Department of Housing and Community Development   FISCAL YEAR 2006 RESOURCE SUMMARY ($000) DEPARTMENT FY 2006 Budgetary Recommendations FY 2006 Federal, Trust, and ISF FY 2006 Total Spending FY 2006 Budgetary Non-Tax Revenue Department of Housing and Community Development 77,124  394,259  471,382  4,085  TOTAL       77,124  394,259    471,382  4,085    Department of Housing and Community Development 471,382,431   Click here for outside sections related to:   Department of Housing and Community Development   Budgetary Direct Appropriations 77,123,672 Direct Appropriations      Indian Affairs Commission      7004-0001   For the operation of the Indian affairs commission 96,033    Department of Housing and Community Development      7004-0099   For the operation of the department of housing and community development; provided, that notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the department may make expenditures for certain direct and indirect costs pursuant to a cost overhead allocation plan approved by the comptroller; provided further, that notwithstanding the provisions of any general law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the department of housing and community development may conduct annual verifications of household income levels based upon state tax returns for the purposes of administering the state and federal housing subsidy programs funded in items 7004-9005, 7004-9009, 7004-9014, 7004-9019, 7004-9020, 7004-9024, and 7004-9030; provided, however, that as a condition of eligibility or continued occupancy by an applicant or a tenant, said department may require disclosure of the social security number of an applicant or tenant and members of such applicant's or tenant's household for use in verification of income eligibility; provided further, that said department is hereby authorized to deny or terminate participation in subsidy programs for failure by an applicant or a tenant to provide a social security number for use in verification of income eligibility; provided further, that said department also may consult with the department of revenue, the department of transitional assistance, or any other state or federal agency which it deems necessary to conduct such income verification; provided further, that notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, such state agencies shall consult and cooperate with said department and furnish any information in the possession of said agencies including, but not limited to, tax returns and applications for public assistance or financial aid; provided further, that for the purposes of conducting such income verification, the director of housing and community development may enter into an interdepartmental service agreement with the commissioner of revenue to utilize the department of revenue's wage reporting and bank match system for the purpose of verifying the income and eligibility of participants in such federally assisted housing programs and that of members of the participants' households; and provided further, that the department shall expend $200,000 on technical assistance for smart growth administration 6,816,299    Housing Services and Counseling      7004-3036   For housing services and counseling; provided, that funds shall be expended as grants for the operation of nine regional housing consumer education centers operated by the regional nonprofit housing agencies 821,925    Service Coordinators Program      7004-4314   For a service coordinators program to assist tenants residing in housing developed pursuant to sections 39 and 40 of chapter 121B of the General Laws to meet tenancy requirements in order to maintain and enhance the quality of life in said housing 490,401    Subsidies to Public Housing Authorities      7004-9005   For subsidies to housing authorities and non-profit organizations for deficiencies caused by certain reduced rentals in housing for the elderly, disabled, veterans, and relocated persons pursuant to sections 32 and 40 of chapter 121B of the General Laws; provided, that notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, all housing authorities operating elderly public housing shall offer first preference for elderly public housing units which are vacant as of the effective date of this act, and thereafter, to those persons 60 years of age or older on June 30, 1995, then receiving rental assistance from the Massachusetts rental voucher program; provided further, that the department of housing and community development shall enforce compliance by local housing authorities with said provisions and is hereby authorized to take such actions as it deems necessary, including requiring regular, current reports by housing authorities and non-profit organizations operating such public housing, to ensure compliance in a timely and equitable manner; provided further, that said department may expend funds appropriated herein for deficiencies caused by certain reduced rentals which may be anticipated in the operation of housing authorities for the first quarter of the subsequent fiscal year; provided further, that no funds shall be expended from this item for the compensation of state employees; provided further, that the amount appropriated herein shall be deemed to meet any and all obligations pursuant to said sections 32 and 40; provided further, that any new reduced rental units developed in fiscal year 2005 eligible for subsidies pursuant to this item shall not result in an annualized rate of spending in fiscal year 2006 which exceeds the amount appropriated herein; and provided further, that all funds in excess of normal utilities, operations, and maintenance costs may be expended for capital repairs 31,315,669    Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program      7004-9024   For a program of rental assistance for low-income families and elderly persons through mobile and project-based vouchers, to be known as the Massachusetts rental voucher program; provided, that the income of the participating households shall not exceed 200 per cent of the federal poverty level; provided further, that the department of housing and community development may award mobile vouchers to eligible households currently occupying project-based units, that shall expire due to the non-renewal of project-based rental assistance contracts; provided further, that on a case-by-case basis said department shall use all otherwise available funds appropriated herein to increase the rental subsidy at eligible project-based developments, so-called; provided further, that the department, as a condition of continued eligibility for vouchers and voucher payments, may require disclosure of social security numbers by participants and members of participants' households in the Massachusetts rental voucher program for use in verification of income with other agencies, departments, and executive offices; provided further, that any household in which a participant or member of a participant's household shall fail to provide a social security number for use in verifying the household's income and eligibility shall no longer be eligible for a voucher or to receive benefits from the voucher program; provided further, that the vouchers shall be in varying dollar amounts