Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee urged to let RAFT help tenants before eviction notices arrive
Summary
Witnesses at the Joint Committee on Housing urged lawmakers to codify and expand the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program so households can receive help earlier in a housing crisis, arguing the change would prevent homelessness and reduce shelter demand.
Representative and Senate leaders convened the Joint Committee on Housing for a hybrid hearing where advocates urged codifying and expanding RAFT (Residential Assistance for Families in Transition) so renters can receive assistance before receiving eviction notices.
Advocates said moving RAFT“upstream” would prevent families from falling into homelessness and reduce pressure on shelters. "Families and individuals would no longer have to have a notice to quit from their landlord in order to access funds to pay for back rent," said Kelly Turley, Associate Director at the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, recommending H1488 / S961 be reported favorably.
Why it matters:…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
