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SD 3893

Emergency Housing Assistance Program Bi-weekly Report

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

The bill requires bi-weekly, detailed reporting on the Emergency Housing Assistance program to track caseloads, verifications, exits, services, and expenditures for transparency an

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Bill Summary · SD 3893

Overview

SD 3893, from the 194th Massachusetts Legislature, concerns the Emergency Housing Assistance (EA) program and requires a bi-weekly report on the program. The memo portion indicates ongoing reporting requirements to the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means, with data through April 30, 2026. The document outlines current EA caseload, exits, work authorization data, and fiscal information, and references statutory and administrative sources for reporting requirements.

Purpose and intent

  • Provide bi-weekly transparency and accountability for the Emergency Housing Assistance Program.
  • Track caseloads, certifications, verifications, exits, and related services to inform legislative oversight.
  • Monitor financial expenditures and federal reimbursements related to EA, including HomeBASE and other stabilization services.
  • Ensure data informs program adjustments, resource allocation, and potential waivers or changes to maximize efficiency and outcomes.

Key provisions and data reporting elements

The bill requires the administration to furnish a bi-weekly EA report containing the following datapoints (updated as of the stated dates, with the latest as of April 30, 2026):

Caseload and program status

  • Total families in EA shelter as of relevant dates; notes on rapid shelter track status (Rapid Shelter Track deactivated; all rapid programs closed).
  • Breakdown by shelter type: Bridge Shelter and Rapid Shelter (TRCs) with notes on eligibility and eligibility verification.
  • Number of families applying for shelter; eligibility determinations and verification progress within a rolling 14-day window.
  • Families not provided required verification or who have waivers; reasons for ineligibility or placement changes.
  • Reasons for shelter entrants: domestic violence, health and safety risk, eviction, housing instability, fires/floods, etc.

Applications, verifications, and site data

  • Applications received and not yet verified; volume of verification waivers issued.
  • Data on sites for Clinical and Safety Risk Assessment (CSRA) and notes on site closures or transfers (e.g., Lowell CSRA site impact due to hotel/rapid program changes).
  • Certification status under G.L. Chapter 23B Section 30, and non-certifications where applicable.
  • EA contact lists: number of eligible families on the contact list, and those placed in the last 14 days from Bridge Shelter or Rapid Shelter (TRCs).
  • Services provided through the EA contact list, including:
    • Diversion and HomeBASE services
    • Family Welcome Center supports (basic needs, legal assistance for employment authorization, benefits enrollment, vaccinations, health screenings, etc.)
    • Clinical and safety risk assessment supports (case management, care connections)

Exits and housing outcomes

  • Exits from EA within the previous 14 days, including destinations (market-rate housing, subsidized housing, other stable housing).
  • Length of stay metrics (average and median) for families exiting EA in the prior 14 days, with breakdowns by destination.
  • Reasons for exits tied to end of stay (e.g., reaching length of stay, transitioning to viable alternative housing, etc.).
  • Median and average length of stay for shelters as of the reporting date.
  • Median time from HomeBASE signature to approval (processing time), with recent improvements in processing time noted.

Work authorizations and employment

  • Total number of families with work authorization or employment-related status, including migrants, asylum seekers, and others with pending work authorizations.
  • Number of individuals in EA who have entered work-authorized housing or market/subsidized options (as applicable to EA participants).

Financials and program costs

  • EA spending within the FY26 appropriation, including:
    • Total Emergency Assistance Family Shelters and Services program spending (FY26).
    • HomeBASE expenditures (and reporting of related subsidies) from the Transitional Escrow Fund.
    • Exits-related spending and any noted shifts.
  • Total estimated cost of the EA shelter program in FY26 as per the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
  • Snapshot of current funded capacity of the EA program (approximately 3,200) versus statutory maximum capacity (as outlined in Acts of 2025, Chapter 1 Section 8).

Federal reimbursements and waivers

  • Progress toward approval of revised 1115 waiver to maximize federal reimbursements for EA costs.
  • Status of CMS approvals and federal reimbursement receipts (e.g., amount collected to date).

Who would be affected

  • Families and individuals receiving EA shelter or related services (Bridge Shelter, formerly Rapid Shelter).
  • State agencies administering EA, including the Executive Office for Administration and Finance (A&F) and the Executive Office for Housing and Livable Communities (EHLC).
  • Local providers and case management teams delivering HomeBASE, Family Welcome Center services, clinical supports, and job-related assistance.
  • Policy makers and committees (Ways and Means) receiving ongoing bi-weekly reporting to oversee program performance and expenditures.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Reporting cadence: bi-weekly EA report to the Senate and House Ways and Means committees, with data current through April 30, 2026.
  • Data points are tied to statutory reporting directives from Chapter 88 of the Acts of 2024 and Chapter 1 Section 10 of the Acts of 2025, plus Chapter 73 Section 88 of the Acts of 2025.
  • Existence of dynamic metrics (e.g., rapid shelter track deactivation, site-specific CSRA data, verifications within a 14-day window) reflecting program evolutions and administrative changes.
  • Fiscal reporting aligns with FY26 appropriations and the Transitional Escrow Fund, including HomeBASE and related expenditures, plus ongoing efforts to maximize federal reimbursements through the 1115 waiver.

Additional context

  • As of the report date, movement toward finalized federal reimbursement enhancements is underway, with cumulative FFP receipts noted since CMS approval in April 2024.
  • The data indicate significant activity around verification, eligibility challenges, and shifts in shelter configurations (notably the end of the Rapid Shelter Track).

If you’d like, I can extract a concise bullet-point brief for policymakers or tailor a one-page summary focusing on fiscal impact and program outcomes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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