THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH HOMES FOR OUR FAMILIES   Every year an estimated 10,000 children and their families in Massachusetts will lack a permanent home.   Family homelessness is relatively new, due in large part to drastic reductions in federal funding for public housing.   In Massachusetts, 118,831 households earn less than 30% of AMI and pay more than 50% of their income towards rent and utilities.   Affordable housing is generally available to families at 60% of Area Median Income (AMI) - $50,400 in Boston.   Every year Massachusetts supports 1,900 units for housing homeless families at a cost of $68 million.   The cost is staggering – more than $35,000 is spent per unit of shelter a year. Subsidizing a family renting their own home costs just $6,000 for a year.   STEREOTYPES ABOUT HOMELESSNESS ARE NOT SUPPORTED BY THE FACTS   Of those in shelters, 90% are women with children who are on average 32 years old. Nearly one-third are working.   More than half have experienced domestic or sexual abuse and many are products of our foster care system.   Homeless families do not have higher rates of substance abuse, mental illness, or criminal behavior than low income families who are housed.   Homeless families do not normally need transitional housing or extensive long-term services to "make it".   The children suffer the most when families are homeless.