Posted by Justin Martin, GBIO The time has come--the legislative session has closed, and we finally have definitive versions of the annual state budget as well as the highly-anticipated housing bond bill, the Affordable Homes Act. Now that these items have been signed by the Governor, let's take a look at where things stand for our campaign's priorities. THE WINS Annual Budget Public Housing - The operating budget for state housing authorities has been increased to $113 million! This is a significant increase from last year's original proposal of $92 million. Though we and our allies continue to uplift that the need for our housing authorities is over $180 million, we are pleased to see that our advocacy moved the needle in the right direction. We are optimistic that state leadership will continue to see the importance of this item in future sessions. This money will slightly improve the ability of our housing authorities to hire workers to carry out much-needed repairs, improving conditions for tenants. Affordable Homes Act (Housing Bond Bill) Public Housing - This one is major! The bond bill includes what is possibly the largest potential investment in the health of our public housing portfolio in Massachusetts history. Our many rallies, actions, and meetings have led to a massive $2.2 billion authorization for capital funding for the repair and improvement of public housing units. To put this in perspective, the previous five-year bond bill only included $600 million for public housing. This increase represents a monumental shift in how our legislators prioritize public housing. While the money still must eventually be released and effectively distributed, we are optimistic that the Healey Administration will ensure the tenant experience is vastly improved through major capital repairs made possible by these funds. Everyone deserves a home. When spent, this money will make an enormous difference in the lives of the over 70,000 of our most vulnerable residents and provide an example for the nation about the importance of safe and decent public housing. GBIO, your tireless work over the past two years led to this moment. This is your victory! Every relational meeting, listening session and action was pivotal in shifting our state's conversation around housing. Additionally, we acknowledge that this would not have happened without our pursuit of relationships with our Representatives and Senators on Beacon Hill. Please consider taking time to call or email your legislators and thank them for passing the budget and Affordable Homes Act! Need to find your legislator's contact information? Click here: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator THE DISAPPOINTMENTS
While there is much to celebrate, we also know that a few of our other housing priorities were left unaddressed by the legislature. Annual Budget Re-entry rental assistance - We advocated hard alongside formerly incarcerated leaders both outside and within GBIO, particularly those from member organization Justice 4 Housing, to have this line item increased from $3 million to $9 million. Unfortunately, the legislature has level-funded this service at $3 million. Affordable Homes Act (Housing Bond Bill) Real Estate Transfer Fees - As many of you saw earlier this summer, the legislature decided to omit language from the bond bill that would allow municipalities to tax high-value property sales and divert the funds to affordable housing trusts. We are still disappointed in this choice, and are concerned that monied interests were able use their influence to steer our officials away from making this game-changing tool available. Standalone Legislation Guaranteeing IDs for the Formerly Incarcerated - We are disappointed that the legislature continues to fail to pass legislation that will require the state to provide state IDs to those leaving incarceration before they actually depart, so that they are able to obtain housing and other necessary services. This roadblock needlessly inhibits the ability of people to smoothly transition back into public life, opening the door for recidivism and other issues. During our In-District Meeting campaign the vast majority of our elected officials described this bill as a "no brainer," so we are surprised to see it was not pushed over the finish line this session. The close of this legislative marks the formal end of our Housing Justice Campaign, but we will certainly be paying attention to what happens to these items. We may encounter opportunities to take action or fight alongside our allies to keep these issues top of mind for our lawmakers. Stay tuned! WHAT'S NEXT? REGISTER NOW FOR UPCOMING CAMPAIGN EVALUATION & CELEBRATION Our work doesn't stop when the campaign ends. GBIO is here to continue building power for everyday people across Greater Boston. Join us in September as we formally evaluate the last two years of our work, and celebrate the victories and relationships built along the way! There is much to unpack, and even more to look forward to as we shift into our next season. NOTE: We need to get an idea of how many people to expect at these events so that we can arrange venues accordingly. Please register ASAP so that we can solidify the details! September 10th (Time and Location TBD) - Housing Justice Campaign Evaluation CLICK HERE TO REGISTER This campaign was the result of countless hours of relationship building, research, planning and action carried out by many leaders across different GBIO teams. What worked well? What is something we wish could have been more effective? Join us for an in-depth evaluation where we will identify key learnings that can inform our work going forward. September 19th (Time and Location TBD) - Housing Justice Campaign Conclusion Celebration CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Join us in celebrating one another's hard work over the last two years! More details to come, be sure to register early to get updates. By Daniel Kool, Boston Globe
