7004-9316 Residential Assistance for Families in Transition

For a program to provide assistance in addressing obstacles to maintaining or securing housing for families with a household income: (i) not greater than 30 per cent of area median income who are homeless and moving into subsidized or private housing or are at risk of becoming homeless; or (ii) greater than 30 per cent but not more than 50 per cent of area median income who are homeless and moving into subsidized or private housing or are at risk of becoming homeless due to a significant reduction of income or increased expenses; provided, that assistance shall be administered by the department of housing and community development through contracts with the regional HomeBASE agencies; provided further, that not less than 50 per cent of the funds shall be provided to households with an income not greater than 30 per cent of area median income, subject to the department's discretion based on data reflecting program demand and usage; provided further, that in distributing 50 per cent of the funds, the department shall prioritize those families most likely to otherwise require shelter services under item 7004-0101; provided further, that, from the passage of this act until the termination of the state of emergency concerning the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease declared by the governor on March 10, 2020, the amount of financial assistance shall not exceed $10,000 in any 12-month period; provided further, that for a period of 6 months beginning at the termination of the state of emergency declared by the governor on March 10, 2020, the amount of financial assistance shall not exceed $7,000 in the 12-month period thereafter; provided further, that the combined sum of benefits received by a family in a 12-month period from this item and item 7004-0108 shall not be more than the maximum level of short-term housing assistance in said item 7004-0108; provided further, that from the passage of this act until the termination of the state of emergency concerning the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease declared by the governor on March 10, 2020, the preceding proviso shall not apply; provided further, that residential assistance payments may be made through direct vendor payments according to standards to be established by the department; provided further, that the agencies shall establish a system for referring families approved for residential assistance payments, who the agencies determine would benefit from these services, to existing community-based programs that provide additional housing stabilization supports, including assistance in obtaining housing subsidies and locating alternative housing that is safe and affordable for those families; provided further, that the program shall be administered under guidelines established by the department; provided further, that income verification shall be conducted by using: (a) documentation provided by the household, requiring the same documentation and process used to conduct income verification under this item in fiscal year 2020 or fewer documents as directed by the department; or (b) third-party income verification; provided further, that the manner in which income verification is conducted shall be at the discretion of the department but that the department shall not discontinue the use of either option for income verification listed in the preceding proviso; provided further, that from the passage of this act until the termination of the state of emergency concerning the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus declared by the governor on March 10, 2020, the department shall allow a short, simple application requiring minimal processing time provided further, that the department shall submit quarterly reports to the house and senate committees on ways and means detailing the: (1) number of families who applied for assistance; (2) number of families approved for assistance; (3) minimum, median and average amount of financial assistance awarded; (4) total amount of assistance awarded to date, including a breakdown by income category; and (5) number of families falling into each income category; provided further, that the department shall track a family's reason for assistance by the same categories used in item 7004-0101; provided further, that not less than $3,000,000 shall be expended to provide assistance to households of all sizes and configurations including, but not limited to, elders, persons with disabilities and unaccompanied youths; provided further, that funds may be expended to continue funding a rental and mortgage arrearage assistance program for households whose incomes are at or below 50 per cent of the area median income and who are at risk of eviction or foreclosure within the next 12 months; provided further, that for the purposes of any funds spent through this program, to receive cash benefits or other services, it is not necessary for a household to be subject to summary process under chapter 239 of the General Laws, and risk of eviction or foreclosure may be determined by documentation from the landlord or mortgage lender verifying outstanding rent or mortgage, including any interest, fees, or penalties, and documentation from the head of household demonstrating the household's current inability to pay said amounts; provided further, that the department shall ensure that not less than 50 per cent of any funds so issued be provided to households with incomes not greater than 30 per cent of area median income; provided further, that eligible households shall include, but not be limited to, families with children under the age of 21, elders, persons with disabilities and unaccompanied youth; provided further, that services and cash benefits under thearrearage^[1.1]program shall be made available to households for the prevention of the loss of subsidized or unsubsidized housing; provided further, that cash benefits for any recipients approved shall not exceed the actual liability or four times the monthly rental or mortgage liability, whichever is less^[1.1]; provided further, that any such benefits provided shall be paid directly to the landlord or mortgage lender; provided further, that should the department administer the program in fiscal year 2021, the department shall coordinate with the department of transitional assistance, member agencies and offices of the Massachusetts interagency council on housing and homelessness and the agencies contracted to administer the residential assistance for families in transition program on behalf of eligible households served by those agencies and offices so as to streamline the application process, provide additional support services and better promote upstream homelessness prevention and housing stability; provided further, that not later than March 1 2021, the department shall issue a report on the rental and mortgage arrearage assistance pilot program funded by this item since during the fiscal years following its creation; provided further, that the report shall be submitted to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on housing and clerks of the house of representatives and the senate; provided further, that the report shall include but not be limited to the following information: (A) the number of applications requested, the number of applications completed and the number of applications approved; (B) the number of applications rejected and the reasons for denial; (C) the household income and demographic information for each qualifying household and its members; provided further, that this information shall be provided by zip code and cumulatively; and (D) the monthly rent or mortgage liability for each qualifying household and the amount of each arrearage payment; provided further, that if there is a conflict between the provisions of this item and the provisions established by the department as part of any upstream rental arrearage assistance pilot program previously approved, the provisions of this section shall control, including but not limited to, eligibility standards, documentation requirements, and benefit caps; provided further, that in addition to the amount appropriated in this item, $4,700,000 from the Housing Preservation and Stabilization Trust Fund established under section 60 of chapter 121B of the General Laws shall be made available to this item in addition to the amount appropriated; 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; provided further, that, notwithstanding clauses (i) and (ii), funds shall be expended to families and individuals who are at risk of injury or harm due to domestic violence in their current housing situation and whose household income is not greater than 60 per cent of the area median income; and provided further, that families and individuals that are at risk of injury or harm from domestic violence who meet the qualifications of enrollment in the address confidentiality program shall be afforded the opportunity to register with and become enrolled in the address confidentiality program as offered by the secretary of the commonwealth