Housing (Homelessness)

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 836: An Act relative to residential assistance for families in transition (RAFT)

This bill creates the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program to prevent homelessness for low-income households. It provides cash benefits or services to families at or below area median income who face eviction, foreclosure, or utility shut-offs within 12 months, without requiring prior legal notices or shut-off warnings. Benefits cover past-due rent/mortgage (up to actual debt) or future payments for up to 12 months' rent, with 50% of funds reserved for households earning ≤30% of area median income. The program specifically serves families with children under 21, elders, people with disabilities, and unaccompanied youth. The Department of Housing must annually report detailed data on program usage, demographics, and outcomes to state legislative committees.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingCreates RAFT program to prevent homelessness for low-income families facing eviction/foreclosure, provides rent/mortgage assistance, and prioritizes tenant protection without legal notice requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness Renters Tenant Rights

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 847: An Act establishing a bill of rights for individuals experiencing homelessness

HD 847 establishes a bill of rights for people experiencing homelessness, defining this group to include those in shelters, vehicles, parks, or transitional housing. It guarantees specific rights such as free use of public spaces without discrimination based on housing status, access to medical care (including pandemic-related services), and the ability to vote without requiring a fixed address. The law also prohibits discrimination in employment and housing based on housing status and protects privacy of information shared with shelters. It amends existing anti-discrimination laws (chapters 151B and 51) to explicitly include "housing status" as a protected category.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareGuarantees access to medical care including pandemic services, improving healthcare access for homeless individuals per bill summary.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingProhibits housing discrimination based on status and guarantees rights for homeless individuals, directly advancing tenant protections and homelessness support.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits employment discrimination based on housing status, directly protecting workers' rights related to housing instability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness Tenant Rights

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introduced · Massachusetts · Senate

SD 944: An Act establishing a bill of rights for people experiencing homelessness

This bill establishes specific rights for people experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts. It defines "persons experiencing homelessness" broadly to include those in shelters, cars, parks, or temporary housing, and guarantees their right to use public spaces without discrimination based on housing status. Key provisions include protections against discrimination in medical care (including pandemic services), voting access (explicitly stating lack of fixed residence won't block voter registration), and employment, while requiring employers to consider housing status as a protected category under anti-discrimination law. The bill also mandates reasonable privacy for personal property in public spaces and prohibits harassment by officials. These changes directly affect homeless individuals and require state/municipal agencies and employers to adjust policies to comply.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly prohibits discrimination in medical care for homeless individuals, protecting access to healthcare services and pandemic-related care.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingEstablishes rights for homeless individuals, prevents housing status discrimination, strengthens protections in medical/voting access per bill's explicit language95% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness Tenant Rights

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2053: An Act providing upstream homelessness prevention assistance to families, youth, and adults

HD 2053 creates a program to prevent homelessness before it occurs by providing financial assistance to low-income households at risk of eviction, foreclosure, utility shut-off, or loss of housing subsidy. It directly helps families, youth, elders, people with disabilities, and unaccompanied youth with incomes at or below 50% of the area median income (with at least half the funds targeting those at or below 30% AMI). The program covers up to 12 months of past-due rent, future rent, utilities, and broker fees, with direct payments to tenants if landlords refuse to cooperate. An annual report must track applicants, approvals, demographics, and housing outcomes at 6, 12, and 24 months to ensure transparency and program effectiveness.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingPrevents homelessness via financial aid for rent/utilities, targeting low-income households at risk of eviction/foreclosure, directly advancing housing stability and tenant protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness Renters Tenant Rights

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1669: An Act to enable home share programs

HD 1669 is a draft bill titled "An Act to enable home share programs." It aims to establish a framework for home share programs, which connect individuals needing housing support (such as seniors or people with disabilities) with host households in shared living arrangements. The bill would directly affect vulnerable residents seeking affordable, supportive housing and housing providers participating in these programs. As a draft, it outlines the necessary mechanisms to create such programs but has not yet been enacted.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill creates framework for home share programs connecting vulnerable residents with affordable housing providers, directly advancing accessible housing options for seniors/disabled populations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness Landlords

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2987: An Act to secure housing for returning citizens

