Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program

Sections

Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program
Location Massachusetts
Organization Boston University Child HIA Working Group

The HIA addressed the health implications of a housing assistance and homelessness prevention program called the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MVRP), as well as proposed changes to the program for FY2006. The HIA: 1) looked specifically at program components like time limits, work requirements, eligibility determination and required tenant rent contributions; and 2) studied the health effects on children through changes in, for example, food security and exposures to health hazards in poor quality housing, such as lead paint and mold. The report recommended that the Department of Community and Housing Development collect and track data on MRVP enrollees so that the influence and impact of the program could be directly monitored.

Outcome

HIA authors provided testimony at the legislative hearings on the program; the evidence they provided was crucial to the state's decision to not move forward with the proposed changes to the program.

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The Health Impact Project’s toolkit contains resources that help communities, agencies, and other organizations take action to improve public health. The toolkit offers a collection of health impact assessments, guides, and other research to support policymakers’ efforts to consider health when making decisions across sectors, such as housing, planning, and education.

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At A Glance
  • Status:
    Completed
  • Publication date:
    2005, June
  • Decision-making levels:
    State
  • Sectors:
    Housing
  • Additional topic areas:
    Programs
  • Drivers of health:
    Access to services/medical care, Education, Employment, Income and wealth, Safe, affordable, and healthy housing
  • Affected populations:
    Children, Chronic health conditions, Economically disadvantaged, Homeless
  • Community types:
    Suburban
  • Research methods:
    Literature review
  • Funding source:
    Other funding