Senator Lewis Honored by Housing Families as a 2026 Housing Hero

BOSTON—State Senator Jason Lewis was recognized by the non-profit Housing Families as a 2026 Housing Hero for his many years of service to support fair and affordable housing policies in Massachusetts. The award was presented to Senator Lewis during Housing Families’ annual legislative breakfast in Malden.

Housing Families selected Senator Lewis for this honor for being a champion of fair housing and anti-discrimination protections, a leader in advancing large-scale housing investments, including the Affordable Homes Act, and for being a consistent advocate for housing stability for the state’s most vulnerable residents through his influence across sectors of education, housing, and public health.

“I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from Housing Families,” said Senator Jason Lewis. “I’m constantly inspired and blown away by the tremendous work Housing Families does for the community, digging deep into foundational issues linked with healthcare, housing justice, and more to support people throughout their individual struggles with housing insecurity.”

“Housing Families is proud to recognize Jason Lewis as a 2026 Housing Hero for his leadership in advancing housing equity across Massachusetts,” said Housing Families' CEO Laura Rosi. “Senator Lewis has championed fair housing protections and critical investments in affordable and public housing, while prioritizing policies that expand access to stable homes for those who need them most. His commitment to ensuring that our most vulnerable residents are not left behind reflects a deep understanding that housing is foundational to opportunity, health, and community well-being.”

Based in Malden, Housing Families takes a holistic approach to promote housing stability to strengthen individuals, families, and communities in Greater Boston. Last year, Housing Families prevented more than 850 evictions, helped people access half a million dollars of housing transition funds from the state, and served hundreds of unhoused community members through their Mobile Street Outreach program. They also ensure afterschool and vacation programming for youth, facilitate individual therapy sessions to promote mental health, and offer free legal services to people in need.

To tackle the housing crisis and support affordability in Massachusetts, the state legislature passed the Affordable Homes Act in 2024, authorizing more than $5 billion in tax credits and bond authorizations to promote affordable housing development projects, maintain and repair public housing, and house vulnerable populations. The legislature also introduced a process for tenants to seal their eviction records in cases of no-fault evictions, and banned landlords from forcing tenants to cover brokers fees.

In February, the Massachusetts Senate also passed legislation to strengthen fair housing and anti-discrimination protections for renters and buyers as the Trump administration abandons its enforcement of the federal Fair Housing Act.

The legislature directly supports Housing Families through the annual state budget, including recent support for their homeless children program, community-based health services, and the purchasing of their street outreach van.