HD 2987 creates a state program to help formerly incarcerated people secure housing. The Department of Housing will coordinate a "reentry and formerly incarcerated persons program" requiring agencies to provide housing assistance before and after release, including financial support like housing vouchers. The bill mandates annual reviews of housing programs to track who benefits (using demographic data) and improve services based on feedback from formerly incarcerated people. It also adds priority preferences for this group in multiple state-funded housing initiatives, including affordable housing projects and public housing developments.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates state funding for housing assistance (vouchers) and program coordination, directly increasing public service funding for a new state program.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates housing program for formerly incarcerated people to reduce recidivism, directly supporting criminal justice reform through rehabilitation services and reentry support.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingCreates housing vouchers and program for formerly incarcerated people, directly advancing housing access for vulnerable group through state-funded assistance.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole Affordable Housing Homelessness Tenant Rights

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3032: An Act to promote access to housing and improve educational outcomes

This bill establishes a 5-year pilot program to address student homelessness in Massachusetts, targeting five communities (prioritizing Gateway Cities) to achieve "functional zero" homelessness within five years. It provides participating communities with housing vouchers covering 10% of homeless students' housing needs, $500,000 annually for program infrastructure, and resources tied to annual progress goals. Communities must coordinate housing, school, and local agency efforts, share data, and commit to annual housing targets for homeless students and families. A dedicated $500,000 annual fund supports the initiative, with implementation through community-based organizations and shared best practices.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $500,000 annually for program infrastructure, directly funding a public service initiative targeting homelessness through state budget appropriations.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAddresses student homelessness through housing vouchers and funding to improve school attendance and outcomes, directly expanding educational access for vulnerable students.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill provides housing vouchers for homeless students and funds to achieve 'functional zero' homelessness, directly advancing affordable housing access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Homelessness Tenant Rights

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3386: An Act relative to residential assistance for families in transition (RAFT)

This bill creates the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program to prevent homelessness for low-income households at risk of eviction, foreclosure, or utility shut-off. It directly affects families with children under 21, elders, people with disabilities, and unaccompanied youth earning at or below area median income, with 50% of funds reserved for households earning 30% or less of the area median income. The program provides cash benefits covering past-due rent/mortgage (arrearages) or future housing costs (up to 12 months’ rent), and requires coordination with housing agencies to streamline applications. An annual report must track referrals, applications, demographics, and housing outcomes for legislative review.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingCreates RAFT program providing cash benefits for rent/mortgage to prevent homelessness among low-income households, directly funding housing assistance.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness Mortgages Tenant Rights

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 4205: An Act facilitating housing for all

This bill creates the "Housing First and Housing for All Fund" using revenues from a new gross receipts tax on businesses. The fund will directly support unhoused individuals, low-income households, veterans, seniors, and people with disabilities by funding rental subsidies, emergency housing, permanent housing programs, and services like mental health care and legal aid for eviction cases. Key provisions include requiring annual reports on fund usage and mandating audits to ensure money is spent on housing prevention and support, not other state expenses. The bill focuses on concrete policy changes to expand affordable housing access through dedicated funding, rather than speculative outcomes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates new business tax to fund housing programs, directly allocating tax revenue to support low-income housing and services, meeting 'funds essential programs' indicator.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly funds mental health care services as part of housing support, directly advancing healthcare access for vulnerable populations through the Housing First Fund.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingCreates dedicated fund using business tax revenue to provide rental subsidies, emergency housing, and services for unhoused/low-income groups, directly advancing affordable housing access and tenant protections.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill explicitly lists veterans as a beneficiary group for housing subsidies and related services, directly funding veteran housing needs through the Housing First Fund.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Affordable Housing Homelessness Tenant Rights

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1512: An Act to transform the Commonwealth’s emergency response system and create housing strategies to end the homelessness of unaccompanied adults

This bill requires Massachusetts' Executive Office of Housing to study future shelter and housing demand statewide, focusing on converting congregate shelters (dorm-style) to non-congregate shelters (private rooms) and expanding permanent supportive housing. It mandates a five-year plan to build new housing solutions prioritizing unaccompanied adults experiencing homelessness, especially elderly, disabled, medically complex, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Key provisions include developing unique housing strategies like long-term vouchers, rapid re-housing, and alternative construction models (e.g., modular units, repurposed hotels). The goal is to replace reliance on congregate shelters with adequate, accessible housing capacity matching each municipality’s population ratio.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates five-year plan to build housing for unaccompanied homeless adults, prioritizing vulnerable groups, directly advancing affordable housing and homelessness solutions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness

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