Latest news with #EmergencyAssistance
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
‘I'm really worried.' With the state's hotel shelter system closing, families struggle to find places to live
'I'm really worried,' Amparo, 37, said in Spanish in an interview on Monday. The change, she says, 'is a big burden.' She doesn't have a full-time job, so for the time being, she can't afford rent, even though a state program could subsidize some of the costs, she said. Her children are ages 15, 10, and 9, one of whom has special needs. 'At the hotel, we knew the system, and life was a little easier,' she said. Now, one question runs through her mind often as her family is shuffled from one place to another. 'Will we keep being able to be in a shelter or have to go to the street?' On Monday, as the state moved another step closer to fully shuttering its hotel shelter system — which at its peak last year saw more than 128 hotels open — a number of these facilities across Greater Boston appeared largely desolate. The number of families requesting housing in the state's shelter system has dropped dramatically from a year ago. The Emergency Assistance shelter system was sheltering about 7,500 homeless families at its height last year, but as of last week, 3,740 families were housed in the system, according to state data. Advertisement Ed Augustus, secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, said in a statement last week that, 'Now, costs are going down, we are closing all hotels, and the number of families in EA shelter is below the level when we first took office.' Advertisement He acknowledged the Healey administration 'inherited a surge in families and an Emergency Shelter System that was not equipped to handle it.' In Danvers, the parking lot of a Motel 6, once bustling with residents, was nearly empty, with just a few workers moving boxes and mattresses. In Chelsea, at the former soldiers' home, which was converted to a temporary shelter more than a year ago, barely a handful of families were coming out of the building. In Peabody, a former Holiday Inn which previously housed dozens of families, including Amparo and her children, showed no signs of the families who had lived there just a few days earlier. The closure of these hotel shelters has raised questions about where exactly families will be living — and if the available housing options provide a sustainable future for their families. On Monday, 11 hotel shelters closed, a spokesperson for the housing office said, and in total, 24 hotel shelter programs have closed this month. As of July 1, only four hotel shelters will remain, and all hotel shelters will be closed by July 31, according to the state. 'Providers and on-site case managers have been working closely with all impacted families to help them identify secure housing before the closing date,' the spokesperson said. Governor Maura Healey had planned to phase out the use of hotel shelters by the end of the year, but she Advertisement Advocates and the state have been looking to relocate many of the families through Andrea Park, an advocacy director at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, said that some housing providers were 'really caught off guard' by how quickly the timing was changing. 'For providers, it's extremely difficult to try to provide a meaningful opportunity to set families up for success, under an artificial time deadline,' Park said. 'We are concerned about families who are being set up to fail.' In Revere, rumors about shelters closing were swirling at the former Quality Inn, which appeared to still be in use as a family shelter on Monday. Some residents said they were concerned about what the other hotel closures could mean for them. 'It's scary, not knowing,' said Alandra Abreu as she pushed her 1-year-old in a stroller in the parking lot. She has been at the Quality Inn for about a week, but said she hasn't heard from the staff about what's next for the facility. 'They haven't said anything to us,' Abreu, 25, said. Some shelter residents and public officials have reported concerns about the safety inside state shelters, where more than 1,000 serious incidents, including more than a dozen alleged sex offenses, Advertisement Still, these facilities became a lifeline for thousands of families with children who had arrived in Massachusetts from countries across the Caribbean and Latin America — especially from Haiti —who fled violence, poverty, and extreme economic instability. Pastor Dieufort Fleurissaint, who goes by his nickname Pastor Keke, said that the nonprofit he founded, True Alliance Center, has been working to help connect hotel shelter residents with housing through the HomeBASE program. Many of the families True Alliance works with are Haitian and formed part of the tens of thousands of recent arrivals who sought housing in the shelter system in recent years. Though Pastor Keke said he had not received any calls on Monday from residents unable to find housing as the hotels closed, he is particularly anxious about what will happen to the immigrant families placed into HomeBASE, who may have their legal status and work permits revoked under recent Trump administration directives. The administration recently announced that Temporary Protected Status for Haitians WelcomeNST, a volunteer organization that helps resettle immigrants and refugees, has interviewed around 20 families living in hotel shelters for resettlement in towns across New England, said Elizabeth Davis-Edwards, the founder and CEO. Davis-Edwards has spoken to people who held full-time jobs while living in the shelters, only to lose their employment after being transferred to another facility out of commuting distance. 'There has to be a clear path to that family being able to stand on their own feet,' Davis-Edwards said. Advertisement So far, the volunteer teams in three towns have signed up to help families leaving the hotel shelters to access housing there, but Davis-Edwards is eager to recruit more volunteers. 'It doesn't mean it's easy, but every time, a team will find housing for a family,' Davis-Edwards said. Samantha J. Gross and Stephanie Ebbert of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio can be reached at
Fox News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Migrant influx pushing Mass. shelter costs past $1B in FY25: report
