Over 80 UUs gathered on April 6th to urge our legislators to support critical housing, youth job programs and Transgender Rights. The budget debate moves to the Senate this week.

Please call your State legislators(look to left for the button that will help you find your Senator) and ask them to support the following:
Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) (7004-9024) Adopt the HOUSE funding of $36.0 million for the MASS RENTAL VOUCHER PROGRAM (MRVP), line item 7004-9024, and also the language from SENATE Outside Section 121 directing MassHousing to provide an additional $8.4 million in funding for MRVP in FY’12.
MRVP is the most effective tool to immediately address the excessive demand on homeless shelters. Through a combination of project-based vouchers leveraging other resources and new mobile vouchers, this program has the potential to efficiently provide stable housing for families and individuals at risk of homelessness. The average MRVP voucher costs approximately $600 per month, significantly less than the average cost of shelter which is $3,000 per month. Furthermore, we believe there is great potential to explore asset development opportunities within the program to bolster household incomes over time and reduce dependence on state assistance.

GUARANTEE OF IMMEDIATE INTERIM HOUSING OR SHELTER ACCESS is more clearly stated in the SENATE version of both Emergency Assistance and HomeBase. Thus no family will be left homeless while waiting for either shelter access or an apartment plus rental assistance.

HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION LANGUAGE is included in the HOUSE version of the Emergency Assistance (EA) line item. This language would allow DCHD to use EA funds for homelessness prevention efforts, especially rental assistance, for at-risk families.

AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS: DiDomenico amendment #266 was included in the final Senate budget. This amendment allows DCHD to delegate to the regional agencies, working with families in HomeBase, the authority to determine when an AFFORDABLE APARTMENT can only be obtained at rent greater than 80% of Fair Market Rental.

Healthy for Good (7004-0104) $1.2M
This is a critical Housing First program. As of November 15, 2010, 455 formerly chronically homeless people have been housed in this program. Tenant retention stands at 84%. The annual costs per person decreased from $33,514 before housing to $24,007 after housing placement, resulting in an annual savings of $9,507 per person.

Youth Jobs
Support the UU Urban Ministry Roxbury Youth Program and urge legislators to support funding for the following two programs:
YouthWorks Youth Jobs Line Item 7002-0012 $8.4 Million
School to Career Youth Jobs Line Item 7027-0019 $4 million

For more details on these issues see the handouts below: