Our state budget is a representation of our values – what is funded is the foundation of our state’s future, and the state only funds what we fight for.

The budget process can be intimidating to even the most seasoned of observers, which is why every year MLRI advocates analyze the Gubernatorial, House, and Senate budget proposals to see how they will impact low-income residents of the Commonwealth.

This analysis forms the basis of our advocacy. We support parts of the budget that benefit low-income people and we promote amendments that would make the budget a stronger tool for fighting poverty. 

Priority budget amendments

Alongside our coalition partners, we’re advocating for amendments that would allow the budget to better serve low-income people. We encourage you to reach out to your State Representatives to ask them to support these crucial amendments.

Nutrition and cash assistance for immigrants (Amendment 98)
Rep. Tony Cabral, Feeding Our Neighbors Coalition

Provides $18M to create state-funded nutrition and cash assistance for legally present immigrants. It would also require the Department of Transitional Assistance to more robustly screen immigrants for federal benefits they or family members qualify for.

Increased funding for the public housing operating subsidy (Amendment 392)
Rep. Danillo Sena

Increases the public housing operating subsidy to $112M, a $10M increase over the House Ways & Means request. The subsidy is critical to preserving public housing.

Funding to address food insecurity on college campuses (Amendment 465)
Rep. Andy Vargas, Hunger Free Campus Coalition

Provides $4M in funding to allow the Department of Higher Education to provide funds to public colleges and minority-serving institutions to address food insecurity on Massachusetts campuses, including maximizing access to SNAP and other federal benefits.

Improvements to HomeBASE (Amendment 498)
Rep. Christine Barber

Improves the HomeBASE program by increasing the value of the subsidy and adding flexibility for families beyond the limit, and allows families to maximize their incomes without fearing a cliff effect.

Increased funding for Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) (Amendment 842)
Rep. Vanna Howard

Increases funding for the RAFT rental assistance program to $250M.

Increased funding for the Mass Rental Voucher Program (Amendment 843)
Rep. Vanna Howard

Increases funding for the Mass Rental Voucher Program to $250M.

Funding for tenant participation and resident maintenance in public housing (Amendment 966)
Rep. Carole Fiola

Provides $1M for tenant participation in state public housing and $1M to launch a resident maintenance program.

Increased cash assistance grants (Amendment 1023)
Rep. Marjorie Decker, Lift Our Kids Coalition

Raises cash assistance grants (TAFDC and EAEDC) by 20% in this year’s budget and continue the increases until grants reach the Deep Poverty level (half the federal poverty level), with annual increases to keep pace with inflation.

Funding for access to counsel in eviction proceedings (Amendment 1137)
Rep. Dave Rogers, Access to Counsel Coalition

Establishes an Access to Counsel Program and funding of $7M to phase it in. An Access to Counsel Program would provide legal representation for low-income tenants and low-income owner occupant landlords in eviction proceedings.

Improvements to rental assistance (Amendment 1483)
Rep. Marjorie Decker

Improves the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) Homelessness Prevention Program by moving eligibility further upstream and reducing barriers to forward rent payments.

Improvements to Emergency Assistance for children and families (Amendment 1565)
Rep. Marjorie Decker

Re-establishes an ombudsperson unit for Emergency Assistance participants and applicants; eliminates the asset limit for eligibility to Emergency Assistance; requires that shelters provide families with their own room for sleeping separated from other families with a door; and restores tracking and reporting requirements to the legislature.

Your representatives are currently making decisions on what amendments to support. Please reach out to them today!