News  Massachusetts Receives $125M from HUD for Housing Assistance Programs

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll administration is celebrating a significant increase in federal funding for housing assistance and supportive services to individuals experiencing homelessness across Massachusetts. 

HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge announced Massachusetts will receive $124,913,344 for Continuum of Care programs. The award is part of $3.16 billion in Continuum of Care Program Awards being given to more than 7,000 projects across the U.S. that provide housing assistance and/or supportive services to individuals experiencing homelessness, as well as costs related to planning and data collection. 

Secretary Fudge made the announcement Monday with the Chatham-Savannah Interagency Council on Homelessness in Savannah, Georgia. 

The $124,913,344 awarded to Massachusetts is a 13% increase over the previous year’s funding of $110,496,896. These funds will support individual homelessness programs.  

A Continuum of Care is a regional or local planning body that coordinates housing and services for homeless families and individuals. There are 12 Continuums of Care in Massachusetts, covering different regions of the state. The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities manages one of the continuums directly, while the others are managed by groups within those regions. 

“These funds help support the most vulnerable among us," said Ed Augustus, secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. “Continuum of Care programs provide rental assistance and wraparound services such as case managers or behavioral health support to help lift people out of homelessness. These are critical lifelines for many of our residents, and we appreciate our continued partnership with the Biden Administration on this important work." 

Rising rents and costs have impacted programs across the state and increased funding will help programs meet these costs and, in some areas, increase programming.  

Massachusetts directly manages the Balance of State Continuum of Care that covers most of Essex, Middlesex and Norfolk counties. Balance of State received a 24% increase in funding over the previous year. The increase in funding means that region will be able to meet the needs of more individuals in addition to covering rising costs.

HUD uses several variables to determine award amounts with performance of the program weighing heavily in the determination. 

“Now, more than ever, we are doing all we can to get people off the street and into permanent homes with access to services. That is why we are making sure the service providers on the frontlines of this crisis have the resources they need,” said Secretary Fudge. “At HUD, we have served or permanently housed 1.2 million people experiencing homelessness in the last three years alone. The awards we are announcing today will help expand community capacity to assist more people obtain the safety and stability of a home, along with the supports they need to achieve their life goals.” 

HUD released the amounts being awarded to each of the Continuum of Care regions in Massachusetts. All awards included increased funding over the previous year.