The Greater Boston Interfaith Organization is calling on the Massachusetts Legislature to pass a handful of measures that would expand funding for affordable housing, earmark more than $1 billion for the maintenance of existing units, and make pursuing a home easier for individuals leaving prison. The organization’s requests were outlined in an open letter to leaders of the state Legislature, which was released Sunday afternoon, as more than 1,700 community members, many of them representing dozens of advocacy organizations from as far as Martha’s Vineyard, filled the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center Sunday afternoon to discuss GBIO’s requests. 'Charlie Homer, co-chair of the event and a leader of the campaign’s legislative engagement team, told the Globe before the event began that GBIO has long pushed for the state to expand funding and available resources for affordable housing, but Sunday’s action was designed to put new pressure on legislators to pass requests already on the table, including components of Governor Maura Healey’s Affordable Homes Act. “Today is about moving our housing justice campaign closer to the finish line,” Homer told the crowd in his opening remarks. “Everyone deserves a home.” Homer said in an interview that he was “really thrilled to see that the governor put forward $1.6 billion” to maintain public housing in the bond bill, as well as a provision to allow real estate transfer fees to fund affordable housing. Over months of advocacy, Homer said he has heard from tenants who, while thankful to have a place to live at all, deal with crumbling affordable housing units. “Because of the chronic underfunding, we’re losing units,” Homer said. “And because they’re unlivable, they’re not able to turn units over when people leave.” The letter is addressed to a half-dozen Democratic state lawmakers, including House Speaker Ron Mariano, Senate President Karen Spilka, and Senator Lydia Edwards, who chairs the Joint Committee on Housing. Its signatories include more than 150 clergy representing a range of faiths and a broad swath of cities and towns, who argue that the Bible and other holy texts make repeated arguments in favor of securing housing for all, especially society’s most vulnerable. “And yet, too many of our people live in neglected public housing that endangers their health due to pets, mold, and asbestos,” the clergy wrote in the letter. In its letter, GBIO outlines five specific requests for the Legislature to complete before the end of its session. They include nearly doubling the public housing operating budget, bringing it from $107 million to $189 million; passing at least $1.6 billion in capital repair funding for public housing, outlined in Healey’s Affordable Homes Act, to maintain existing developments; and increasing funding for rental certificates for formerly incarcerated people enrolled in case management. The letter also calls for the state to grant city and town governments the ability to establish local real estate transfer feeds to raise money for affordable housing, and to guarantee identification for individuals coming out of prison, who may otherwise struggle to apply for work or housing assistance. Leslie Credle, executive director of Justice 4 Housing, which provides support for individuals involved in the justice system, said some people grapple with severed ties to loved ones after spending time in prison, which makes finding housing even more difficult. “Housing is already a major issue, and we were like last on the totem pole,” Credle said. Jamal Gooding, executive director of Boston-based People Affecting Community Change, said people released from prison often find themselves without identification, meaning they cannot cash checks or apply for housing. “I’m asking all 1,700 with you to shout with me very proud to our Senate leaders,” Gooding said, pounding his fist on the podium. “Enough is enough.” Some attendees signed pledge cards, vowing to call their representatives Monday morning and join an in-person lobbying day at the State House on April 17. Among them was Michele Frazier, a 63-year-old who lives in public housing in Wellesley, who said the attendance at Sunday’s event gave her hope for the future of Healey’s bill and, with it, her own housing situation. “Seeing all this is a positive image,” Frazier said, after chanting with fellow attendees that housing is a fundamental right. “Everything looks like it’s going up.” State Senator Liz Miranda and Representatives Rob Consalvo of Boston and Mike Connolly of Cambridge — all Democrats — told the crowd that housing remains an urgent need across the state, and they praised Healey’s bond bill and its focus on affordability. Consalvo said there is “no more important issue in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” drawing cheers and applause from the crowd. Phil Hillman, leader of St. Paul AME Church in Cambridge and an organizer with GBIO’s strategy team, said in an interview that the legislators’ support was extremely valuable, but he argued that change requires support from House and Senate leadership. “We do have legislators here. They’re a part of it,” Hillman said. The key question, he argued, is: “Who’s missing?” Read the original story here.
Formerly the Chair of the GBIO Criminal Justice Reform Team, Ms. Williams organized and successfully led campaigns to reduce the rate and harm of incarceration. This helped lead to the state's 2018 Comprehensive Criminal Justice Reform Law and the 2020 Police Accountability Reform Law. Her work broadened GBIO's internal base of leaders and led to many strong partnerships, including ACLU and The Working Group for Criminal Justice Reform.
