An Act relative to residential assistance for families in transition (RAFT)

This bill creates a new program called RAFT to help low-income families in Massachusetts avoid homelessness by providing cash assistance for rent and utility bills. To qualify, households must be at risk of eviction, foreclosure, or utility shut-off within the next year, and they do not need to have already received a legal eviction notice or shut-off order. The program prioritizes families with incomes at or below 30% of the area median income and allows eligible households to receive up to 12 months of rental assistance for both past and future costs. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to publish an annual report on the program's usage and outcomes while ensuring that specific documents about rental assistance are treated as public records, except for the names of the tenants themselves.