and shall be set by the department based on considerations including but not limited to family size, composition, income level, and geographic location; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, rent surveys shall not be required for use in determining the amounts of the mobile or project-based vouchers; provided further, that any household which is proven to have caused intentional damage to their rental unit in an amount exceeding two months' rent during any one year lease period shall be terminated from the program; provided further, that the department shall pay agencies $40 per voucher per month for the costs of administering the program; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be no maximum percentage applicable to the amount of income paid for rent by each household holding a mobile or project-based voucher, but each household shall pay at least 30 per cent of its income as rent; provided further, that the department shall establish the amounts of the mobile vouchers and the project-based vouchers, so that the appropriation in this item is not exceeded by payments for rental assistance and administration; provided further, that the department shall not enter into commitments which will cause it to exceed the appropriation set forth herein; provided further, that ceiling rents shall not be enforced by the department; provided further, that households holding mobile vouchers shall have priority for occupancy of the project-based dwelling units in the event of a vacancy; provided further, that the department shall impose certain obligations for each participant in the Massachusetts rental voucher program through a 12-month contract which shall be executed by the participant and the department; provided further, that such obligations may include but need not be limited to job training, counseling, household budgeting, and education, as defined in regulations promulgated by the department and to the extent such programs are available; provided further, that each participant shall be required to undertake and meet any such contractually established obligation as a condition for continued eligibility in the program; provided further, that for continued eligibility each participant shall execute any such 12-month contract on or before September 1, 2005 if his annual eligibility re-certification date occurs between June 30, 2005 and September 1, 2005 and otherwise on or before his annual eligibility re-certification date; provided further, that the local administering agency shall re-determine each household's income and voucher value at six month intervals; provided further, that commencing July 1, 2005, local administering agencies shall terminate any household which receives 36 consecutive months of assistance; provided further, that in no case shall any household receive assistance for a life-time total of more than 60 months; provided further that each adult household member, other than a full-time student, shall fulfill a weekly work requirement; provided further, that said member shall meet the work requirement according to the provisions as stated in subsection (d) of section 7 of chapter 118B of the General Laws, as inserted by section 82 of this act; provided further, that said work requirements shall include the following work activities, but not be limited to: 20 hours per week where the youngest household member has attained the age of one year but is less than six years of age, 24 hours per week where the youngest household member has attained the age of 6 but is less than 9 years of age, and 30 hours per week where the youngest household member is at least 9 years of age; provided further, that said work activities may include, but need not be limited to: working in a paid job, working full-time in the full employment program, participating in the supported work program, participating in the community service program, participating in department of housing and community development or department of transitional assistance approved education and training activity, and participating in a housing search if said adult household member is currently receiving emergency shelter; provided further, that any participant who is over the age of 60 years or who is disabled may be exempted from any obligations unsuitable under particular circumstances; provided further, that the department shall submit an annual report not later than February 1, 2006 to the secretary of administration and finance and the house and senate committees on ways and means detailing expenditures, the number of outstanding rental vouchers by income level and the number and types of leased units that are funded from this item; provided further, that no funds shall be expended from this item for the compensation of state employees; and provided further, that the department of housing and community development shall strive to avoid a reduction in the value of the Massachusetts rental voucher from its value as of June 30, 2005 24,283,345    Transitional Rental Assistance Program      7004-9030   For the transitional rental assistance program established pursuant to chapter 179 of the acts of 1995; provided, that notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, said transitional rental assistance shall be in the form of mobile vouchers, so called; provided further, that said vouchers shall be in varying amounts and set by the director of the department of housing and community development based on considerations including, but not limited to, ranges of household size and composition, household income, and geographic location; provided further, that any household which is proven to have caused intentional damages to its rental unit in an amount exceeding two months' rent during any one year shall be terminated from the program; provided further, that said department shall pay local housing agencies administering said program an allowance not to exceed $25 per voucher per month to cover the costs of administration; provided further, that notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be no maximum percentage applicable to the amount of income paid for rent by each household holding a mobile voucher, but each household shall be required to pay not less than 25 per cent of its net income, as defined in regulations promulgated by said department, for units if utilities are not provided by the unit owner, or not less than 30 per cent of its income for units if utilities are provided by the unit owner; provided further, that payments for said transitional rental assistance may be provided in advance; provided further, that said department shall establish the amounts of the mobile vouchers, so that the appropriation herein is not exceeded by payments for rental assistance and administration; provided further, that the amount of a rental assistance voucher payment for an eligible household shall not exceed the rent less the household's minimum rent obligation; provided further, that the word "rent" as used in this item shall mean payments to the landlord or owner of a dwelling unit pursuant to a lease or other agreement for a tenant's occupancy of the dwelling unit, but shall not include payments made by the tenant separately for the cost of heat, cooking