Currently, Ms. Williams has organized a local Boston community GBIO task team to help educate hesitant community members on COVID vaccination and increase community turnout. She is an active member of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Boston, a wife and mother of two adult sons. She has one granddaughter who she hopes is learning how to give something of herself to the betterment of the community.
With enhanced COVID-19 unemployment insurance approved by Congress, many homeowners
may be able to receive close to 100% of their previous income by filing for unemployment. This could enable homeowners to continue paying their mortgage. If this is possible for homeowners, it is the always best option and will result in no extra costs now or in the future. If it is not possible, here are our suggestions for what a homeowners should expect from their lender during this crisis. MAHA is ready to help those homeowners who took our class in the past and/or have a mortgage from the Massachusetts Housing Partnership SoftSecond or ONE Mortgage programs.
The key to all of this is what lenders will do in negotiating with borrowers. It is typical for lenders to offer forbearance but then to expect repayment over a relatively short period of time (3-6 months or so). That will increase a homeowner’s monthly obligation substantially as they try to pay their regular mortgage payment plus a portion of what is owed. Given that the recovery from this crisis is likely to be slow for many, the only feasible solution is to move the missed payments to the back end of the loan when the borrower has many more options. What is key, however, is that the lender not capitalize the arrears and collect interest on the missed payments. In one scenario for a borrower that is in the second year of paying their mortgage, missing $1,700 in three months of interest payments would result in them paying an additional $4,490 by the end of the 30 year term. Dear Governor Charlie Baker,
The world is in crisis and now more than ever we appreciate your resolute leadership. 74 of Greater Boston Interfaith Organization Friends and allies representing civic sector institutions – communities of faith, unions, social service providers, healthcare centers and schools – are deeply committed to assisting in the fight against COVID-19. Though we are no strangers to crisis, this one is truly unprecedented. In this time of crisis, we are called by our faith to honor the sanctity of human life and to exercise our Prophetic voice with the most vulnerable among us. We are writing to you for two purposes. The first is to extend an offer of help during this unprecedented crisis. We are willing to step up in a range of ways, including mobilizing our people for any job that keeps us safe and pursuing any other possible ways to help. We will do anything in our power to slow the spread of this epidemic, treat the sick and aid in the recovery. The Honorable Governor Charles Baker
Senate President Karen Spilka Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo Members of the Massachusetts Legislature We call upon the Governor, Senate, and House to pass a clear moratorium on evictions and foreclosures NOW and support renters and homeowners across the Commonwealth during this global COVID-19 pandemic. As the first day of the month comes and goes, hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts renters and homeowners agonize over whether they will be able to make rent and mortgage payments or be forced to face eviction and homelessness, at a time when they have been told to stay home. We urge the Governor and the Legislature to take meaningful and swift action to protect the lives of Massachusetts renters and homeowners during this unprecedented public health crisis.by passing a strong eviction moratorium. At its core, a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures is an emergency public health protection measure, one that must match the extraordinary restrictions already placed on businesses, schools, and workers across the globe. Governor Baker has reiterated the need to stay home and maintain social distancing, the best protection against preventing COVID-19 infections. The Governor and public health officials have warned that the worst is yet to come in Massachusetts. Keeping people at home is a matter of life and death. In order to meet these critical public health goals it is imperative that evictions be paused from start to finish. Placing a clear and temporary freeze on all aspects of eviction is the only way to ensure that people stay in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. There are several key principles that we believe must be included in any eviction moratorium legislation for it to meet its public health goals:
The House has now passed a moratorium bill, H.4615. That bill addresses many of the key principles noted above, and is a strong foundation for enacting a pause on evictions. That temporary pause must start from the first eviction notice sent to a tenant through the time a tenant could be forcibly removed from her home by a sheriff. H.4615 can and should be further improved, mainly by ensuring that any exceptions to the moratorium are narrow and reflect only the most serious emergencies, and also by simplifying the language that pauses late fees. But it is a good starting place and we urge that, with these improvements, it be enacted as soon as possible. Since March 16, 2020, when the courts began instituting closures and reduced services, over 480 new eviction cases have been filed in Massachusetts Housing Courts. This number represents hundreds of families possibly endangering themselves, their friends and families, and the public as they may move or become homeless. We, and our broad network of organizations, stand ready to work together to consider next-phase issues with the time and consideration they deserve, including how to provide mortgage and rent relief, how federal legislation will affect Massachusetts, and other questions that will arise as we anticipate the end of the emergency. However, in order to protect lives today we urge the Governor and the Legislature to act decisively to pass an eviction and foreclosure moratorium that will keep our citizens and community safe. We appreciate the efforts that Senate President Spilka, Speaker DeLeo, and other members and their staff have made to listen to and consider our proposals. We thank you for leadership during this difficult time.
