Mass. lawmakers reach deal on $425 million shelter bill, could soon send it to Governor Healey
It also seeks to cut the number of families
allowed in the system from 7,500 to 4,000 beginning Dec. 31, and keeping the new limit in place through 2026.
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As of last week, 5,704 families were staying in emergency shelters across the state, according to
Of those, the state was housing roughly 2,150 in hotels and motels, a practice Healey has
Healey administration officials project the shelter system will cost the state more than $1 billion this fiscal year, and warned legislators that it would run out of money at the end of January. The $425 million infusion is intended to keep the system funded through the end of June.
While advocates said they are grateful that lawmakers committed the funding needed to continue the program, they are also concerned that the limitations on the program will put an extra strain on some of the state's neediest families.
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There was also little room for public input, said Kelly Turley, associate director for the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, though she hopes that changes as lawmakers debate other changes that could impact the shelter system, including the budget plan for the fiscal year that begins in July.
'We hope to make sure that the voices of families directly participating in the program, providers, advocates, and community groups that are on the front lines also are able to weigh in,' Turley said. 'There is a lot of uncertainty overall with the program.'
The soaring cost of running the shelter system reflects the parallel migrant and housing crises gripping Massachusetts, which have greatly exacerbated the need for emergency housing in the state.
The bill also seeks to beef up how the state vets those entering shelters, including requiring every adult applicant to disclose any criminal convictions or pending charges for 'serious crimes.' It would also mandate that the state obtain criminal records for each applicant before placing them into emergency housing.
Those suggested changes come as officials
Under the proposal, applicants who do not disclose criminal convictions or charges 'shall not be eligible for benefits and any existing benefits shall be terminated.' It also calls for the Healey administration to create rules limiting or excluding from the system
those convicted of or facing charges for serious crimes.
Healey recently began requiring additional background checks of adults in emergency shelters using the Criminal Offender Record Information, or CORI, system, and implemented a new policy last month for the family of someone convicted of a felony to be moved into more permanent housing. The background check change, however,
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Healey last month said she was also tapping former Boston police commissioner Edward Davis to lead a review of the security protocols for the emergency assistance program. A Healey spokesperson said Tuesday that Davis submitted a report, and that officials were reviewing it. Her office did not release a copy.
The legislation the House passed Tuesday would make a series of other changes. It would require families to prove they are eligible for shelter and have
Applicants would also need to show 'an intent to remain' in the state, including by providing documents showing they're receiving benefits under MassHealth, the state's Medicaid program, or other 'public benefits.'
Republican lawmakers had sought to tighten the rules further, including setting a six- or 12-month residency requirement for those in the shelter system. But Democratic leaders warned that setting a specific duration on residency would be unconstitutional.
The bill would funnel the $425 million infusion from the state's escrow account, which was built with with money previous budget surpluses. State Senator Michael Rodrigues, the chamber's budget chief, said earlier this month that $174 million will be left in the account after the money to prop up the shelter system is dispersed.
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