FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS NOT KEEPING UP WITH DEMAND. AS BOSTON CONTINUES TO GENTRIFY AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS BECOME FAR TOO EXPENSIVE FOR MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO AFFORD, WE NEED NEW PROGRAMS TO ENABLE
LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES AND OFFER HOUSING TO UNHOUSED COMMUNITY MEMBERS. 

HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT: NO ONE SHOULD BE WITHOUT SAFE, AFFORDABLE, AND ACCESSIBLE HOUSING. 

THE CITY RENT SUBSIDY COALITION HAS COME TOGETHER TO PROTECT LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS FROM DISPLACEMENT AND HOUSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS BY ADVOCATING FOR A CITY FUNDED HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAM / A CITY RENT SUBSIDY PROGRAM IN BOSTON.

AFTER FIVE YEARS OF ORGANIZING LED BY UNHOUSED PEOPLE AND LOW-INCOME TENANTS AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT, THE CITY OF BOSTON ANNOUNCED A $5MILLION / YEAR PILOT PROGRAM IN 2020! THIS PROGRAM IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF THE ADVOCACY, ORGANIZING, AND COLLECTIVE POWER OF UNHOUSED AND UNDERHOUSED COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS BOSTON. 

SINCE THEN, OUR COALITION HAS WORKED WITH THE BHA TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM WHICH CURRENTLY SUBSIDIZES 236 HOUSEHOLDS INCLUDING 13A ELDERLY TENANTS WHO WERE FACING DISPLACEMENT AS THEIR BUILDINGS WENT MARKET RATE, UNHOUSED FAMILIES, AND FAMILIES WITH MEMBERS WHO EXPERIENCED INCARCERATION AND WOULD OTHERWISE NOT QUALIFY FOR SUBSIDIES. AS A RESULT OF ADDITIONAL ORGANIZING WE WON A $4.75MILLION / YEAR INCREASE IN THE FY23 BUDGET FOR THE PROGRAM - ENOUGH TO PROVIDE PERMANENT HOUSING FOR UP TO 975 EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME OR UNHOUSED FAMILIES!

WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR THE CITY RENT SUBSIDY PROGRAM IN OTHER CITIES BECAUSE IT'S SUSTAINABLE AND WILL ENABLE UNHOUSED AND UNDERHOUSED PEOPLE TO REMAIN IN OUR COMMUNITIES BY OFFERING SAFE, AFFORDABLE, AND ACCESSIBLE HOUSING.