Bill > S890

This bill aims to strengthen the HomeBASE program, which provides housing assistance to eligible families in Massachusetts. The key provisions include: 1. Extending the initial period of short-term housing transition benefits from 24 months to 12-month renewable allotments, allowing families who previously received assistance and still have a child under 21 or a pregnant person in the household to reapply without income restrictions. 2. Removing the requirement for families to be evicted or fall into specific eligibility categories to receive assistance, and instead allowing them to apply after a summary process (eviction) action is filed, as long as they meet the requirements for family shelter. 3. Increasing the maximum amount of household assistance available to eligible families, up to $30,000 in the first 24-month period and $15,000 in subsequent 12-month periods, with the ability to combine and maximize benefits under the Massachusetts short-term housing transition program and the residential assistance for families in transition funds.