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Budget Summary FY2017

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70040108 - Massachusetts Short Term Housing Transition Program
Data Current as of:  8/9/2016





Account Description FY2016
Spending
FY2017
GAA
7004-0108 Massachusetts Short Term Housing Transition Program
For a program of short-term housing assistance to help families eligible for temporary emergency shelter under item 7004-0101 in addressing obstacles to maintaining or securing housing; provided, that the assistance provided under this item shall include not less than 12 months of housing stabilization and economic self-sufficiency case management services for each family receiving benefits under this item; provided further, that no other assistance from this item shall exceed $8,000 in a 12-month period; provided further, that a family shall not receive more than a combined sum of $8,000 in a 12-month period from this item and item 7004-9316; provided further, that so long as they meet the requirements of their housing stabilization plan, a family that received household assistance under this item 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 shall not be deemed ineligible as a result of any single violation of a self-sufficiency plan; 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 a family that was terminated from the program or did not make a good faith effort to follow its housing stabilization plan during the term of its assistance shall be ineligible for benefits under said item 7004-0101 and this item for 24 months from the last date the family received assistance under said item 7004-0101 and this item, including housing stabilization and economic self-sufficiency case management services; provided further, that a family's housing stabilization plan shall adequately accommodate the ages and disabilities of the family members; 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 ineligible for continuing benefits shall be eligible for aid pending a timely appeal under chapter 23B of the General Laws; provided further, that families who are denied assistance under this item may appeal that denial under said chapter 23B, including subsection (F) of section 30 of said chapter 23B and regulations adopted to implement said chapter 23B; provided further, that benefits under this item shall only be provided to residents of the commonwealth who are citizens of the United States or aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence or otherwise permanently residing under the color of the law in the United States; provided further, that the department, as a condition of continued eligibility for assistance under this program, may require disclosure of social security numbers by all members of a family receiving assistance under this item for use in verification of income with other agencies, departments and executive offices; provided further, that if a family member fails to provide a social security number for use in verifying the family's income and eligibility, then the family shall no longer be eligible to receive benefits from this program; provided further, that the department shall administer this program through the following agencies unless administering agencies are otherwise procured by the department: the Berkshire Housing Development Corporation; Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance, Inc.; Community Teamwork, Inc.; the Housing Assistance Corporation; the Franklin County Regional Housing and Redevelopment Authority; HAP, Inc.; the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership, Inc.; the Lynn Housing Authority and Neighborhood Development; the South Middlesex Opportunity Council, Inc.; the South Shore Housing Development Corporation; and RCAP Solutions, Inc.; provided further, that the department 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 hotels, motels or shelters into more sustainable housing; provided further, that the department shall use funds provided for this program for stabilization workers to focus efforts on housing retention and to link households to supports, including job training, education, job search and child care opportunities available and may enter into agreements with other public and private agencies for the provision of such services; provided further, that a stabilization worker shall be assigned to each such household; provided further, that funds shall be used to more rapidly transition families served by the program into temporary or permanent sustainable housing; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, 90 days before promulgating or amending any regulation, administrative practice or policy that would alter eligibility for or the level of benefits pursuant to this program to less than the benefit level available on June 30, 2016, the department shall file with the house and senate committees on ways and means and the clerks of the house of representatives and senate a report setting forth the justification for such changes, including, but not limited to, any determination by the secretary of housing and economic development that available appropriations will be insufficient to meet projected expenses; provided further, that the department shall submit quarterly reports to the house and senate committees on ways and means, which shall include the number of families served, the type of assistance given, the number of families assisted through this program, the average, minimum and maximum cost per family of such assistance, the current housing stability of each family who received assistance within the prior 12 months and any obstacles encountered with the administration of this program; provided further, that as a one-year pilot program, the department may expend not more than $300,000 under item 7004-0108 on families residing in time-limited temporary emergency shelters and residential treatment programs under items 4512-0200, 4513-1130, and 4800-0038 if such families otherwise meet all eligibility requirements applicable to emergency shelter under item 7004-0101, except that, solely for the purpose of item 7004-0108, the fact that a family is residing in a temporary emergency domestic violence shelter under items 4513-1130 or 4800-0038 or in a residential treatment program under item 4512-0200 shall not preclude such family from receiving assistance; provided further, that any unit in such temporary emergency shelters or residential treatment programs under items 4512-0200, 4513-1130, or 4800-0038 vacated through use of funds under this pilot program shall be filled by a family (i) eligible both for emergency shelter under item 7004-0101 and for entry into such temporary emergency shelter or residential treatment program under item 4512-0200, 4513-1130, or 4800-0038 and (ii) referred to such temporary emergency shelter or residential treatment program under item 4512-0200, 4513-1130, or 4800-0038 by the department; provided further, that 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; and provided further, that household assistance funds shall be advanced to the administering agencies at the end of each month and before the next month's disbursement, the amount of which shall be estimated based on the prior month's expenditure with a reconciliation not less than annually

33,749,331 31,943,664

Veto Explanation:   I am striking this language because the required report is unduly burdensome. I am also striking language that I intend to ammend in a future supplemental budget.