836 strong, GBIO joined the MA Senate President, Senate Health Care Finance Chair, and Secretary of Health and Human Services on Monday, November 4th to push for progress on health care in Massachusetts. All three politicians have released, or committed to, legislation that addresses the 3 priority issues in GBIO’s health care legislative campaign:
During Monday night’s action, leaders from across GBIO shared personal stories of struggles connected to these issues:
Bonny Gilbert and Michael Rubenstein, co-chairs of the GBIO Health Care Action Team, reviewed the policy goals of GBIO’s legislative campaign, and the politics it would take to win. Senate President Karen Spilka, Senator Cindy Friedman and Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders spoke of their commitment and their actions to address our issues. Both Spilka and Sudders shared their own stories of struggling with mental health care of family members. Before the action closed in prayer, GBIO leaders committed to holding in-district meetings with members of the House of Representatives to push for legislative action in the house, with the goal of passing legislation this session. Over 85 people from 43 guest organization, including the Boston Teachers Union, St. Cecelias Catholic Church, Unite Here Local 26 and Hyde Park Seventh Day Adventist, to name a few, joined GBIO in action. These institutions are looking to engage with GBIO, either as allies or as prospective new members, as part of GBIO’s refounding. Last May, current GBIO leaders voted to Refound GBIO by 2021, with the goal of bringing in 10-20 new institutions.
GBIO is pushing for real reform in the 2019-2020 session of the Massachusetts Legislature by:
GBIO and coalition partners recently scored our first win in this campaign - saving $140 million in prescription drug costs in the 2020 state budget.
Last October, at a gathering of 1,487 Greater Boston Interfaith Organization leaders, Somali mothers told stories of their children playing on an unfenced cliff at a local playground. In response to their organizing, City Councilor Kim Janey answered their call to become the “champion of Jeep Jones Park.” Janey organized a walk-through of the park with Boston’s Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space, Christopher Cook, and negotiated with the Mayor’s Office to put $100,000 for improvements to Jeep Jones Park into the city’s upcoming capital budget.
This day of action was part of a broader GBIO Health Care legislative campaign that will span the legislative session and build on past victories in health care. In this legislative campaign, GBIO is pushing for real reform in the current session of the Massachusetts Legislature by:
Massachusetts consumers and taxpayers will save over one billion dollars of healthcare costs over the next seven years as a result of price caps established in response to action by the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO). The cost savings are based on a report by the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission, a state research agency established by a law championed by GBIO in 2012.
Beth Israel and Lahey Health Systems and a combination of 13 hospitals have been attempting to merge into a single healthcare system since the beginning of 2017. By forming the second largest healthcare system in Massachusetts, BILH believes it will be better able to compete against Partners Healthcare, the dominant healthcare system in Massachusetts. GBIO has been fighting for consumers and taxpayers to ensure that the merger would not cause a dramatic increase in costs. When the Health Policy Commission predicted that the merger would drive up healthcare costs by as much as $230 million dollars per year, GBIO challenged Attorney General Maura Healey and other state agencies to protect consumers from this outrageous increase in cost. At a 1400-person action, held on October 22nd at the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center, GBIO leaders called on Attorney General Maura Healey to fight for conditions “with teeth” in the proposed merger, to protect consumers from increasing costs and declining access, particularly for low income and communities of color. On November 29th, she announced an unprecedented seven-year price cap to ensure that Beth Israel Lahey Health does not take advantage of its market power to increase its prices. The agreement between Attorney General Healy and BILH also addressed other GBIO demands, including improved access for the Massachusetts Medicaid population and $72 million in support of lower-cost settings for healthcare. In an interview with WBUR radio, Bonny Gilbert, co-chair of the GBIO healthcare action team, said, "We would like to see this kind of stronger language at least be the beginnings of more constraints on Partners and some of the other health care providers." And, says Gilbert, the caps must not be allowed to expire for BILH. WCVB Channel 5 highlighted GBIO’s involvement in this merger. From 2009 to 2014, GBIO leaders, including then-GBIO President Rev. Hurmon Hamilton of Roxbury Presbyterian Church, fought and won a battle to replace the deteriorating Dearborn Middle School with a $73 million, state-of-the-art grade 6-12 STEM academy for students in its under-served Roxbury neighborhood.
