[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6220158,"mediaKeyId","3618738-5a181573a0e283e572064238bb8718b4","parentId",3618738,"title","Boston veterans office highlights limits of state aid, seeks flexible local funds for gap cases","audioSeconds",8441,"startMs",405000,"endMs",8846000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618738-5a181573a0e283e572064238bb8718b4&start=405&end=8846","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618738-5a181573a0e283e572064238bb8718b4/thumbnail_405000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6220158/Boston-City/Suffolk-County/Massachusetts/Boston-veterans-office-highlights-limits-of-state-aid-seeks-flexible-local-funds-for-gap-cases","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220158-44c4a52e53bf8ec95c29756bd8c53fa5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770418775&Signature=Z2Vz7n-nuqiCoW3Uw~PUdIpMplD1DOGVO8cSfkaxAxjiOK7zUsW6F914SV45PmLeQ5JYdiU-TqQCu3RlftUlx4yToJ1qwIbeq1EDkIBYUxS3mPs1XJLg8a7bJ5boFMlWntgynAm6oF3aQkUCq6-3lURqGI7t~m8kieSwx7x2civLk3zhdZjumhwWC54XN5Y6-foMJ6DUeyeUfTGu~61mbD54zLipln7aMrvMzUU0scAZ4dAS8YFSckfQDYkKz9q4rDXgQ94zC1xxVzZaoDYtpEp3lQt5Rw9w~3NsRktqagDHfJcUZJZ5tq0LUgl5CoVpLqASpOYNc2ZzyaBqyD52Fw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Boston City, MA","date","2025-05-31T00:26:57Z","article","For the record, my name is Brian Worrell, District 4 city councilor, and I'm the chair of the Boston City Council Committee on Ways and Means, said Chair Brian Worrell as he opened the May 28 hearing on the FY26 budgets for the Mayor’s Office of Veterans Services and Age Strong.

The city’s veteran services commissioner told the committee that Massachusetts General Laws chapter 115 is the primary safety net the Office of Veterans Services (OVS) administers, but state eligibility rules leave many veterans who need help disqualified. “We actively engage with military service members, our veterans, and also their families, and also survivors ensuring that they are connected to the benefits, services, and resources that they have rightfully earned,” Commissioner Santiago said in the presentation.

Why it matters: Chapter 115 provides a legally required municipal benefit, but municipalities are bound by state eligibility thresholds (including a 20% of the federal poverty level test, as OVS summarized). The council and several speakers said that threshold is low for Boston’s costs of living and that local grants and a new “bridge the gap” line will be needed to help veterans who fall above the chapter 115 cutoff.

Key facts and program details

- OVS staff: Commissioner Santiago said the office has a team of 15 with one vacancy and recently hired a deputy commissioner, Jared Estrada, and a director of policy and outreach, Ethan Bridges.

- Chapter 115 limits: The commissioner described Chapter 115 eligibility rules including minimum active‑duty service periods and income/asset tests; the state’s poverty threshold for municipal Chapter 115 payouts was cited as a principal constraint on access.

- Bridge the gap and grants: The office started a “bridge the gap” program in February 2024 to assist veterans who do not meet Chapter 115 limits. Commissioner Santiago said the city allocated $400,000 for that program and the recent mini‑grant cycle drew 43 applications requesting roughly $428,000; awards were “in process” at the time of the hearing.

- Hero Squares and banners: OVS described its Hero Squares program—permanent markers and biography plaques that honor service members killed in action—and a proposed Heroes Banner program open to veterans and currently being designed as a community‑run application process. The commissioner estimated an initial community rollout would cost roughly $10,000 per neighborhood to install hardware and banners, with lower recurring costs afterward.

Public comments and council discussion

Speakers at the hearing — including veterans advocates and veterans themselves — urged more local funding, better access to mental‑health and food supports, and easier pathways to VA benefits. Haywood (a veteran speaker) urged “more money” for the commission and said local recovery centers are needed. Councilor Ed Flynn told the room he planned to propose shifting $1 million to the veterans budget through the council’s amendment process.

Councilors also pressed OVS on how the office helps veterans who report discrimination or difficulty accessing VA services. The commissioner described local efforts to partner with nonprofits and to use grants and the bridge program to fill gaps when federal benefits are delayed or inaccessible.

Discussion versus decision

This hearing produced no vote or ordinance. Council discussion included policy questions and budget priorities; Councilor Flynn said he intended to seek a budget amendment to add funds for veterans, but no formal motion was made on the record during this session.

What to watch next

OVS told the council that state rules for Chapter 115 and federal VA funding changes could affect demand for city services. The council and the commissioner signaled they will continue to pursue local flexible funding and targeted grants to cover veterans who do not qualify for Chapter 115.

