Section 30 of chapter 23B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after subsection A, paragraph (e) the following:-

(f) for re-housing, short-term housing transition program benefits, which shall be available in 12-month, renewable allotments.

The department shall provide further allotments of household assistance from the Massachusetts short-term housing transition program to families that received household assistance in a prior 12-month period to prevent eviction from existing housing or to relocate to another housing situation in cases where a.) the family complied with their rehousing plan during the prior period of assistance, b.) continues to include a child under the age of 21 or a pregnant person, and c.) has a gross income that does not exceed 50 percent of area median income or has not had income in excess of said 50 percent level for a period of six months. The department shall not require families to be evicted from their existing housing or to otherwise establish that they fall into one of the four categories of affirmative eligibility for emergency assistance shelter currently listed in item 7004-0101. The department shall provide household assistance in an amount up to $10,000, or a higher cap established in line item 7004-0108, for subsequent 12-month periods to eligible families.

The department shall allow families to combine and maximize benefits under the Massachusetts short-term housing transition program and residential assistance for families in transition funds from line item 7004-9316 if families are eligible for both programs, such funds are needed to promote housing stability, and the assistance is non-duplicative.