MBPC: Limiting Access to Shelter, Promoting Housing

Interesting report about the crisis in homelessness and the challenges --

MassBudget Information. Participation. Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center Democracy. Limiting Access to Shelter, Promoting Housing In order to ensure that every family in Massachusetts has a safe place to sleep and live, our state provides emergency shelters for short-term support and housing subsidies to help low-income families find more permanent homes. Our new report, "Shelter, Housing, and Homelessness Policy in Massachusetts" looks at both parts of the state's multi-year "Housing First" effort, which has limited families' access to shelter while modestly increasing affordable housing resources. Shelters: The need for shelter increased dramatically during the Great Recession, driving up the costs of shelter programs. Since that time, the state has imposed strict new limits on shelter access, forcing some families to live in unhealthy conditions before they can enter shelter. Housing Support: Over the past few years, the state has created--or expanded--a number of programs designed to help low-income and homeless families find housing and pay rent. In some cases, these supports may be too small and too time-limited to keep families housed over the medium and long-term. Looking ahead, both the Governor and the House have proposed budgets for FY 2014 that keep the new limits on shelter eligibility, reduce funding for shelter, and provide only limited new funding for housing. Read SHELTER, HOUSING, AND HOMELESSNESS POLICY IN MASSACHUSETTS The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108