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Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Gov. Maura Healey today signed a supplemental budget bill to provide funding for, and make reforms to, the state’s emergency assistance shelter system.
The law allocates $425 million from the state’s transitional escrow fund to shelter-related services. Some of this funding would provide relief to school districts affected by increased student enrollment due to families in local shelters. Further assistance would support communities hosting unhoused families and family shelter sites.
The law includes several policy changes aimed at restricting shelter eligibility and capping the number of families served at 4,000. These changes include limiting the policy of presumptive eligibility when placing families; criminal history and CORI checks for all adult applicants; and ensuring review of identity, residency, lawful status, and familial relationship for all household members prior to placement.
The governor also released the results of a security assessment she requested from former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, with recommendations to enhance safety at shelter sites. The administration will be retaining Davis’ company to help with implementation of the report’s recommendations.
The emergency assistance shelter system currently serves approximately 5,800 families, a 22% reduction from peak levels seen in 2023 and 2024. The administration said it has reduced the number of hotels being used for shelters by half, with the goal of closing all hotel shelters by the end of this year.
The administration said it will release regulations and enact the additional policy provisions from the supplemental budget, including an updated six-month length-of-stay and changes to the presumptive eligibility process.