(BOSTON) - On Tuesday, April 12, Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) hosted the Chairs of the Joint Committee on Housing, fellow legislators, and Housing Authorities in Cohasset for a meeting to discuss experiences with the Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Programs (CHAMP).  The discussion was attended by Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Housing, State Senator John Keenan (D-Quincy), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Housing, State Representative James Arciero (D-Westford), State Senator Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth), State Representative David DeCoste (R-Norwell), and staff from State Representative James Murphy (D-Weymouth), State Representative Kathy LaNatra (D-Kingston), and State Representative Patrick Kearney (D-Scituate)’s offices. Housing Authorities in attendance represented much of the South Shore. In 2014, An Act Relative to Local Housing Authorities, which contained a section creating a centralized waiting list for public housing applications, was passed by the Massachusetts state legislature. The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) . . . Read More

Press Release by United Way (BOSTON) – State Representative Joan Meschino, United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley and Heading Home today announce that the Joint Committee on Housing has reported out favorably legislation that would create a flexible funding stream to support trauma-informed service delivery, regional coordination efforts, and integrated services for individuals, youth and families experiencing homelessness. The legislation, introduced by State Representative Joan Meschino this session, would align existing resources to create a Massachusetts Flexible Housing Pool (MFHP), a nimble pot of public and private funds to help meet the complex housing and health needs of individuals, youth, and families experiencing homelessness. The goal of this bill is to expand supportive housing and services for adults, youth, and families experiencing homelessness, and enable funds to get out quickly and equitably to those that need it most. “This legislation re-envisions our approach to addressing homelessness in the Commonwealth,” . . . Read More

Press Release by United Way (BOSTON) – A broad coalition of 70 housing advocates and providers, healthcare institutions, and nonprofit and philanthropic leaders today urged the Joint Committee on Housing to favorably report out new legislation sponsored by State Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) that would transform the Commonwealth’s homeless response system and advance long-term housing solutions throughout Massachusetts. House Bill 3838 – An Act to create and implement a Massachusetts Flexible Housing Subsidy Pool Program to address the medically complex needs of disabled men, women, and children experiencing homelessness – would create a new Massachusetts Flexible Housing Pool (MFHP) – a nimble pot of public and private resources to help meet the complex housing and health needs of individuals, youth, and families experiencing homelessness. The goal of this bill is to expand supportive housing and services for adults, youth, and families experiencing homelessness, and enable funds to get out . . . Read More