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Jewish Family Service asks CPC to renew emergency rental-subsidy grant
Summary
Jewish Family Service of MetroWest presented results from its emergency rental-subsidy program (FY24) and requested a similar or slightly larger Community Preservation Committee award for FY25; the city solicitor advised CPC funds cannot be used for mortgage assistance.
Jewish Family Service of MetroWest asked the Community Preservation Committee on Feb. 10 to renew local emergency rental-subsidy funding, saying the program kept dozens of households housed this fiscal year.
W. W. Rodriguez, representing Jewish Family Service (JFS) of MetroWest, told the committee the program has helped 13 families so far this fiscal year and that the organization expects to use the full $90,000 awarded for FY24 to serve roughly 32 families. “I want to start first with thanking this committee because you have 13 families so far in this fiscal year stay in their homes, in their apartments,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said the JFS grant request for FY25 would be about the same as last year — between $90,000 and $100,000 — and asked the CPC to consider increasing eligibility from rental-only subsidies to include mortgage assistance for some older homeowners. The city solicitor advised the committee that mortgage assistance cannot be paid from Community Preservation (CPC/CVC) funds; the solicitor’s position, relayed during the meeting, limits the program to rental subsidies only.
Rodriguez and other speakers emphasized that most assisted households were experiencing a first-time crisis — job loss, a major health event or other sudden disruption — rather than chronic homelessness, and that short-term subsidies combined with case navigation helped families stabilize. Rodriguez noted seasonal employment gaps in winter months tend to raise demand and that JFS ensures other public benefits and state programs are tapped before using CPC funds.
Committee members voiced support and asked questions about expected household counts and program mechanics. One committee member asked how many households a $100,000 award would serve; Rodriguez replied the program could reach about 37 families with a $100,000 allocation and stressed the program includes case navigation in addition to one-time subsidy payments.
The committee did not vote on funding at the Feb. 10 meeting; members were told applicants will be heard again at a public hearing and the committee will take a funding vote at a later meeting.
Ending
Rodriguez said JFS coordinates with Framingham Public Schools, local social‑service organizations and other state and federal funding sources, and that the organization will continue to prioritize public benefits before local subsidies. The CPC set a public hearing on multiple applicants for March 24; funding decisions were deferred until after the hearing.
