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: Massachusetts has seen steep increases in family homelessness in recent years. Witnesses said earlier access to short-term financial help can keep people housed while they pursue longer-term solutions, such as subsidized housing or employment stabilization.

Testimony and evidence: Pamela Schwartz of the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness said eviction filings there rose more than 66% between 2022 and 2024 and that RAFT applications run in the hundreds weekly; she called for upstream access to prevent families from becoming unhoused. Attorneys from Greater Boston Legal Services illustrated how the current requirement that applicants wait for a notice to quit forces tenants to enter court and raises the risk of displacement. Tim (statutory housing unit, Greater Boston Legal Services) told the committee that the current RAFT maximums and the requirement to have entered the eviction process push tenants into harm’s way and that practitioners sometimes see tenants ask landlords to issue notices to qualify for help.

Access issues and administration: Multiple witnesses urged simplifying program access (translation and user account navigation on the RAFT portal) and increasing funding. Carolyn Chu (executive director, Homes for All Massachusetts) and other tenant organizers urged better non-English access and more upstream outreach. Legal and social-service witnesses emphasized that immigrant families may avoid court proceedings, making the notice-to-quit requirement particularly exclusionary.

What advocates asked: Codify RAFT in statute (H1488 / S961), permit assistance before a notice to quit, raise benefit caps or allow greater flexibility for high-need cases, and improve application accessibility and language access. No formal vote was taken at the hearing; witnesses asked the committee to report the bill favorably.

Looking ahead: Supporters asked the committee to act swiftly so RAFT funds can be used earlier in a crisis and to pair prevention tools with housing resources to reduce shelter caseloads.