Medford Reps Help Secure Rental Assistance

House Takes Action to Prevent Homelessness; Amendment to House Budget Restores Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program

Medford state representatives Carl Sciortino (D-Medford, Somerville), Paul Donato (D-Medford, Malden), and Sean Garballey (D-Arlington, Medford) recently helped secure funding for rental assistance.

The House of Representatives passed an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2010 budget to ensure that the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program is adequately funded and households are not placed at imminent risk of homelessness by having their rental assistance cut.

According to information released by reps Donato, Sciortino, and Garballey, the House Committee on Ways and Means Budget Proposal would have cut the MRVP program in half, potentially impacting nearly 3,000 households across the state. These households have an average annual income of $11,000 and cannot afford the high cost of rental housing in Massachusetts without assistance.

Representatives Donato, Sciortino and Garballey helped lead the push to preserve housing. By a vote of 149-7, the House of Representatives restored MRVP funding to $35.8 million to keep the 5,100 families, elders and persons with disabilities served by the program in their homes.

“I strongly support this program which allows qualifying families the opportunity to live in safe, clean environments,” said Representative Donato. “The tenants will also feel more connected and responsible to landlords.”

“Without this restoration,” stated Sciortino, “families across the Commonwealth would be facing immediate homelessness. This budget was filled with tough choices, but funding MRVP was common sense.”

“No one needs to be reminded we are facing tough times,” added Garballey, who filed one of three amendments that sought to fully fund the program. “Cutting MRVP funding at this time would be disastrous to families receiving this assistance and would cost the state more in the long run. Keeping working families off the streets is essential to their ability to successfully mitigate the hardships they face today. I am glad I was able to play a key role in restoring this funding in the House of Representatives and will work to make sure the Senate also sees its importance.”

– InsideMedford.com