide full cooperation to the research organization selected under item 3000-1050 and shall make available to the research organization any information and data needed to assist with the requirements of the item; provided further, that not less than $230,000 shall be expended by the department for the hiring of three additional housing appeals officers for the purpose of reducing the backlog of emergency assistance appeals; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law, or rule or regulation to the contrary, the department may conduct annual verifications of household income levels based upon state tax returns to administer the state and federal housing subsidy programs funded in items 7004-0108, 7004-9005, 7004-9024, 7004-9030, 7004-9033 and 7004-9316 of this section and items 7004-9009, 7004-9014, 7004-9019 and 7004-9020 of section 2D; provided further, that as a condition of eligibility or continued occupancy by an applicant or tenant, the department may require disclosure of the social security number of an applicant or tenant and members of the applicant's or tenant's household for use in verification of income eligibility; provided further, that the department may deny or terminate participation in subsidy programs for failure by an applicant or tenant to provide a social security number for use in verification of income eligibility; provided further, that the department may consult with the department of revenue, the department of transitional assistance, or any other state or federal agency to conduct this income verification; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, these state agencies shall consult and cooperate with the department and furnish any information in the possession of the agencies including, but not limited to, tax returns and applications for public assistance or financial aid; provided further, that in conducting this income verification, the director of the department may enter into an interdepartmental service agreement with the commissioner of revenue to utilize the department of revenue's wage reporting and bank match system to verify the income and eligibility of participants in federally assisted housing programs and that of members of the participants' households; provided further, that notwithstanding section 12 of chapter 490 of the acts of 1980, the department may authorize neighborhood housing services corporations to retain, re-assign and re-loan funds received in repayment of loans made under the neighborhood housing services rehabilitation program; provided further, that the department shall, not later than September 2, 2014, promulgate and uniformly enforce regulations clarifying that a household that otherwise qualifies for any preference or priority for state subsidized housing based on homeless or at-risk status shall retain that preference or priority notwithstanding receipt of assistance that is intended to be temporary, including, but not limited to, any temporary or bridge subsidies provided with state or federal funds, which shall include households receiving assistance under item 7004-0108 after July 1, 2013; provided further, that the department shall provide the caseload forecasting office with enrollment data and any other information pertinent to caseload forecasting that is requested by the office on a monthly basis; provided further, that such information shall be provided in a manner that meets all applicable federal and state privacy and security requirements; provided further, that $350,000 shall be expended for the expansion of a homeless resource center located at a homeless shelter in the city of Springfield; provided further, that not less than $15,000 shall be expended for the Turning Point Day Resource Center for the Homeless in the town of Wareham; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended for the implementation and evaluation of establishing a homeless family preference in private multi-family housing; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for the Easton Housing Authority; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for the South Worcester Neighborhood Improvement Corporation; provided further, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended for the Leominster Education Foundation for homeless children in the city of Leominster; provided further, that not less than $175,000 shall be expended for the provision of emergency services operated by Community Action Programs Inter-City, Inc. for the communities of Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended for World is Our Classroom, Inc. serving the towns of Holyoke, Westfield, Chicopee and Greenfield; and provided further, that the town of Holbrook shall receive not less than the amount appropriated in chapter 139 of the acts of 2012 for a 1-time community action grant

6,797,129 7,785,144

Veto Explanation:   I am striking language which earmarks funding for programs not recommended. The reduction in the item incorporates the amount of the stricken earmarked funds.