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Advocates press for permanent increases to EAEDC benefits and end to homelessness penalty
Summary
The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless and other witnesses urged lawmakers to pass bills that would raise Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC) benefit levels, implement annual cost‑of‑living adjustments and enshrine removal of the homelessness penalty in statute.
Advocates asked the Joint Committee to back companion bills that would modernize Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC). Kelly Turley of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless said the bills would increase EAEDC grant levels to match Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children for comparable household sizes, institute automatic annual cost‑of‑living adjustments and permanently remove the homelessness penalty that previously reduced grants for people without housing.
Turley said EAEDC serves about 33,000 residents in deep poverty and that the current $441 monthly grant for an individual does not reflect current rents and costs. Sister Linda Besseum and other witnesses described clients who lost housing or fell deeper into poverty under the old penalty rule. Supporters asked lawmakers to give the bills swift, favorable reports and noted the changes would reduce homelessness and help older adults and people with disabilities stay housed.
The committee heard that previous budget actions removed the homelessness penalty in practice, but advocates said codifying the change into statute would prevent reversal in future budgets. Witnesses urged lawmakers to act quickly and include updates to benefit levels and automatic adjustments.
