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Housing Greenfield Meeting Notes – 03/09/2026

Present: Susan Worgaftik, Peg Hall, Nancy Hazard, Amy Cahillane, Edie Heinemann, Brace Rennels, Lexi Turner, Garth Shaneyfelt, Jen Hale, Pamela Goodwin, Mike Penn-Strah, Shaundell Diaz, Bob Williford, Wisty Rorabacher, Judy Draper, Alyssa Larose, Jack Redman, Nikki Garrett, Peter Wackernagel, Pamela Schwartz, Carol Letson, Dorothy McIver, Rachel Gordon, Joannah Whitney, Louise Amyot

Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness—Pamela Schwartz reviewed the state budget priorities that have been put forward by the Network. FY27 Budget Priorities: https://www.westernmasshousingfirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/WMNEH-FY27-Budget-Priorities-Updated-2.6.26.pdf.  She also briefly discussed some of the Network’s policy priorities, as well.   Legislative Priorities: https://www.westernmasshousingfirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/WMNEH-Legislative-Priorities-2025-2026.pdf.
During the discussion, the following areas were considered:

  • Getting rid of the “notice to quit” requirement in RAFT. Often families eligible for RAFT leave their homes when they receive the eviction notice and do not get the RAFT funding that could help them stay in their homes. This should be a priority.
  • Expanding the priorities to include disability in many of the programs outlined. Pamela pointed out that Home and Healthy for Good and Permanent Supportive Housing programs both identify the need for housing for people with disabilities. But she said that more programs should identify the extra difficulties the people with disabilities have in finding appropriate housing.
  • Emergency Assistance program issues regarding eligibility and documentation have made it harder for families to access temporary housing in shelters. Senator Comerford has been a champion to make changes to these barriers.
  • Network legislative priorities include local option for rent control, the local option transfer fee, and access to counsel.
  • The Network’s annual at Holyoke Community College will be at 9:30 am on May 29th. This is an opportunity to let legislators and other public officials know our thoughts on housing issues being considered at the State House. For more information, https://www.westernmasshousingfirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-annual-event-save-the-date-web.pdf (Susan will be attending. If you want to carpool, please let her know. You can sign-up for the event through the link.)

    For other information or questions, please contact Pamela at pschwartz77@gmail.com

176 Main Street—Alyssa Larose announced that RDI has received an award of $4 million and Low-Income Tax Credits to build the 32 units planned for 176 Main Street. RDI is also at the top of the wait list for a grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank and have made a request for funding from the Greenfield Community Preservation Committee. The project is now 85% funded. The present funding gap is about $1 million. All 32 units will be visitable. Half of the units will be project-based Section 8 apartments for households at 30-50% of Area Median Income. The rest of the units will be for households at 60% of area median income. This is a change as originally the plan was to include households up to 80% AMI. The change came as part of state funding requirements.
The future of the commercial tenants was brought up. Alyssa explained that RDI wanted the tenants to stay in their present spaces as long as possible so that the storefronts would not be empty too long before the construction occurs. The present owner of the buildings, Tim Grader, will be working with the commercial tenants on new spaces for them.
Parking for tenants was also brought up. There are presently 4 parking spaces for tenants. RDI is working with the Parking Commission regarding parking permits in city lots and overnight parking at the Legion Avenue parking area.

Housing and Democracy My Turn—Susan Worgaftik reported that at the February meeting, we discussed the idea that Housing Greenfield might write a My Turn for the Recorder applying the ideas written in the housing and democracy article that had been distributed. Susan had provided a summary of the key points (see attached). Rather than go into a discussion of the key points at this time, Susan suggested that we have a group work on the My Turn. Lexi volunteered to co-write a draft with Susan. Louise and Joannah agreed to review the draft and make comments.

Proposed Section 8 Housing Regulation Changes—Jack Redman, Nikki Garrett and Susan Worgaftik discussed how the new regulations requiring more documentation of residents would impact the residents of their housing authorities. At present “mixed families” of documented and undocumented persons are allowed to live in Section 8 apartments. The supplement that these families receive is based upon the number of documented persons in their household. If the household has 2 people and one is documented and one not, then the Section 8 subsidy would be at 50% of the full subsidy.
While all households presently provide some kinds of documentation to receive Section 8 subsidies, the new regulations would be much stricter requiring birth certificates or passports which many low-income residents do not have and might find it difficult to get. Many of the documented residents are children with undocumented parents. The new regulations would not allow anyone in the family to receive Section 8 subsidies if one member is undocumented. The result would be thousands of families unable to pay rent and will be evicted.  To respond to this, there are national campaigns to stop this and some other new requirements that HUD has announced.

https://pifcoalition.org/campaigns/hud-mixed-status-rule/ The Protect Immigrant Families project has been suggesting that both individuals and organizations send letters in. HUD must, by law, read all the letters before making a final determination on the new rules. It is hoped that there can be enough engagement to prevent the changes from going through. The link to the Protect Immigrant families gives information about an organizational petition that is being sent in as well as how to submit individual letters. It was agreed that Housing Greenfield will sign on to the petition. Susan has done this for the organization. The individual letter tab at this website will also help you to write your letter. HUD is using AI to screen the letters so every letter must be different to assist in this effort.
Jack mentioned that at present the only person on the GHA Section 8 list who would be put in danger by these regulations is an 85-year-old woman who has been with GHA for 18 years. She originally came from Poland and is unlikely to have the documentation that HUD would require. He said that you should feel free to use her story in your letters if you choose.
Housing Greenfield members at the meeting endorsed that we should send individual letters and that we should encourage others to do so as well.

UPDATES

Hope Street—Amy Cahillane reported that the first community conversation on the development of the Hope Street lot consisted of a thoughtful conversation with a variety of comments. There were people in the group who had some major concerns and voiced them. There were also several interesting ideas put on the table. For more information on ways to connect with Amy on this issue, see the attached poster.

Continuum of Care (CoC)—Shaundell Diaz explained that the future of the Three County CoC is still precarious. Some of their present funding is not coming in on time and their future funding is still in limbo. Shaundell sent the following information to us to explain what is happening.

CoC Litigation Updates
Background: In February, HUD filed an emergency motion asking the District Court to dissolve the preliminary injunctions from December, which would enable HUD to reissue the December 2025 CoC NOFO to make awards for CoC grants expiring in Q3 and Q4. The District Court denied HUD’s motion. HUD then filed notice with the District Court that it was appealing this decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. HUD also filed an emergency motion to stay the preliminary injunctions pending resolution of the appeal.

The key things to understand is that there are 11 CoCs in the Commonwealth and that the state cannot assist if HUD’s plans go through. Thousands of people in Massachusetts will be put out of their housing should the plans go through.  She will keep us informed of any developments and where we could help.

Coalition for the Homeless Lobby Day—Pamela Goodwin reported that lobby day was well attended and had 13 speakers with lived experience talk about their situations. Pamela thought it went well and encouraged Housing Greenfield members to contact their legislators and/or their staff to discuss the bills and policies that are important, such as the ones Pamela Schwartz mentioned earlier in the meeting. It makes a difference.

Next meeting: MONDAY, APRIL 13TH 6:30 PM VIA ZOOM.

 

 

  • Published: in
  • Last Edited: March 18, 2026

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