The Senate’s fiscal year 2020 budget debate officially kicked off this morning. Thank you for all of your help in getting Senators to cosponsor and actively support key homelessness amendments. The debate on the 1,142 amendments filed will extend throughout the week.

We are continuing to work on three main amendments:

– Amendment #797 to establish and fund the upstream Rent Arrearage Assistance Program (RAAP) under the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition program, filed by Senator Pat Jehlen of Somerville: RAAP Senate amendment fact sheet– PDF, updated 5-14-19; call script – PDF; talking points – PDF

– Amendment #464 to ease access to Mass IDs for people experiencing homelessness,  filed by Senate President Emerita Harriette Chandler of Worcester: Mass ID access amendment fact sheet – PDF, updated 5-14-19

– Amendment #715 to provide an additional $20 million to the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program, filed by Senator Brendan Crighton of Lynn: general FY’20 MRVP budget fact sheet – PDF

We also are partnering with allied organizations on related amendments to additional programs, including:

– Amendment #872 to allow families in Emergency Assistance (EA) shelter to increase their incomes to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines before going over the income limit, filed by Senator Patrick O’Connor of Weymouth (as described in our budget priority chart)

Here is our updated FY’20 budget chart, with our analysis of key line items related to homelessness, housing, and benefits, and preliminary information about budget amendments that were filed (see columns K-L ), as well as our May 8th action alert and May 14th action alert.

Please stay tuned for additional updates, or follow along by watching the sessions online. Thank you for your advocacy and partnership!