Amendment #660 to H4100

MRVP Program Assistance

Representatives Kane of Holyoke, Michlewitz of Boston, Sánchez of Boston and DiNatale of Fitchburg move to amend the bill in section 2, in item 7004-9024, in line 77, by striking “providing further, that the department shall administer no less than 923 additional vouchers than they did in fiscal year 2012; provided further  that these new vouchers shall only be available to families receiving benefits though line item 7004-0103; provided further, the additional vouchers shall serve as a one-time, caseload reduction mechanism and shall be targeted to families who are residing in hotels or motels as of January 1, 2012; and provided further, no vouchers beyond the amount described within shall be given to families residing within the shelter system during fiscal year 2013”  and inserting in place thereof the following:

“provided further, that not less than $1,160,000 shall be available for a program to be known as the Massachusetts rental voucher supportive housing program to serve households with at least one child whose age upon determination of  the household’s eligibility for assistance under this item is less than 21 years; provided further, that assistance under the Massachusetts rental voucher supportive housing program shall be project-based and shall include case management services; provided further that the department shall utilize any vouchers in addition to what was provided in fiscal year 2012 to prevent housing instability among individuals and households that are at risk of homelessness or have experienced homelessness or resided in hotels due to homelessness; provided the department shall establish a plan to determine which households shall receive priority for any additional vouchers provided in fiscal year 2013 and said plan shall not incorporate whether a family is accessing emergency assistance as primary criteria to determine which families will receive priority for any additional vouchers provided in fiscal year 2013 or in any future fiscal years; provided further that said plan shall be filed with the chairs of the committee on ways and means and the clerk of the house and senate no later than August 1, 2012