Three County Continuum of Care
May 2025 Newsletter
Spotlight ​
The CoC is incredibly excited to announce that our second annual "Stronger Together: Community Forum" will be from 10:00am-12:00pm Monday June 9th at Greenfield Community College. The morning will feature a buffet breakfast, a brief update on what the CoC has been up to since December, thought-provoking discussion questions, and time for tabling, networking, and connecting. If you have not yet, please register here by June 1st!
At this event, we will also be recognizing an individual who has done outstanding work in our community. This person's dedication and commitment is incredible, and we are excited to honor them.
See you there!
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
​
Legislative & Advocacy Updates
Earlier in May, the Massachusetts Senate passed its $57.9 billion FY2026 budget. While the budget does contain investments in important programs such as emergency rental assistance and first-generation homeownership, many of our priorities were not included. Citizens' Housing and Planning Association, Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance, and Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless all created great summaries and recaps.
​
It is worth noting that if funding for a budget line item remains constant from one fiscal year to the next, that is actually a decrease because of inflation--for instance, the $110,752,398 the Senate again allocated to the Homeless Individuals Assistance program will not go as far in FY26 as it did in FY25.​
​
This bill now heads to conference committee, one the final stops before Governor Healy signs it into law.
​
To stay up to date, please subscribe to the Western MA Network to End Homelessness’ blog.
​​​​
​
Community Updates
On May 21, our very own Shaundell and Emma presented at the 2025 Fair Housing and Civil Rights Conference! Their workshop detailed the Reimagining Interim Housing Framework, including updates on the progress of the CoC's workgroup. We are proud of how they represented the CoC, and invite anyone who is interested in rethinking how we shelter people to please reach out.
​
​The CoC is also in the process of conducting its annual Gaps Analysis, which shows us the gaps in our homelessness response system and allow us to plan accordingly. Our Data and Evaluation Committee has created a survey for service providers, people with lived experience of homelessness, and others to complete, as to provide recommendations on housing and service priorities. If you would like to provide your thoughts, we ask that you complete the survey by June 7th. Please reach out to Michele with any questions.​​
​
​​​
Things to Read
-
​"Framed as a public health measure, Mayor Peter Marchetti’s proposal would outlaw overnight camping on any public property or any private property 'not designated and equipped for such camping.'"
-
However, local residents and activists are expressing their opposition: "'Multiple meetings with the mayor followed, and every meeting, I asked the same question- If the shelter is full and you won't allow people to sleep outside, what is your safe alternative? And I have yet to receive an answer,' said Shannon Stephens. 'Not only are encampment sweeps costly, dangerous and ineffective, they are perpetuating poverty by continuing a cycle of stigma, mistreatment, and intimidation, not to mention making people move along to unfamiliar settings makes them more vulnerable to violence.'"
"Mass. officials are scrambling to stem the wave of older adults losing their homes"
-
"Federal data show a 17 percent jump in the number of Massachusetts adults ages 55 and older counted as homeless from 2023 to 2024, the most recent numbers available."​
-
One nonprofit found that "'of the 119 people we helped last year, we provided an average of $1,640 to each person to prevent them from becoming homeless.'"
-
Somerville's Bridge Housing Pilot Program "started in February with $100,000 in state funding and has so far helped 10 households with older adults remain in their homes by paying a portion of their rent and also helping them enroll in other assistance programs."
-
This report, from the MA Healthy Aging Collaborative, "is designed to help residents, agencies, providers and governments understand the older adults who live in their cities and towns – their ages, living arrangements, health status, strengths and vulnerabilities." There are individual communities profiles and interactive maps, in addition to the written report.
-
As the table below shows, some of our central communities, Greenfield in particular, are above the state average when it comes to economic indicators such as population 65+ with incomes below the poverty level or are cost-burdened.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
"A Church Wants a Homeless Shelter. The Mayor Wants Space for Pickleball."
-
" As property values [in Toms River] have soared, coastal motels that once offered inexpensive lodging and seasonal work have been replaced in many Jersey Shore towns by multimillion-dollar homes, straining an already limited supply of affordable housing. According to one estimate, the number of homeless residents in the region has doubled since the pandemic."
-
Despite being an active church, the mayor wants to invoke eminent domain to seize the property, which he said "presents 'a great opportunity for parking, for recreation.'"
​​​​​​
​
Upcoming ​
In collaboration with the Hampden County CoC, we will be putting on a Lunch and Learn training series this summer. More information on specifics will be shared soon, so stay tuned! In the meanwhile, check out what we have scheduled in the next few months:
​
June 5: Options Counseling Training 10:00am-12:00pm
​
June 18: Fiscal Office Hours 10:00-11:00am
​
June 21: Financial Literacy Training 11:00am-2:00pm *NOTE THIS IS A SATURDAY
In this virtual lesson, you will learn how to adequately budget your money, money-saving tips, and the basics of credit success.
​
July 10: Trauma-Informed Care & Mental Health in Permanent Supportive Housing Training 10:00am-12:00pm
​
July 16: Fiscal Office Hours 10:00-11:00am
July 31: Housing Search (Housing Navigation) Training 1:30-3:00pm
This training equips service providers with practical tools and strategies to support individuals in securing housing. It includes landlord engagement, documentation prep, overcoming barriers such as poor credit or eviction history, and building effective housing search plans.
​
​
​
​