Massachusetts’ emergency shelter system is “on the verge of reaching capacity,” and Gov. Maura Healey’s administration is implementing capacity limits while demanding more support from the federal government.Forty families have entered the Massachusetts emergency shelter system in the past 24 hours, according to state data that shows the total number of families in the system is now nearing 7,000.By the end of the month, Healey said Monday, that number will swell to 7,500 families. The state estimates that approximately half of the families in the emergency shelter system are new arrivals to Massachusetts. Healey said the families include expectant mothers, and more than half of them are children. “The trend continues to be driven by the arrival of families who are new to our country,” Healey said. “They are here lawfully. Allowed in with the knowledge and consent of our federal government.”Healey on Monday announced the appointment of a new emergency shelter director and said the state is taking steps to expand access to housing and help people get working. She also demanded assistance and support from the federal government.”Our shelter system cannot expand indefinitely. This level of demand is not sustainable. We need urgent support from the federal government, which bears ultimate responsibility for the situation,” Healey said. Healey’s choice to take over the shelter system is retired Lt. Gen. Scott Rice, former director of the Air National Guard and Adjutant General and Commander of the Massachusetts National Guard.”It is important to me that our state succeeds in meeting this humanitarian challenge,” said Rice, who emphasized his decades of residency in Southampton. “I’ll bring all my values and all I’ve learned to bear on this crisis.”Massachusetts is legally required to house homeless families due to the state’s “right to shelter” law. In recent months, the state has rented numerous hotels and motels to serve as housing for the rapidly growing number of families.”The reality we are facing now is this: We do not have enough space, service providers or funds to safely expand beyond 7,500 families. We expect to hit that limit by the end of the month,” Healey said. “From that point on, we will no longer be able to guarantee shelter placement for new families entering the system.”State Rep. Steven Xiarhos, a Republican representing the 5th Barnstable District, said he wants to amend and suspend the right to shelter law. He argues priority should be given to Massachusetts residents who are U.S. citizens.”We have to focus on our own people. There are people hurting in the commonwealth,” Xiarhos said. “(The law) was passed in 1983. I don’t think the intent — or anyone had the vision that: ‘Wow, 40 years from now, there’s going to be thousands of people coming from other countries.'”Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency in August over a severe lack of available shelters. She also activated 250 members of the Massachusetts National Guard in September to help provide services to families at several of the makeshift shelters.To help get families out of the shelter system, Healey said the state is working to connect work-eligible residents with jobs and said her administration would work with the Commonwealth Corporation Workforce Agency to develop a job training initiative specifically targeting shelter residents who do not yet have work authorization. “We want to make sure they’re trained up and ready to work as soon as their permits come through,” said Healey. Sunday on WCVB’s “On The Record,” Speaker of the House Ron Mariano said he was concerned the $250 million requested by Healey wouldn’t be enough to fund the system for long.”It’s not going to solve the problem. It may not even get us to the end of the month,” Mariano said. “And we don’t see this stopping at the end of this month.” Video below: Mariano on OTRHe also pointed to dysfunction in Congress when he said, “Calvary isn’t on the other side of the hill.” “There’s a rudderless ship that controls the spigot for the help that we need,” Mariano said.”We certainly need action from Congress,” Healey said. We need Congress to act and fund the supplemental budget request from the Biden Administration that would give states like ours more aid, more funding for what we are dealing with, which is something the states did not create as a problem but yet we are having to bear the burden of expensing.” Last week, after weeks of pressure from the state and Congressional delegation, members of a team sent by the Department of Homeland Security visited Massachusetts to see the shelter system. “We want this visit to lead to action because, over months of multiple requests and meetings, we have communicated directly and clearly the needs we have here in the state. We need work authorizations,” said Healey. “We’ve identified specific regulatory and guidance adjustments as well as logistical improvements, all of which would expedite the review process and help families become more self-reliant more quickly.”
