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THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2023 Page 23 Copyrighted material previously published in Banker & Tradesman/The Commercial Record, a weekly trade newspaper. It is reprinted with permission from the publisher, The Warren Group. For a searchable database of real estate transactions and property information visit: www.thewarrengroup.com Fridman, Igor BUYER1 BUDGET | FROM Page 12 tal health screenings for K-12 students. • $5 million for Children Advocacy Centers to improve the critical supports available to children that have been neglected or sexually abused. • $2 million for grants for improvements in reproductive health access, infrastructure, and safety. • $1 million for the development, expansion and operation of freestanding birth centers and support for community-based maternal health services. • $1 million for the University of Massachusetts’ acquisition of abortion medication, such as mifepristone, as national access to abortion medication is currently a pending issue in the courts. The FY24 budget codifi es into law the federal Aff ordable Care Act’s (ACA) provisions that protect access to preventive services,such as certain cancer screenings and HIV preventive medications, such as PrEP, that have been jeopardized by a recent federal court ruling in Texas. By enshrining the ACA protections into state law, insurance carriers across the Commonwealth will be required to provide coverage for preventive services without imposing cost-sharing such as co-pays and deductibles. Additionally, as the MassHealth redetermination process that started in April 2023 continues, the FY24 budget creates a two-year ConnectorCare expansion pilot program to expand eligibility to 500 per cent of the Federal Poverty Limit (FPL), which is about $73,000 a year for an individual. This will result in 47,000 to 70,000 residents becoming newly eligible for more aff ordable coverage, while helping to ease the transition off MassHealth by providing more aff ordable options for people who would otherwise not be eligible for subsidized coverage. Acknowledging that stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability and death in the United States and Massachusetts, the FY24 budget directs the Department of Public Health (DPH) to establish a comprehensive system of stroke response and care to ensure patients receive appropriate urgent care quickly. In addition, the budget includes provisions codifying Operation House Call, which directs DPH to establish standards on best practices for the treatment and care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities for a certifi ed training program for students pursuing a health care profession. Finally, the FY24 budget also REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS SELLER1 BUYER2 Thomas, Molly requires a state employer to offer a new state employee Group Insurance Commission health insurance coverage eff ective as of the employee's start date if the employee starts work at the beginning of the month or no later than the fi rst day of the fi rst full month of their employment. With these important provisions, the FY24 budget helps to improve and expand continued access to programs and services for millions of our residents, while further protecting the rights of residents to make their own health care choices. Housing The FY24 budget makes a historic $1.05 billion investment in housing, dedicating resources to programs that support housing stability, residential assistance, and assistance to those experiencing homelessness. The budget prioritizes relief for families and individuals who continue to face challenges brought on by the pandemic and fi nancial insecurity, including $324 million for Emergency Assistance family shelters and $190 million for Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT), which provides rental assistance up to $7,000 per household. Other housing investments include: • $180 million for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), creating more than 750 new vouchers and allowing the program to move to a payment standard with a benefi t of 110 per cent of the federal small-area fair market rental price, significantly broadening housing options for those served by the program. • $110.8 million for assistance for individuals experiencing homelessness. • $107 million for assistance to local housing authorities. • $37 million for the HomeBASE diversion and rapid re-housing programs, bolstering assistance under this program to two years with a per household maximum benefi t of $30,000. • $26 million for the Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP), including $9.1 million in funds carried forward from FY 2023. This funding increase will create 250 new vouchers and will pair with $2.5 million in grants to improve or create accessible housing units. Both programs will also benefit from the inclusion of project-based vouchers in AHVP, which will stimulate the building of new deeply aff ordable and accessible homes. • $8.9 million forsponsor-based supportive permanent housing. • $8.89 million for the Home and Healthy for Good re-housing SELLER2 Browne, Anthony and supportive services program, including $250,000 for homeless LGBTQ youth In addition to these substantial investments, the FY24 budget makes permanent a pandemicera eviction protection for renters with pending applications for emergency rental assistance under RAFT or any other program administered by the Executive Offi ce of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), a municipality, or a nonprofi t entity. Under the program, a judge cannot execute an eviction before an emergency rental assistance application has been approved or denied. Expanding and Protecting Economic Opportunities The budget includes a record investment in the annual child’s clothing allowance, providing $450 per child for eligible families to buy clothes for the upcoming school year. The budget also includes a 10 per cent increase to Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) and Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC) benefi t levels compared to June 2023. Economic opportunity investments include: • $444.7 million for Transitional Assistance to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) and $204.4 million for Emergency Aid to Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC) to continue eff orts to lift families out of ‘deep poverty’—defi ned as is income below half the federal poverty level—and to provide the necessary support as caseloads increase. • $60 million for adult basic ed218 Beach St #5 ucation services to improve access to skills necessary to join the workforce. • $36 million for the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program. • $20 million for the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund to connect unemployed and under-employed workers with higher paying jobs. • $21 million in Healthy Incentives Programs to maintain access to healthy food options for households in need. • $15 million for a Community Empowerment and Reinvestment Grant Program to provide economic support to communities disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system. • $15.4 million for Career Technical Institutes to increase our skilled worker population and provide residents access to career technical training opportunities. • $5.9 million for the Innovation Pathways program to continue to connect students to training and post-secondary opportunities in STEM fi elds. Community Support and Local Aid The FY24 budget—in addition to funding traditional accounts like Chapter 70 education aid— demonstrates the Legislature’s ongoing commitment to state-local partnerships, dedicating meaningful resources that meet the needs of communities across the Commonwealth. This includes $1.27 billion in funding for Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA), an increase of $39.4 million over FY ADDRESS DATE PRICE 07.14.23 454500 2023, to support additional resources for cities and towns. In addition to traditional sources of local aid, the budget includes the following local and regional investments: • $184 million, including $90 million from Fair Share funds, for Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) which help to connect all regions of the Commonwealth. • $51.5 million for payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) for stateowned land, an increase of $6.5 million over FY 2023, ensuring a vital source of supplemental local aid for cities and towns working to protect and improve access to essential services and programs during pandemic recovery. • $47.3 million for libraries, including $16.9 million for regional library local aid, $17.6 million for municipal libraries and $6.2 million for technology and automated resource networks. No Cost Calls The FY24 budget removes barriers to communication services for persons who are incarcerated and their loved ones. Under this provision, the Department of Correction (DOC) and sheriff s must provide phone calls at no cost to persons receiving and initiating phone calls, without a cap on the number of minutes or calls. As part of this initiative, DOC and sheriff s must maximize purchasing power and seek to consolidate voice communication services contracts. Having passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, the FY24 budget now moves to the Governor’s desk for her consideration. Revere

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