Representative Meschino has and will continue to fight for affordable and accessible housing in the 3rd Plymouth District and across the Commonwealth. Representative Meschino has spearheaded a variety of legislative and policy work to address the Massachusetts housing crisis.

In 2023, Representative Meschino created the Caucus to End and Prevent Homelessness alongside Representative James Hawkins. The caucus is a bipartisan coalition of Massachusetts legislators from across the Commonwealth. The group brings in speakers and encourages open discussion to better understand the best practices for reducing and ending homelessness, based on evidence and lived experience.

“This caucus adds a new layer to our efforts to address homelessness in the Commonwealth by bringing together elected officials who are committed to the protection of our most vulnerable residents,” said State Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull). “Thank you to Representative Hawkins for spearheading this caucus with me, and I look forward to increased collaboration to address this critical issue in the Commonwealth.”

In the 193rd legislative session, a form of supportive housing, a priority bill originally filed by Representative Meschino, was included in H.4707, An Act relative to the Affordable Homes Act. The bill provides a flexible package of funding to support the creation of affordable housing in Massachusetts. Supportive housing has proven successful across the United States, and is a cost-effective, highly efficient means to assist Massachusetts’s most vulnerable residents.The bill also includes a measure championed by Representative Meschino which ensures that money spent in the bill is consistent with our state’s climate goals. 

Representative Meschino helped secure funding for a research project looking at the Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Programs (CHAMP) system through UMASS’s Donahue Institute. The project which wrapped up in late 2024 will help identify how the system can more effectively serve Massachusetts residents looking for housing. 

In 2024, Representative Meschino received the United Way Massachusetts Bay Community Champion Award for her work in affordable and supportive housing. 

If you are having issues with housing, please feel free to reach out to our office at 617-722-2092 or email at joan.meschino@mahouse.gov. 

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