Please Support Rep. Decker’s Amdt. # 1108
To Level-Fund Transitional Assistance,
Preserve the $40 Rent Allowance,
And Provide a Long Overdue Grant Increase
The proposed budget would spend $50.2
million less for TAFDC (4403-2000) than the
FY 14 budget because of projected declining
caseloads and because it omits the $40 rent
allowance.

Level-funding would preserve the rent
allowance and support a 15% grant increase –
about $70 a month for the typical family.
Grants would still be far below poverty.

The $40 rent allowance for families who pay
private, unsubsidized rent was set in 1987.

TAFDC grants were last raised in July 2000.
Grants have lost nearly half their value to
inflation over the last 25 years.
TAFDC Cash Grant Pays Only 37% of Poverty
$1,800
2014 Poverty Level
for 3
$1,600
$1,649
$1,400
$1,200
$1,000
$800
Maximum
TAFDC Grant for 3
$600
$618
$400
$200
TAFDC grants pay barely one-third of the
federal poverty level.
$0

The maximum grant for a family of 3 with no income (including the rent allowance) is $618 a
month, only 37% of the federal poverty level.

Grants are too low for families to pay rent, so more families become homeless. Losing the rent
allowance will put even more families over the edge and into homelessness.
 Children in extreme poverty are at real risk of permanent harm.
Please tell Rep. Decker that you will support the amendment. You can also sign onto
the amendment in the Clerk’s office.
Amendment #1108 to H.4000
TAFDC Grant Payments and Related Programs
Representatives Decker of Cambridge, Kaufman of Lexington, Brady of Brockton, Toomey of Cambridge,
Cabral of New Bedford, Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield, Hecht of Watertown, Kocot of Northampton, Moran of
Lawrence, Sannicandro of Ashland, Turner of Dennis, Conroy of Wayland, Keefe of Worcester, Provost
of Somerville, Chan of Quincy, Madden of Nantucket, Andrews of Orange, Khan of Newton, Smizik of
Brookline, Rogers of Cambridge, Sánchez of Boston, Livingstone of Boston, Schmid of Westport, Fox of
Boston, Garballey of Arlington, Vega of Holyoke, Lawn of Watertown, Gordon of Bedford, Ehrlich of
Marblehead, Basile of Boston, Walsh of Framingham, Coppinger of Boston, O'Day of West Boylston,
Cullinane of Boston, Swan of Springfield, Balser of Newton, Collins of Boston, Silvia of Fall River, Fallon
of Malden, Linsky of Natick, Cronin of Easton, Brodeur of Melrose, Peake of Provincetown, Pignatelli of
Lenox, Mark of Peru, Scibak of South Hadley, Canavan of Brockton, Benson of Lunenburg, Holmes of
Boston and Stanley of Waltham move to amend House Bill 3400, in section 2, item 4403-2000, by
inserting after the words “standard in effect in fiscal year 2014” the following:- plus 15 percent; and by
inserting after the words “any successor law;” the following:- provided further, that a $40 per month rent
allowance shall be paid to all households incurring a rent or mortgage expense and not residing in public
or subsidized housing; and by striking the figure “$251,650,190” and inserting in place thereof the
following figure:- $301,971,532
Action for Boston Community Development
American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts
Arise for Social Justice
Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston
Coalition for Social Justice
Disability Law Center of Massachusetts
Crittenton Women’s Union
Greater Boston Legal Services
Homes for Families
Jewish Community Relations Council
Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Economic
Justice
Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy
Massachusetts Association on Community Action
Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
Massachusetts Council of Churches
Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy
Coalition
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
National Association of Social Workers, MA
Chapter
Neighbor to Neighbor
Poor People’s United Fund
Progressive Massachusetts
Project Hope
Rosie’s Place
SEIU Local 509
For further information, please contact:
Diane Sullivan at Homes for Families (857) 615-9294, dsullivan@homesforfamilies.org;
Chelsea Sedani at Crittenton Women’s Union, (617) 259-2936, csedani@liveworkthrive.org;
Shannon Erwin at Mass Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition, (617) 350-5480 x222 serwin@miracoalition.org
Deborah Harris at Mass Law Reform Institute (617) 357-0700 x313, dharris@mlri.org
Naomi Meyer at Greater Boston Legal Services (617) 603-1621, nmeyer@gbls.org