In 2018, Rev. Hamilton returned to Boston to attend Mayor Walsh’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, but the celebration became a demand for action as key staff positions remained unfunded. Nearly 225 GBIO leaders were present to demand full funding. In response, some positions were filled and GBIO and Roxbury Presbyterian Church continue to monitor progress. GBIO fights for criminal justice reforms – and wins – as Governor Baker signs historic MA bill4/16/2018
“When We Fight, We Win!”
Leaders from the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization, and allies, chanted in victory at the MA Statehouse on April 13th as Governor Baker signed a sweeping criminal justice bill into law – the first of its kind in decades. Since 2015, GBIO has fought for strong reforms by targeting four issues, designed to reduce barriers to a fair criminal justice system that have disproportionately affected poor people and people of color. All four of GBIO’s priority issues were included in the recent law:
Beverly Williams, co-chair of GBIO’s Criminal Justice Team said, “The new law is not perfect, but it is meaningful legislation for Massachusetts. Reform leaders worked tirelessly for 3 years to make this happen.” Through legislator meetings, relationship building, and a series of large actions, GBIO helped shape comprehensive Criminal Justice reform bills that, despite early resistance, passed the House and Senate by veto-proof majorities in late 2017. A reconciliation bill proceeded behind closed doors for 4 months. The ultimate bill included GBIO’s four issues, as well as many other issues of interest to GBIO and allies. It passed unanimously in the Senate (37-0) and nearly unanimously in the House (148-5) and was signed by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker. Co-Chair Alan Epstein said, “It is a huge step forward for the state in our efforts to reduce mass incarceration, eliminate racial disparities, reduce costs and introduce fairness, compassion and intelligence into our criminal legal system. Everyone in Massachusetts will benefit from what we did.” Read more here: http://baystatebanner.com/news/2018/mar/29/criminal-justice-reform-bill-turning-point-massach/
As a result, all four of GBIO’s issues were addressed in October’s ground-breaking Senate Bill CLICK HERE FOR STORY, as well as the House’s slightly more conservative November bill, described by the Boston Globe CLICK HERE FOR STORY as the house’s "most sweeping criminal justice bill in years.” Details are now being worked out in conference committee.
Beverly is most proud of GBIO’s success on mandatory minimums. “Nothing had moved on this issue for 18 years,” says Beverly. “When the Council of State Government did a study of our MA criminal justice system, back in 2016, mandatory minimums were not even under review. For us to have pushed it, and now it’s in conference, that’s a big deal!” Beverly’s passion for this issue is deeply personal. “In my community, the reality is most young men between 18 and 25 are locked up. I could see that locking people up and punishing them, especially in low-level crimes, was not the answer.” She was determined to change a system that left many low-income people and people of color locked in a cycle of incarceration and poverty. As Beverly became more involved in the fight for justice, she realized, “It wasn’t just about investing in the issue but about investing in myself. For me to have an impact, I had to develop my own leadership skills.” She attended an IAF regional training and built new skills by diving into the work, taking on new roles, even when she wasn’t sure she was ready. “I had to build relationships with powerful people, with people in the streets, with people I hadn’t had relationships with before. In having these relationships, in listening to other peoples’ stories and impressions and thoughts, I learned more about myself. I learned to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations.” Although she is honored to receive the Community Champion Award, Beverly is clear that there is “still much more work to be done.” Of the House and Senate bills, she says, “if we get a major win out of this, there are going to be more people out of prisons and we need to keep fighting for them. We need to make sure they get much-needed services. We need to get them into jobs.” In the final hours before a House vote on criminal justice reform, GBIO clergy led close to 200 of our members in a rally pushing for changes in state criminal justice laws. Majority Whip Byron Rushing thanked GBIO for the work we’ve done so far, and urged us to keep the pressure on during the last hours of debate.
Retired Judge Nancy Gertner and several House Reps joined clergy in calling for a criminal justice system that addresses racial and income disparities in sentencing, removes fees and penalties that keep people trapped in the prison system, and spends tax dollars on treating, rather than punishing low level drug offenders with addictions and/ or mental health issues. In Boston, GBIO members Old South Church and Trinity win $6 million from developer Boston Properties10/15/2017
When Boston Properties announced plans for a new $1 billion development, Old South Church and Trinity opposed the project, citing the Massachusetts Historic Commission’s ruling that new shadows from the high-rise could damage their historic buildings. After leveraging these concerns in negotiations with the developer, the two churches – both members of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization -- have won $6 million from Boston Properties: $3 million for the two churches for historic preservation and another $3 million for a citywide fund for affordable homeownership programs. GBIO plans to keep pushing for more homeownership funding from big developments.
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