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 more 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) more 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 executive office of housing and livable communities 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 more than 30 per cent of area median income, subject to the executive office's discretion based on data reflecting program demand and usage; provided further, that in distributing 50 per cent of the funds, the executive office shall prioritize those families most likely to otherwise require shelter services under item 7004--0101; provided further, that the amount of financial assistance shall not exceed $7,000 in any 12--month period; provided further, that residential assistance payments may be made through direct vendor payments according to standards to be established by the executive office; 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 any such families; provided further, that the program shall be administered under guidelines established by the executive office; 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 2025 or fewer documents as directed by the executive office; (b) third--party income verification; or (c) validated receipt of certain MassHealth or department of transitional assistance benefits demonstrating that the household earns less than 50 per cent of area median income; provided further, that the manner in which income verification is conducted shall be at the discretion of the executive office but that the executive office shall not discontinue the use of said options for income verification listed in the preceding proviso; provided further, that the executive office shall allow a short, simple application requiring minimal processing time; provided further, that the executive office 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 executive office shall track a family's reason for assistance by the same categories used in said 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 household assistance funds shall be advanced to the administering agencies at the end of each month and prior to 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 more than 60 per cent of the area median income; 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; and provided further, that the executive office shall distribute funds under this item as well as said federal sources and other public and private sources of short--term rental and mortgage assistance in a manner that prioritizes geographic equity