Bill > S996

This bill establishes a comprehensive reentry and housing assistance program for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals in Massachusetts. The legislation creates a new reentry and formerly incarcerated persons program administered by the state department, which will serve as a central coordinating agency to help incarcerated people understand housing options, find both short-term and permanent housing, and access financial supports like housing vouchers. The program requires collaboration with community-based organizations and mandates annual reviews of housing programs, including demographic data, compliance, and opportunities for improvement. The bill systematically amends multiple existing laws to ensure that housing projects, tax credit allocations, and housing development initiatives give priority and preference to individuals who are about to be released from correctional facilities or have recently been released. Additionally, the bill requires state agencies to develop outcome-based measurements for housing success and submit annual reports to legislative committees, with a particular focus on creating supportive pathways for reentry and reducing housing instability for formerly incarcerated individuals.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S996