Mass. bill would pilot asset‑building escrow accounts for Family Self‑Sufficiency voucher holders

House Bill 4568, filed July 16, 2025, would authorize a pilot program to create universal Family Self‑Sufficiency (FSS) escrow accounts for up to 1,000 families participating in housing choice voucher programs in Massachusetts. The filing lists Representative Manny Cruz (7th Essex) and Representative Hannah Bowen (6th Essex) as the bill’s sponsors, with Representatives John Francis Moran (9th Suffolk) and Samantha Montaño (15th Suffolk) also added as petitioners.

The bill would amend Section 16G.5 of Chapter 6A of the Massachusetts General Laws by adding a subsection directing the secretary of the office identified in the statute to use the office’s moving‑to‑work flexibility, as granted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), to implement a universal asset‑building accounts pilot. Under the proposal, the office would place in each participating family’s FSS escrow account an amount equal to any increase in rent attributable to increases in the family’s earned income during participation, in accordance with FSS program rules.

The pilot would be limited to no more than 1,000 eligible families. Families may opt out of the pilot at any time after enrollment, and the bill states that housing assistance shall not be delayed, denied, or terminated because a family chooses to participate in—or not participate in—the pilot. Regional administering agencies that are contracted by the office to manage federal housing choice vouchers would be eligible to apply to participate in the demonstration under criteria set by the secretary.

The secretary is directed to seek partnerships with philanthropic and nonprofit entities to fund the costs of administering the pilot, provide technical assistance related to implementation, and evaluate the program’s effectiveness on financial and other outcomes for participating families. The pilot must begin no later than Jan. 1, 2027, and operate for at least five years. Not later than two years after the pilot concludes, the secretary, in collaboration with philanthropic and nonprofit partners, must provide a report to legislative leaders and appropriate committees evaluating (1) the pilot’s effectiveness in assisting families to achieve economic independence and self‑sufficiency and (2) the impact of coaching and supportive services on individual incomes.

The bill does not specify the name of the “secretary” or “office” beyond the cross‑reference to Section 16G.5 of Chapter 6A. It also does not specify funding amounts, agency staffing levels, or eligibility criteria beyond the cap of 1,000 families and the requirement that regional administering agencies may apply. Those details would be determined later in rulemaking, implementation plans, or subsequent legislation if the bill advances.

If enacted, the pilot would rely on HUD’s moving‑to‑work authority and on partnerships for administrative funding and evaluation; implementation therefore depends on federal program rules and the availability of external funding and nonprofit partners. The filing sets statutory deadlines for the pilot’s start date and for a post‑pilot evaluation to be delivered to the House speaker, Senate president, the chairs of the Joint Committee on Housing, the chairs of the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means, and the clerks of the House and Senate.

The bill was filed as House Docket No. 4931 and appears as House Bill No. 4568 on the docket.