Amendment #577 to H4000

Homeless Individuals Amendment

Representatives Mahoney of Worcester, Rogers of Cambridge, Donahue of Worcester, Roy of Franklin, Sannicandro of Ashland, Walsh of Framingham, Honan of Boston, Moran of Boston, Gregoire of Marlborough, Kaufman of Lexington, Hecht of Watertown, Keefe of Worcester, Brodeur of Melrose, Vega of Holyoke, Fox of Boston, Gifford of Wareham, Finn of West Springfield, Heroux of Attleboro, Puppolo of Springfield, Balser of Newton, Brady of Brockton, Cronin of Easton, Chan of Quincy, Khan of Newton, Malia of Boston, Barrows of Mansfield, Michlewitz of Boston, Canavan of Brockton, Cusack of Braintree, Ayers of Quincy, Mark of Peru, Wagner of Chicopee, Basile of Boston, Donato of Medford, Garlick of Needham, Gobi of Spencer, Kocot of Northampton, Lawn of Watertown, Collins of Boston, O'Day of West Boylston, Turner of Dennis, Mannal of Barnstable, DiZoglio of Methuen, Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield, Markey of Dartmouth, Provost of Somerville, Smizik of Brookline, Garballey of Arlington, Linsky of Natick, Nyman of Hanover, Coppinger of Boston, McMurtry of Dedham, Golden of Lowell, Nangle of Lowell, Kafka of Stoughton, Swan of Springfield and Vieira of Falmouth move to amend the bill in section 2, in item 7004-0102, in line 1, by striking out the following: “For the homelessness program to assist individuals who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless, including assistance to organizations which provide shelter, transitional housing, and services that help individuals avoid entry into shelter or successfully exit shelter; provided, that no organization providing services to the homeless shall receive less than an average per bed, per night rate of $25; provided further, that the department may allocate funds to other agencies for this program; provided further, that no funds shall be expended for costs associated with the homeless management information system; and provided further, that programs that currently provide shelter may renegotiate how to use such program’s shelter fund, with the agreement of the department and the host municipality, to provide alternative services proven to be effective, including housing first models, transitional housing, and diversion away from shelters” and inserting in place thereof the following:  “for the homelessness program to assist individuals who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless, including assistance to organizations which provide shelter, transitional housing, and services that help individuals avoid entry into shelter or successfully exit shelter; provided, that no organization providing services to the homeless shall receive less than an average per bed, per night rate of $32; provided further, that the department may allocate funds to other agencies for this program; provided further, that no funds shall be expended for costs associated with the homeless management information system; and provided further, that programs that currently provide shelter may renegotiate how to use such program's shelter fund, with the agreement of the department and the host municipality, to provide alternative services proven to be effective, including housing first models, transitional housing, and diversion away from shelters and provided further that programs not receiving a bed rate and those programs funded through this line item in FY 2014 whose bed rates exceeds $32 receive funding increases proportional to overall line item increase”; and in said item by striking out the figures “$42,200,335” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$48,500,000” by striking out the figures “$42,200,335” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$48,500,000”