Massachusetts’ emergency shelter system is “on the verge of reaching capacity,” and Gov. Maura Healey’s administration is implementing capacity limits while demanding more support from the federal government.
Forty families have entered the Massachusetts emergency shelter system in the past 24 hours, according to state data that shows the total number of families in the system is now nearing 7,000.
By the end of the month, Healey said Monday, that number will swell to 7,500 families.
The state estimates that approximately half of the families in the emergency shelter system are new arrivals to Massachusetts. Healey said the families include expectant mothers, and more than half of them are children.
“The trend continues to be driven by the arrival of families who are new to our country,” Healey said. “They are here lawfully. Allowed in with the knowledge and consent of our federal government.”
Healey on Monday announced the appointment of a new emergency shelter director and said the state is taking steps to expand access to housing and help people get working. She also demanded assistance and support from the federal government.
“Our shelter system cannot expand indefinitely. This level of demand is not sustainable. We need urgent support from the federal government, which bears ultimate responsibility for the situation,” Healey said.
Healey’s choice to take over the shelter system is retired Lt. Gen. Scott Rice, former director of the Air National Guard and Adjutant General and Commander of the Massachusetts National Guard.
“It is important to me that our state succeeds in meeting this humanitarian challenge,” said Rice, who emphasized his decades of residency in Southampton. “I’ll bring all my values and all I’ve learned to bear on this crisis.”
Massachusetts is legally required to house homeless families due to the state’s “right to shelter” law. In recent months, the state has rented numerous hotels and motels to serve as housing for the rapidly growing number of families.
“The reality we are facing now is this: We do not have enough space, service providers or funds to safely expand beyond 7,500 families. We expect to hit that limit by the end of the month,” Healey said. “From that point on, we will no longer be able to guarantee shelter placement for new families entering the system.”
State Rep. Steven Xiarhos, a Republican representing the 5th Barnstable District, said he wants to amend and suspend the right to shelter law. He argues priority should be given to Massachusetts residents who are U.S. citizens.
“We have to focus on our own people. There are people hurting in the commonwealth,” Xiarhos said. “(The law) was passed in 1983. I don’t think the intent — or anyone had the vision that: ‘Wow, 40 years from now, there’s going to be thousands of people coming from other countries.'”
Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency in August over a severe lack of available shelters. She also activated 250 members of the Massachusetts National Guard in September to help provide services to families at several of the makeshift shelters.
To help get families out of the shelter system, Healey said the state is working to connect work-eligible residents with jobs and said her administration would work with the Commonwealth Corporation Workforce Agency to develop a job training initiative specifically targeting shelter residents who do not yet have work authorization.
“We want to make sure they’re trained up and ready to work as soon as their permits come through,” said Healey.
Sunday on WCVB’s “On The Record,” Speaker of the House Ron Mariano said he was concerned the $250 million requested by Healey wouldn’t be enough to fund the system for long.
“It’s not going to solve the problem. It may not even get us to the end of the month,” Mariano said. “And we don’t see this stopping at the end of this month.”
Video below: Mariano on OTR
He also pointed to dysfunction in Congress when he said, “Calvary isn’t on the other side of the hill.”
“There’s a rudderless ship that controls the spigot for the help that we need,” Mariano said.
“We certainly need action from Congress,” Healey said. We need Congress to act and fund the supplemental budget request from the Biden Administration that would give states like ours more aid, more funding for what we are dealing with, which is something the states did not create as a problem but yet we are having to bear the burden of expensing.”
Last week, after weeks of pressure from the state and Congressional delegation, members of a team sent by the Department of Homeland Security visited Massachusetts to see the shelter system.
“We want this visit to lead to action because, over months of multiple requests and meetings, we have communicated directly and clearly the needs we have here in the state. We need work authorizations,” said Healey. “We’ve identified specific regulatory and guidance adjustments as well as logistical improvements, all of which would expedite the review process and help families become more self-reliant more quickly.”
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