Veterans supportive housing program

760 CMR: 760 CMR: EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OFFICE OF OF HOUSING HOUSING AND AND LIVABLE LIVABLE COMMUNITIES COMMUNITIES

760 CMR 760 CMR 70.00: 70.00: VETERANS VETERANS SUPPORTIVE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING HOUSING PROGRAM PROGRAM

Section Section

70.01: 70.01: Background and Background and Purpose Purpose 70.02: 70.02: Definitions Definitions 70.03: 70.03: Eligibility Eligibility 70.04: 70.04: Contracts with Contracts with Qualified Qualified Nonprofit Nonprofit Organizations Organizations 70.05: 70.05: Waiver Provision Waiver Provision

70.01: Background and 70.01: Background and Purpose Purpose

The Veterans The Veterans Supportive Supportive Housing Housing Program Program (VSHP) (VSHP) was was created created by St. 2024, by St. 2024, c. c. 150, 150, s. s. 5. 5. The Executive The Executive Office Office of of Housing Housing and and Livable Livable Communities Communities (EOHLC), (EOHLC), in in consultation consultation with with the the Executive Office Executive Office of of Veterans Veterans Services Services (EOVS), (EOVS), has has established established VSHP VSHP to to assist assist qualified qualified nonprofit organizations nonprofit organizations to to develop develop and and preserve supportive housing preserve supportive housing for for eligible eligible veterans veterans and and to to provide wrap around provide wrap around services services to to meet meet the the needs needs of of eligible eligible veterans. veterans.

70.02 Definitions 70.02: Definitions

Armed Forces. Armed Forces. United United States States army, army, navy, marine corps, navy, marine corps, air air force, force, coast coast guard guard and and space space force. force.

EOHLC. Executive EOHLC. Executive Office Office of of Housing Housing and and Livable Livable Communities. Communities.

Eligible Veteran. Eligible Veteran. A A Veteran Veteran who who meets meets the the eligibility eligibility requirements requirements ofof 760 760 CMR CMR 70.03, 70.03, and and any any additional requirements additional requirements or or criteria criteria established established by the VSHP by the VSHP Guidelines, Guidelines, including, including, but not but not limited to, limited to, eligibility eligibility restrictions for aa Veteran restrictions for Veteran who who has has received received aa dishonorable dishonorable discharge discharge from from the Armed the Armed Forces, Forces, oror was was discharged discharged oror dismissed dismissed from from the the Armed Armed Forces Forces by reason of by reason of the the sentence of sentence of aa general general court-martial. court-martial.

Homeless Veteran. Homeless Veteran. A Veteran: A Veteran: (a) who (a) who is is undomiciled undomiciled and and unable unable to to secure secure permanent and stable permanent and stable housing housing without without special special assistance, including, assistance, including, but but not not limited limited to, veteran who to, aa veteran who is is inappropriately inappropriately housed housed inin an an institutional facility institutional facility andand can can safely safely live live in in the the community community where where services services are are provided; provided; (b) who (b) who lives in aa transitional lives in transitional housing housing facility facility without without permanent domicile; permanent domicile; who lives (c) who (c) lives in in the the community, community, released released oror discharged discharged after after incarceration incarceration and and who who isis without permanent without permanent and and stable stable housing; housing; oror (d) who (d) who is is at at risk risk ofof becoming homeless due becoming homeless due to to circumstances circumstances and and criteria criteria established established in in the VSHP the VSHP Guidelines. Guidelines.

Qualified Nonprofit Qualified Nonprofit Organization. Organization. A A private nonprofit organization: private nonprofit organization: (a) with (a) with demonstrated demonstrated success success in in developing developing or or operating operating transitional transitional and and permanent permanent housing programs housing for veterans; programs for and veterans; and (b) that (b) that is is committed committed to to ending ending veteran veteran homelessness. homelessness.

Supportive Housing. Supportive Housing. Affordable Affordable rental rental housing housing project which includes project which includes supportive supportive services services designed to designed to support support tenants tenants who who need need such such services services to to maintain maintain their their tenancies. tenancies.

A person Veteran. A Veteran. person who who served served in in the the active active Armed Armed Forces, Forces, regardless regardless of of length length of of service, service, and and who was who was discharged discharged or or released released therefrom. therefrom.

Veterans Supportive Veterans Supportive Housing. Housing. Supportive Supportive Housing Housing inin which which there there is is an an occupancy occupancy restriction restriction in favor in favor of of Eligible Eligible Veterans, Veterans, as as may may be further defined be further defined by the VSHP by the VSHP Guidelines. Guidelines.

