BOSTON — The Massachusetts Supportive Housing Pipeline Coalition (SHPC) applauds the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s first ever comprehensive statewide housing plan. “A Home for Everyone: A Comprehensive Housing Plan for Massachusetts” is a bold and necessary blueprint that identifies strategies for housing individuals and families experiencing homelessness and improving economic mobility. The SHPC is a growing, 80-member coalition that brings together key leaders across healthcare, housing, and service ecosystems to create the supportive housing needed to address chronic and high need homelessness in Massachusetts.
“When people can remain in their homes, it benefits everyone. An abundance of safe and stable housing, brings dignity and humanity to people, improves health outcomes and decreases emergency and health care utilization and costs.” said Daphne Principe-Griffin, Interim President and CEO at United Way of Massachusetts Bay. “It unlocks the potential of people to thrive in school and work, strengthening our communities. Thanks to the Healey-Driscoll Administration, supportive housing and services will now be more quickly and equitably accessed by our most vulnerable residents.”
The Supportive Housing Pipeline Coalition believes that while rates of homelessness are growing, homelessness itself is not inevitable. The state’s work in measuring outcomes and cross-sector coordination directly aligns with SHPC’s mission. We look forward to partnering with the administration to make the goals a reality.
Supportive Housing Pipeline Strategy
Homelessness should be rare, brief and one time. We applaud the Healey-Driscoll Administration for the Plan’s focus on fostering cross-government partnerships to implement new initiatives.
- Supportive housing (deeply affordable, permanent housing paired with services) reduces emergency and acute healthcare costs, improves health outcomes, and allows people to exit hospitals, child welfare, and shelter, so that we can shift our investments toward permanent solutions.
- Supportive housing (deeply affordable, permanent housing paired with services) reduces emergency and acute healthcare costs, improves health outcomes, and allows people to exit hospitals, child welfare, and shelter, so that we can shift our investments toward permanent solutions.
“The Massachusetts Association for Mental Health (MAMH) salutes the leadership provided by Governor Healey, Lt. Governor Driscoll, and Secretary Augustus in crafting a plan that recognizes the importance of housing as a social determinant of health and wellbeing, says Danna Mauch, President and CEO of The Massachusetts Association for Mental Health. “Significantly, the Plan cites worrisome growth in the number of people living with disabling behavioral health conditions who are housing insecure and homeless, and recognizes their unique needs for services tied to affordable housing in permanent supportive housing.”
Flexible, targeted financing strategies
The Coalition applauds the Plan’s acknowledgement that addressing homelessness requires flexible financing strategies. The Flexible Supportive Housing Pool Fund – a key component of the Affordable Homes Act-- was championed by the SPHC.
- When implemented, the Fund will allow for blended public and private investment to increase the production of supportive housing allowing individuals, youth, and families to stabilize, heal, and thrive, and create a safety net, making communities more resilient in times of crisis.
- When implemented, the Fund will allow for blended public and private investment to increase the production of supportive housing allowing individuals, youth, and families to stabilize, heal, and thrive, and create a safety net, making communities more resilient in times of crisis.
"The solution to homelessness is housing that is affordable and housing that provides supportive services. We applaud the Healey-Driscoll Administration's Housing Plan, which sets the Commonwealth on a path to create and preserve the homes needed to reduce and prevent homelessness, expand housing that is accessible for people with disabilities, and provide opportunities for everyone to have safe and healthy homes they can afford in the communities they choose,” says Rachel Heller, CEO of CHAPA. “This plan identifies strategies for creating the diversity of housing needed to meet our wide ranging needs, including supportive housing, public housing, and deeply affordable housing.”
Support the Construction of supportive housing and affordable units
To make systems work for everyone, we must plan for the future we want. That is why it is powerful to include everyone in our housing planning and investments. The Coalition applauds the administration for building a plan with the input different voices across community groups. The Coalition was honored to lead three public listening sessions to inform the creation of the plan.
- The Coalition will continue a robust partnership with EOHLC that makes statewide, public data on homelessness available for planning solutions
- The Coalition will continue a robust partnership with EOHLC that makes statewide, public data on homelessness available for planning solutions
- The SPHC convenes more than 80 cross-sector organizations to work on permanent housing solutions.
- The SPHC convenes more than 80 cross-sector organizations to work on permanent housing solutions.
- The coalition’s recommendation is to double our supportive housing supply with an additional 10,000 supportive housing units was highlighted in the state’s housing plan.
- The coalition’s recommendation is to double our supportive housing supply with an additional 10,000 supportive housing units was highlighted in the state’s housing plan.
- The Coalition will continue to recommend an additional 40,000 affordable housing units and 20,000 deeply affordable units for the lowest-income households to meet the growing need for family units.
- The Coalition will continue to recommend an additional 40,000 affordable housing units and 20,000 deeply affordable units for the lowest-income households to meet the growing need for family units.
“At a time when unsheltered homelessness among individuals in Massachusetts has doubled over the last decade, the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s statewide housing plan highlights supportive housing as a proven solution,” said Joyce Tavon, Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance (MHSA). “We look forward to working with our partners in the Administration, the Legislature, and communities statewide to speed the process to create housing, innovate, expand supportive housing opportunities, and end homelessness.”
For more information about the Massachusetts Supportive Housing Pipeline Coalition and our work go to https://www.masupportivehousingcoalition.org/impact
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About United Way of Massachusetts Bay
United Way exists to build more equitable communities, together. With over 85 years of local impact in eastern Massachusetts, we work with and for our communities to build economic prosperity and enable everyone–across races and ethnicities–to share in the knowledge, wealth and resources available. We believe that the key to unlocking opportunity is uniting people, and we bring together individuals, community leaders, corporate partners, legislators and organizations to build a powerful engine of change. \
About Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance (MHSA)
Founded in 1988, the Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance (MHSA) is a nonprofit advocacy organization with nearly 100 community-based member agencies across the state. Rooted in local experiences, MHSA unites these agencies and partners around a shared vision of a Commonwealth where everyone has access to stable housing and essential services.
About The Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Inc. (MAMH)
The Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Inc. (MAMH) was established in 1913 as the Massachusetts Society for Mental Hygiene, part of a movement initiated by Clifford Whittingham Beers to improve mental health practices and public awareness. MAMH has focused on prevention and the social determinants of health, advocating for safe, affordable housing as essential for mental well-being.
About CHAPA
Founded in 1967 by community leaders recognizing housing as a critical civil rights issue, the Citizens' Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) aims to promote the production and preservation of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families while fostering diverse and sustainable communities through planning and development.