CEOC's 2025-2026 Public Policy Priorities
CEOC's mission is to empower people and mobilize resources to fight poverty’s causes and impacts through education and organizing. We envision an inclusive and diverse Cambridge without poverty where everyone has affordable housing, quality health care and education, food security and economic stability. In addition to providing direct services to achieve these goals, we have set out the following public policy agenda to target structural change that prevents poverty and promotes economic stability.
Tier 1
Our top priorities. We are a leader in coalition efforts. We meet with legislators to expand our efforts. We organize around the issue (e.g. rallies, canvassing, phone banking). We provide written and verbal testimony for the bill, in addition to signing onto support letters, posting on social media, and writing to legislators.
Tier 2
We support this legislation and actively use social media to endorse this bill. We write to legislators to ask them to advance this bill. We attend coalition meetings and sign onto letters of support.
Tier 3
We support this legislation. We sign on to letters of support as CEOC. We include it in our list of advocacy efforts. We attend coalition meetings when available and they are able to use our logo and signature to endorse this bill.
Tiers of Involvement
City of Cambridge Priorities: At the local level, we are most focused on affordable housing and guaranteed income. Specifically, we support new developments of 100% affordable housing, use of Community Preservation Act for affordable housing, funding for housing-related services in the city, and a guaranteed income program for more residents in the City.
Federal Priorities: There are many bills and causes that we are supportive of at the federal level. In particular, we support protecting public benefits, protecting the rights and safety of immigrants, expanding the child tax credit, and updating the calculation of the federal poverty line to account for regional differences.
Massachusetts State Priorities
Improving Economic Security and Mobility
SD.2111/HD.2031
An Act establishing a Massachusetts Baby Bonds program
SD.1772/HD.3269
An Act supporting families through enhanced tax credits
SD.2106/HD.3851
An Act to promote economic mobility through matched savings
SD.1818/HD.1353
An Act to lift kids out of deep poverty
SD.1175/HD.931
An Act requiring financial education in schools
Promoting Affordable Housing and Preventing Homelessness
SD.1771/HD.3912
An Act promoting access to counsel and housing stability in Massachusetts
SD.35/HD.238
An Act eliminating forced broker's fees
SD.1708/HD.1953
An Act to create affordable homes for persons with disabilities
SD.1162/HD.2053
An Act providing upstream homelessness prevention assistance to families, youth, and adults
Promoting the Wellbeing of Immigrants and Refugees
SD.1670/HD.3816
An Act to protect the civil rights and safety of all Massachusetts residents (Safe Communities Act)
SD.1757/HD.3876
An Act relative to language access and inclusion
SD.2057/HD.4072
An Act ensuring access to equitable representation in immigration proceedings
Strengthening Health Equity and Wellbeing
SD.829/HD.2238
An Act relative to the healthy incentives program
SD.1814/HD.2862
An Act ensuring equitable health coverage for children