Ending note

The committee heard multiple requests to expand local flexibility for veteran assistance and to protect outreach and mental‑health programs if federal or VA funding is cut. Commissioner Santiago closed by urging continued partnership between the city, community organizations and the council to ensure veterans can access benefits and supports.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Ways & Means FY26 Budget: Age Strong and Veterans Services on May 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","For the record, my name is Brian Worrell, District 4 city councilor, and I'm the chair of the Boston City Council Committee on Ways and Means, said Chair Brian Worrell as he opened the May 28 hearing on the FY26 budgets for the Mayor’s Office of Veterans Services and Age Strong.","taxTitle","Boston City, Suffolk County, Massachusetts","taxId",3381,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6220153,"Age Strong presents expansion plans as seniors cite transportation, space and service gaps",8505,1393000,9898000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618738-5a181573a0e283e572064238bb8718b4&start=1393&end=9898","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618738-5a181573a0e283e572064238bb8718b4/thumbnail_1393000.jpg","/articles/6220153/Boston-City/Suffolk-County/Massachusetts/Age-Strong-presents-expansion-plans-as-seniors-cite-transportation-space-and-service-gaps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220153-c96773ee0d3c1f42677df8fbb9fe5a34/orig.mp4?Expires=1770418775&Signature=FNpxjEtLazGQSczp~jOHDATvn9nifkqhCzkc0tTdsV~pwHsW0UC888zUFdAmlqRj3cdDelzdnrsWUBhL--h6uVAUqcJjqHXo9nyoMc9OKz8VAGqFBlNIfo5fc5WyqyjOONGf5yXx4Tf~Uk-THf3Y9Ml5EzOSwyyXka2-piz~N0WQeGWFNZ~se760-Bx42g4sE~gF8BQAV0YkB01d8QagiQ0mGPOnYrzryUrKBZ2AjzbovOWqf3uSc1yq18BI7nxdqBaQiJ0QHO-KTIWWu0y072FOaOQjk2Xx2gtX9NCh8lzW5QfXSp7Ld8Q-CiB~Jzy9fjtBiGHv9X3ejABm6lWTgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","“Imagine a Boston that embraces aging, where growing older means growing bolder,” Age Strong Commissioner Emily Shea told the council during a May 28 budget hearing at Grove Hall Senior Center.

The Age Strong presentation to the Committee on Ways and Means laid out staffing, grantmaking and transportation goals for FY26 and emphasized equity and neighborhood‑based outreach. The department said it has more than 100 positions, bilingual staff who speak more than 11 languages, and a recent expansion of programming hours and sites.

Why it matters: Boston’s population of older adults is growing and economically strained, the department said. Age Strong described rising demand for transportation, home‑based benefits navigation, behavioral health services and neighborhood programming; speakers at the hearing asked the city to move faster to improve shuttle and taxi coupon access, fix sidewalks that limit mobility and increase space for senior programming.

Key program details presented

- Grants and funding: Age Strong manages multiple grant streams. Commissioner Shea said the department distributes approximately $7.4 million in federal and state funds to 26 organizations (the bulk to elder nutrition), operates a $500,000 expanding engagement grants line (this year 44 awards; applicants requested roughly $1.8 million), and has $450,000 for behavioral health grants (this year’s requests: about $2.6 million). The commissioner also noted an $880,000 federal cut to elder nutrition funding that affected FY24.

- Transportation and mobility: Age Strong runs an Age Strong shuttle, a taxi coupon program and a rideshare pilot (the \"bridal share\" pilot referenced in testimony). Commissioner Shea said the city currently has 21 driver positions for shuttle service and was onboarding five new drivers; the department is reviewing whether to accept Medicaid billing for medical rides, explore hospital partnerships to defray costs, and develop a citywide transportation strategy to balance shuttle, taxi coupon and rideshare use.

- Ambassadors and outreach: The department plans a 15‑member community ambassador program to improve outreach and trust in specific cultural communities; the initial recruitment will fill five ambassador positions, with more to follow. The ambassadors will work part‑time to connect Age Strong with older residents who face language or access barriers.

Community testimony and concerns

Seniors and community leaders raised several recurring themes: unreliable or hard‑to‑navigate transportation (including the state-run paratransit application process), uneven sidewalks that make rollators and walkers unsafe, and a shortage of senior center hours and dedicated space in several neighborhoods. Several speakers urged additional culturally appropriate meals and online arts programming for older adults with cognitive decline.

Notable figures mentioned in testimony included an elder who said the city’s paratransit process requires multiple appointments and another speaker who said Meals on Wheels allotments had been cut. Commission Shea emphasized Age Strong’s efforts to modernize the shuttle and expand neighborhood presence: “We will finally get our community ambassador program up and running,” she told the council.

Discussion versus decision

The hearing was informational; no budget votes or formal amendments were recorded in this session. Councilors repeatedly signaled support for increased transportation and program funding and asked Age Strong to return with concrete budget requests and operational details during the FY26 amendment process.

What the council asked Age Strong to follow up on

Council presidents and members asked for: a transportation plan that shows how shuttle, taxi coupons and rideshare are balanced; clearer timelines and costs for expanding driver staffing; data on senior center attendance and space needs; and outreach plans to ensure city grants and services reach non‑English speaking older residents.

Ending

Age Strong’s proposals and the public testimony together framed transportation and neighborhood programming as the top near‑term priorities for Boston’s older residents. Councilors and department leaders said they would continue to coordinate during the FY26 budget amendment process.","At a Boston City Council hearing May 28, Age Strong Commissioner Emily Shea outlined FY26 priorities — transportation modernization, expanded programming and a new community ambassador program — while seniors and advocates urged faster fixes to shuttle service, sidewalks and senior center space.","actionData","errors"]

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Boston veterans office highlights limits of state aid, seeks flexible local funds for gap cases

Age Strong presents expansion plans as seniors cite transportation, space and service gaps