7004-0108 - Massachusetts Short Term Housing Transition Program

Account Description FY 2012
GAA
FY 2013
House 2
7004-0108 Massachusetts Short Term Housing Transition Program
For a program of short-term housing assistance to assist in addressing obstacles to maintaining or securing housing for: (1) families eligible for temporary emergency shelter under section 30 of chapter 23B of the General Laws and; and (2) families that received rental assistance under this item prior to July 1, 2012; provided, that except for families that receive rental assistance under the Massachusetts short term housing transition program, assistance provided under this item shall not exceed $4,000 in a 12 month period; provided further, that a family shall not be able to receive assistance hereunder for 12 months from the last date it received assistance, including housing stabilization and economic self-sufficiency case management services, through this program; provided further, that families that received rental assistance under the Massachusetts short term housing transition program prior to July 1, 2012 shall remain eligible for assistance greater than $4,000 under this item for use as rental assistance provided that: (1) the monthly rent for the housing does not exceed 80 per cent of the fair market rent for such housing, as determined in accordance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; (2) that the department shall allow for a higher monthly rent in the event that a household already housed, that is transitioning to this program from another time-limited assistance program, would be displaced due to the restriction on fair market rent; (3) the department may exceed 80 per cent of the fair market rent if the department determines that such placement is cost-effective and meets the short-term housing needs of eligible families in a timely manner; (4) eligible families shall pay no more than 35 per cent of household income towards rent and utilities; (5) a family's eligibility for assistance provided hereunder shall not exceed a period of 24 successive months from the date the family first received rental assistance under the Massachusetts short term housing assistance program, not including time spent in temporary accommodations; and (6) a family that is terminated from the program because it has received 24 successive months of rental assistance shall not be able to receive assistance hereunder or under items 7004-0101 or 7004-9316 for 12 months from the last date it received assistance through this program; provided further, that the assistance provided under this item shall include 12 months of housing stabilization and economic self-sufficiency case management services for each family receiving benefits hereunder; provided further, that the continued eligibility of the family shall be determined on an annual basis; provided further, that a family shall not be deemed ineligible as a result of any single violation of a self-sufficiency plan; provided further, that so long as they meet the requirements of their housing stabilization plan, a family that (1) did not receive rental assistance pursuant to this item prior to July 1, 2012 who exceeds the income eligibility criteria pursuant to section 30 of chapter 23B of the General Laws shall not become ineligible for assistance due to exceeding the income limit for a period of 6 months from the date that the 115 per cent level was exceeded, or (2) received rental assistance pursuant to this item prior to July 1, 2012 whose income exceeds 50 per cent of area median income, shall not become ineligible for assistance due to exceeding the income limit for a period of 6 months from the date that the 50 per cent level was exceeded; provided further, that a family that was terminated from the program or did not make a good faith effort to follow their housing stabilization plan during the term of their assistance shall be ineligible for benefits pursuant to said section 30 of said chapter 23B and short-term housing transition benefits for a period of 24 months from the last date upon which they received assistance, including housing stabilization and economic self-sufficiency case management services, hereunder; provided further, that no family with a head of household who is over 60 years of age or who is disabled and who is in compliance with the requirements of a housing stabilization plan that accommodates disabilities shall be denied short-term housing assistance; provided further, that any such family with a head of household who is over 60 years of age or who is disabled shall not have engaged in, or be engaged in, any activity that threatens the health, safety or security of the family, other program participants or program staff; provided further, that families receiving benefits under this program who are found not to be eligible for continuing benefits shall be eligible for aid pending a timely appeal pursuant to said chapter 23B; provided further, that families who are denied assistance under this item may appeal pursuant to said chapter 23B, including subsection (F) of section 30, and regulations adopted to implement said chapter 23B; provided further, that benefits under this item shall be provided only to residents of the commonwealth who are citizens of the United States or aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence or otherwise permanently residing under color of law in the United States; provided further, that the department shall take all steps necessary to enforce regulations to prevent abuse in the short-term housing transition program including a wage match agreement with the department of revenue; provided further, that the department, as a condition of continued eligibility for assistance pursuant to this program, may require disclosure of social security numbers by all members of a family in the Massachusetts short-term housing transition program for use in verification of income with other agencies, departments and executive offices; provided further, that any family in which a member of the family shall fail to provide a social security number for use in verifying the family's income and eligibility shall no longer be eligible to receive benefits from the short-term housing transition program; provided further, that the department shall administer the short-term housing transition program through the following agencies until administering agencies are otherwise procured by the department: Berkshire Housing Development Corp., Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance, Community Teamwork, Inc., Housing Assistance Corp., Franklin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Hap, Inc., Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership, the Lynn Housing Authority and Neighborhood Development, South Middlesex Opportunity Council, Inc., South Shore Housing Development Corporation and RCAP Solutions, Inc.; provided further, that the department of housing and community development shall reallocate financing based on performance based statistics from under-performing service providers to above average service providers in order to move as many families from hotel, motels, or shelters into more sustainable housing; provided further, that the housing stabilization and economic self-sufficiency case management services funded by this program shall focus efforts on housing retention and economic self-sufficiency by linking households to supports including job training, education, job search, and childcare opportunities available and the department and the administrating entities may enter into agreements with other public and private agencies for the provision of such services, and that a stabilization worker shall be assigned to each household; provided further, that all of this item shall be subject to appropriation and, in the event of a deficiency, nothing in this item shall give rise to or shall be construed as giving rise to any enforceable right or entitlement to services in excess of the amounts appropriated in this item; provided further, that upon the approval of the secretary of administration and finance, any amounts appropriated in this item may be transferred to item 7004-0101 or to item 7004-9316; and provided further, that any transfer of funds shall not leave this item with a projected deficiency
38,561,732 83,374,371

Increased funding as part of larger housing reform