fuel, and electricity; and provided further, that said department shall submit an annual report to the budget director, the secretary of administration and finance, and the house and senate committees on ways and means detailing expenditures, the number of outstanding rental vouchers, and the number and types of units leased under the program funded by this item 2,300,000    Chapter 707 Rental Assistance      7004-9033   For rental subsidies to eligible clients of the department of mental health; provided, that the department of housing and community development shall establish the amounts of said subsidies so that payment thereof and of any other commitments from this item shall not exceed the amount appropriated herein, including any balance that may be made available from the prior fiscal year 2,000,000    Interest Subsidies for Private Development of Affordable Housing      7004-9201   For interest subsidies for the private development of affordable housing; provided, that notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, no new commitments shall be entered into during fiscal year 2006 5,500,000    Rental Assistance for Families in Transition      7004-9316   To provide assistance for homeless families and families at risk of becoming homeless; provided, that the amount of financial assistance shall not exceed $3,000 per family; provided further, that funds may be used for security deposits, first and last month's rent, moving expenses, utility payments, or other uses as determined by the department of housing and community development; provided further, that assistance shall be administered by the department through contracts with the regional non-profit housing agencies; provided further, that no such assistance shall be provided to any family with an income in excess of 130 per cent of the federal poverty level; provided further, that prior to authorizing a residential assistance payment for a family, the non-profit housing agency shall make an assessment of whether said payment, with or without additional housing stabilization support, will enable the family to retain its current housing, obtain new housing, or otherwise avoid homelessness; provided further, that in making such assessment the agency shall apply a presumption that said payment will enable a family to retain its housing, obtain new housing, or otherwise avoid homelessness if the family is paying less than or equal to 50 per cent of its income for said housing; provided further, that a family who is paying more than 50 per cent of its income for its housing shall be provided a fair opportunity to establish that a residential assistance payment will enable it to retain its housing, obtain new housing, or otherwise avoid homelessness; provided further, that residential assistance payments may be made through direct vendor payments according to standards to be established by the department; provided further, that the agencies shall establish a system for referring families approved for residential assistance payments who the agencies determine would benefit from such services to existing community-based programs that provide additional housing stabilization supports, including assistance in obtaining housing subsidies and locating alternative housing that is safe and affordable for said families; provided further, that the program shall be administered pursuant to guidelines established by the department; and provided further, that the department shall provide a status report to the secretary of administration and finance and the house and senate committees on ways and means no later than March 1, 2006 detailing all expenditures of said program including, but not limited to, the number of recipients of the funds, the number of recipients of the funds who would have otherwise stayed in a homeless shelter, the number of recipients who stayed in a homeless shelter within one year of receiving the funds, the housing status of the recipients, the purposes for which each family used the assistance, the administrative costs, and any other related costs of the program 2,000,000   Retained Revenues      Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Fee Retained Revenue      7004-9315   The department of housing and community development is hereby authorized to expend for the administration and monitoring of the low-income housing tax credit and local administration programs an amount not to exceed $1,500,000 from fees collected pursuant to said programs; provided, that notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, for the purpose of accommodating timing discrepancies between the receipt of retained revenues and related expenditures, the department may incur expenses and the comptroller may certify for payment amounts not to exceed the lower of this authorization or the most recent revenue estimate therefor as reported in the state accounting system 1,500,000   Federal Grant Spending 392,099,063    Lead-Based Paint Control Program      7004-0304   For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Lead-Based Paint Control Program 50,000    Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons      7004-2030   For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons 6,439,222    Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program      7004-2033   For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program 81,277,612    Community Service Block Grant      7004-2034   For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Community Service Block Grant 17,261,548    Small Cities Community Development Block Grant      7004-3037   For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Small Cities Community Development Block Grant 44,078,903    Substantial Rehabilitation Program for Section 8 Housing      7004-9009   For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Substantial Rehabilitation Program for Section 8 Housing 6,111,338    Federal Housing Voucher Program      7004-9014   For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Federal Housing Voucher Program 200,333,000    Moderate Rehabilitation Program for Section 8 Housing      7004-9019   For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Moderate Rehabilitation Program for Section 8 Housing 8,540,000    New Construction Program for Section 8 Housing      7004-9020   For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, New Construction Program for Section 8 Housing 5,646,464    Home Investment Partnerships      7004-9028   For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Home Investment Partnerships 22,236,976    Home Technical Assistance      7004-9039   For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Home Technical Assistance 100,000    Shelter Plus Care for Lowell      7004-9051   For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Shelter Plus Care for Lowell 24,000   Trust and Other Spending 2,159,696      7004-2361   Substantial Rehabilitation Administrative Fee for Section 8 Housing 201,556      7004-2363   Administrative Fee Housing Voucher for Section 8 Housing 1,444,656      7004-2364   Administrative Fee Moderate Rehabilitation for Section 8 Housing 184,238      7004-2365   Administrative Fee New Construction for Section 8 Housing 329,246