Housing Headlines

BEVERLY --- The City Council has scheduled a public hearing for June 15 to discuss a proposal to use $240,000 in Community Preservation Act funds to establish an emergency fund to help income-qualified residents who are struggling to pay rent due to COVID-19. The recommendation was made by the town's Community Preservation Committee, which said the city should be ready to help when unemployment benefits and the eviction moratorium expires.

BOSTON --- Continuing its commitment to support affordable housing for veterans, older adults, people with disabilities and those at risk of homelessness, the state today awarded $16 million in federal funds and 73 mobile housing vouchers to nine projects across the Commonwealth. Awards were made to supportive housing in Boston (2), Lawrence, Lynn Malden, Northampton (2), Quincy and Worcester.

BOSTON --- The City of Boston announced this week it is setting aside $5 million in federal CARES Act funding for its COVID-19 rental assistance program, bringing the total amount of funds for the program to $8 million. Launched in April, 1,600 initially applied and more than $680,000 has been awarded to 210 households to help cover rents in April and May.

BOSTON --- The executive director of one of the state's most influential non-profit housing organizations has issued a strong statement following the death of George Floyd and national demonstrations against racism. "We are outraged by the continuous harassment of black and brown people as they bird watch, go for a run, or shop in a store - harassed as they go about their daily lives," said Rachel Heller, CEO of the Citizens' Housing and Planning Association. "(These murders) are the direct result of intentional and systemic decisions rooted in racism and classism. For CHAPA, this means pushing even harder to make sure all people have the opportunity for a safe, healthy, and affordable home in any community they choose."

BOSTON --- In a statement released to her community on June 3, Madison Park Executive Director Leslie Reid acknowledged the pain caused by the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breanna Taylor Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade and countless others. She called for togetherness to "persist because our dignity will prove to be unshaken, even in the face of the most recent and brutal injustices. We are strong. We are resilient. We will continue to persevere in forcing the systems that oppress us toward change. We are uncompromising when we scream, 'Not one more.' ”

BOSTON --- Instead of a single organizational reaction, the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance asked its staff to share their thoughts as its collective statement to the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and countless other acts of racist violence in this nation.