VSHP Guidelines. VSHP Guidelines. Guidelines Guidelines issued issued by by EOHLC, EOHLC, inin consultation consultation with with the the Executive Executive Office Office of of Veterans Services Veterans Services clarifying clarifying and and further further explaining explaining 760 760 CMR CMR 70.00, 70.00, program program policy and policy and procedure. procedure.

1/3/25 (Effective 1/3/25 (Effective 11/4/24) 11/4/24) 760 CMR 760 671 CMR -- 671 (Mass. Register #1538, 1/3/2025) 1/3/2025)

760 CMR: 760 CMR: EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OFFICE OF OF HOUSING HOUSING AND LIVABLE COMMUNITIES AND LIVABLE COMMUNITIES

70.03: Eligibility 70.03: Eligibility

(1) Eligibility (1) Eligibility for for Supportive Supportive Housing Housing shall shall include include households households that that include include any any of of the the following: following: (a) Homeless (a) Homeless Veterans Veterans who who have have an an unmet unmet housing housing need need asas may may bebe further further defined defined by by EOHLC in EOHLC in VSHP VSHP Guidelines; Guidelines; (b) Veterans (b) Veterans who have 11 or who have or more more disabilities disabilities oror other other qualifying qualifying lifelife challenges, challenges, as as determined by determined EOHLC, including, by EOHLC, including, but not limited but not limited to: to: 1. serious 1. serious mental mental illness; illness; 2. substance 2. substance use use disorder; disorder; 3. living 3. living with with HIV HIV oror AIDS, AIDS, oror another another chronic chronic condition condition or or affliction; affliction; 4. being 4. being aa victim victim or or survivor survivor of ofdomestic domestic violence; violence; and and (E) (E) post-traumatic stress disorder post-traumatic stress disorder as may as may bebe further further defined defined by EOHLC in by EOHLC in VSHP VSHP Guidelines; Guidelines; oror (c) Other (c) Other Veterans Veterans who who meet meet criteria criteria that that may may bebe established established inin the the VSHP VSHP Guidelines. Guidelines.

70.04: Contracts 70.04: Contracts with with Qualified Nonprofit Organizations Qualified Nonprofit Organizations

(1) EOHLC (1) EOHLC may may contract contract with with aa Qualified Qualified Nonprofit Nonprofit Organization Organization to to establish establish Veterans Veterans Supportive Housing Supportive Housing in in accordance accordance with with the the procedures procedures established established in in VSHP VSHP Guidelines Guidelines for for the the development and development and preservation preservation of of Veterans Veterans Supportive Supportive Housing. Housing. (2) EOHLC (2) EOHLC may may award award upup to to an an amount amount established established by VSHP Guidelines by VSHP Guidelines perper Eligible Eligible Veteran Veteran in aa calendar in calendar year year to to aa Qualified Qualified Nonprofit Nonprofit Organization Organization that that enters enters into into aa contract contract pursuant to pursuant to 760 CMR 760 CMR 70.04(a)( 70.04(a)(1).l (3) The (3) The Qualified Qualified Nonprofit Nonprofit Organization Organization shall shall secure secure funding funding for for the the development development andand preservation of preservation of any any Supportive Supportive Housing Housing project within the project within the timeframe timeframe required required by EOHLC and by EOHLC and shall follow shall follow all all requirements requirements andand procedures procedures that that may may be be established established by the VSHP by the VSHP Guidelines Guidelines and the and the contract contract entered entered into into pursuant to 760 pursuant to 760 CMR CMR 70.04(a)( as applicable. l as 70.04(a)(1), applicable.

70.05: Waiver 70.05: Waiver Provision Provision

Any provision Any provision ofof 760 760 CMR CMR 70.00 70.00 not not required required by statute may by statute may be waived in be waived in writing writing by by EOHLC or EOHLC or their their designee designee based determination by on aa determination based on EOHLC that by EOHLC that the the change change is is reasonable reasonable and and consistent with consistent with the the purposes of VSHP. purposes of VSHP.

REGULATORY AUTHORITY REGULATORY AUTHORITY

760 CMR 760 CMR 70.00: 70.00: M.G.L. 23B, §§ 35; c. 23B, M.G.L. c. 35; St. St. 2024, 2024, c. c. 150, 150, §§ 5. 5.

1/3/25 (Effective 1/3/25 (Effective 11/4/24) 11/4/24) 760 CMR 760 672 CMR -- 672