Rep. Stanley Lobbies for Budget Funding for WATCH Community Development Corporation’s Housing Clinic

June 22, 2016

The Honorable Karen E. Spilka, Senate Chair

The Honorable Brian S. Dempsey, House Chair

Senator Sal N. DiDomenico                                                                                               Representative Stephen Kulik

Senator Viriato deMacedo                                                                                                Representative Todd M. Smola

Dear Members of the Conference Committee:

We are writing to you today to respectfully request that the Conference Committee approve the funding included in the final version of the Fiscal Year 2017 (FY17) Senate Budget that will appropriate $46,790 in line-item 7004-0100 for the WATCH Community Development Corporation’s Housing Clinic.

WATCH CDC was founded in 1988 by Waltham residents seeking a greater voice in local decision-making.  The organization seeks to address the needs and interests of low-and moderate-income residents and other underrepresented in the Waltham area.  The WATCH CDC Housing Clinic (“The Clinic”) is a free walk-in clinic that assists tenants with threat evictions, health code violations, searches for affordable housing, and applications for public housing and other sports (fuel assistance, food stamps, etc.).  The Clinic serves approximately 250 low-income each year in resolving housing issues.

The $46,790 in additional funds under line item 7004-0100 for WATCH’s Housing Clinic will pay for the salary and benefits of a part-time Housing Clinic Coordinator.  Currently, The Clinic is partnered with Brandeis University and staffed by Brandies students who are trained and supervised by an environmental law professor affiliated with the University and WATCH’s Executive Director.  Having a part-time paid coordinator will help strengthen and streamline The Clinic’s support services as well as provide additional time for follow-up on critical cases.  The position will also allow WATCH CDC to further build connections with other regional resources such as job training programs, low income health care providers, child care programs and youth programs.  Upon receiving funding for the part-time position, WATCH CDC will work towards secure funding through grants and local sources to sustain the position in the future.

The WATCH CDC Housing Clinic fills a much needed gap in local housing supports for Waltham-area residents.  Many of their clients don’t have the resources to travel to Boston for multiple appointments in order to receive similar supports and services.  Therefore, the $46,790 in funding under the FY17 Senate Budget is critical for The Clinic to remain a one-stop location for those in need of housing assistance.

I greatly appreciate the hard work and effort being undertaken by the Conference Committee in developing the budget in what is looking like another difficult fiscal year to plan for and ask that you please give the $46,790 appropriation included in the final FY17 Senate budget the utmost consideration during your budget deliberations.

Thank you in advance for your time and attention on this important measure.

Sincerely,

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex District