FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BOSTON, Mass. – Today, the Massachusetts Alliance for Supportive Housing (MASH) announced nearly $15 million in funding for the expansion of permanent supportive housing for individuals experiencing
homelessness across Massachusetts. The MASH Development and Capacity Building Grant Funds (“MASH
Grant Funds”) will be awarded to 18 organizations – 10 will receive a combined total of $11.75 million for
Development projects, while eight will receive a combined total of $1.2 million for Capacity Building
projects. Additionally, MASH will invest in technical assistance activities, such as statewide and
individualized training and support for the development and implementation of permanent supportive
housing. MASH is a collaboration between the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance (MHSA), United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley (UWMB), and Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH).
With homeless shelters reporting significant overcrowding and tent encampments on the rise across
Massachusetts, the Commonwealth needs innovative and streamlined options to create housing that offers supportive services. In 2021, the MASH Grant Funds were allocated by the Massachusetts State Legislature as part of a $150 million reserve to support the production of permanent supportive housing (PSH). The funds were designated to address the needs of unaccompanied adults experiencing homelessness who live in underserved areas and that demonstrate high rates of racial inequities in homelessness, tent encampments, and/or shelter occupancy, and that may have been considered COVID-19 hot spots. PSH is an evidence-based approach that combines permanent housing with wraparound services for people with complex, disabling medical conditions who have experienced homelessness.
“The MASH Grant Funds address a critical need in the Commonwealth by providing 362 units of permanent supportive housing for our most vulnerable neighbors, streamlining the funding process, and attracting new PSH partners all across the state. As a result, people who have faced homelessness for many years will finally have a place to call home,” said Joyce Tavon, Director of MASH and Senior Director of Policy & Programs at the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance.
"With a laser focus on deploying resources effectively, we can ensure homelessness is a rare, brief and onetime occurrence for individuals and families faced with housing instability," said Bob Giannino, President and CEO at United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. "This partnership shows how by bringing together government resources and nonprofit organizations, we can collectively ensure everyone has a safe and stable place to live.”
“CSH congratulates each MASH Grant Funds recipient. These organizations demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to helping people facing complex barriers to housing achieve their highest quality of life. We are proud to be part of MASH and applaud the Massachusetts State Legislature for investing in proven solutions that can help ensure all people in the Commonwealth have opportunities to thrive,” said Deborah De Santis, President and CEO at CSH.
The recipients of the MASH Grant Funds for Development and/or Capacity Building include:
• Attleboro/South Shore – NeighborWorks® Housing Solutions
• Boston area – Commonwealth Land Trust and St. Francis House
• Fall River – Together We Stand Corporation
• Gloucester – Action Inc.
• Lowell – Community Teamwork, Inc.
• Malden – Metro North Housing Corporation
• North Adams – Louison House
• Northampton – Independent Housing Solutions, Inc.
• Pittsfield – Berkshire Housing Development Corporation
• Springfield – Justice 4 Housing and Renaissance Development
• Worcester – Worcester Community Housing Resources
For detailed information about the MASH Grant Funds projects, please visit www.mhsa.net/MASH.
About MASH
The Massachusetts Alliance for Supportive Housing (MASH) is dedicated to developing and expanding low threshold permanent supportive housing (PSH) as a solution to homelessness in the Commonwealth. MASH is a collaboration of the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance (MHSA), United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley (UWMB), and Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH).
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For more information, contact:
Sandi Goldfarb, Rasky Partners
Sgoldfarb@rasky.com