Massachusetts taxpayers are on course to spend $1 billion on the state's emergency shelter program for FY25 with migrant families making up a significant share of those receiving assistance, according to a new report. Gov. Maura Healey's administration has already spent $830 million so far in FY25 – which started on July 1 – accommodating more than 4,000 families who have been receiving taxpayer-funded shelter, food, education, legal aid and case management. The costs work out at about $3,496 per week per family, or around $1,000 per person per week for the program, known as the Emergency Assistance (EA) system. The report, a June 16 biweekly update from the Massachusetts Executive Office for Housing and Livable Communities, notes that $679.6 million was spent on direct shelter costs and another $149.7 million on wraparound services, including education aid, work programs, National Guard payroll for security and rental assistance to help individuals exit the system. Around 1,600 of the total 4,088 families currently in the system are migrants, per the report, although that figure is likely much higher as many migrant families are counted as "Massachusetts residents" for the purpose of eligibility. The state was overwhelmed by an influx of migrants under the Biden administration and struggled to accommodate them. Many migrants ended up sleeping at Logan Airport as the Healey administration worked to set up temporary shelters, many of which are at hotels. There are currently 599 hotel rooms being used under the program and the report states that all hotels being used under the program will be shuttered this year. Already, the number of hotels being used as shelters has dropped to 28, down from a peak of more than 100, according to the report. "The administration is on track to reduce [the] caseload to 4,000 families and close all hotel shelters by the end of the calendar year," the report states. It follows Healey, a Democrat, saying last month too that all hotel shelters would be shuttered by the end of the year. She said the number of people in the EA system had dipped below 5,000 last month, as well. "Closing hotel shelters is essential to making sure that families are set up for success and to save our state hundreds of millions of dollars a year," said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said last month. The report comes as the influx of new migrants has all but ended given border crossings are at historic lows. On Tuesday, Trump administration border czar Tom Homan said Border Patrol encountered just 95 illegal immigrants in a single day and that zero migrants were released into the U.S. last month. Mike Kennealy, a Republican running for governor who previously served as housing and economic development secretary, blasted the report. He said that taxpayers are "being forced to bankroll billions to an unaccountable, broken system that perpetuates the migrant crisis—and we're fed up," per the Boston Herald. Fox News reached out to Healey's office for comment but did not immediately receive a response. "While families are struggling to afford everyday necessities, the state is shelling out $15,166 per family per month. It's not just insane — it's offensive." The report also notes that 1,599 individuals in the EA system are currently employed, and 2,270 migrants have received work authorizations. With the fiscal year ending June 30, Massachusetts is likely to exceed $1.06 billion, the report forecasts.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State plans to close all hotel, motel shelters this summer
BOSTON (SHNS) – The state will close its remaining motel and hotel shelters this summer, Gov. Maura Healey announced Monday, as the governor and lawmakers have imposed restrictions on the emergency housing system over the past year and family enrollment has declined. Thirty-two hotel shelters remain, down from a peak of 100 in the summer of 2023. Healey set a goal this year to eliminate the use of hotels and motels in the Emergency Assistance shelter system by the end of 2025. A press release from the Healey administration says the total number of families in shelter recently dropped below 5,000 for the first time since July 2023, and is expected to drop below 4,000 families this summer. 'Since the start of 2025, double the number of families have exited shelter (approximately 2,500) than have entered shelter (approximately 1,100). Approximately 85-90 percent of families seeking shelter are now longtime Massachusetts families,' it says. Caseloads exploded at the end of 2022, as a surge of immigration strained the system. Healey declared a state of emergency in 2023. The state has spent about $1 billion annually on the system for the past two years, and Democrats have turned to more restrictive measures to control enrollment and curb costs. Healey unilaterally capped the number of families the system could hold at 7,500 in the fall of 2023 and state officials have tightened eligibility, limited how long families can stay, and implemented stricter security. 'When we took office, homeless families were being placed in hotel shelters across the state,' Healey said in a statement. 'A hotel is no place to raise a family, and they are the least cost effective. That's why we implemented reforms to lower caseloads and the cost of the shelter system. We also promised to close all hotel shelters by the end of the year. I'm pleased that we are ahead of schedule, with more families getting jobs and moving to stable housing.' Asked about the administration's announcement, Senate Ways and Means Chairman Michael Rodrigues pointed to the Legislature's passage of reforms that he said led to 'real material changes in the number of occupants in the EA system.' 'We are appropriating the same as the House, $275 million, in that system this year,' Rodrigues said. 'We are hopefully not going to have to supplement that in the future. So kudos to the administration. We were expecting all of the hotels to be, stop using hotels for shelter sometime by the end of the calendar year, not by the end of summer. That's good.' WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
03-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
The Trump administration took away unspent relief funds from Mass. districts. Here's how much each lost.
'A school-based health center is long overdue in this region,' O'Leary said. 'We're going to have to review if we're going to execute the final contract.' Related : Advertisement Similar projects could be in jeopardy around the state, particularly in districts like Springfield, Fitchburg, and Everett, which are losing around 20 percent of their total relief fund allocations. Here's what to know. Advertisement Which districts were affected? Including New Bedford, a total of 20 school districts will lose their remaining federal funds unless, as district leaders hope, the cuts are reversed. In Springfield, the biggest loser — with nearly $50 million on the line — money was going to HVAC installations and outdoor classrooms. It's unclear how much of that work was completed. Fitchburg, with one-quarter of its $26 million in federal funds on the line, was planning to spend its money on HVAC and air quality improvements, The primary deadline to use the funds was Sept. 30, and the vast majority have been spent. But districts were 'By failing to meet the clear deadline in the regulation, you ran the risk that the Department would deny your extension request,' McMahon wrote. 'Extending deadlines for COVID-related grants, which are in fact taxpayer funds, years after the COVID pandemic ended is not consistent with the Department's priorities and thus not a worthwhile exercise of its discretion.' Related : How much did each affected district have left? Springfield: Lost $47 million, or 19% of their $244 million total allocation of ESSER funds. New Bedford: Lost $16 million, or 21% of their $74 million total Fitchburg: Lost $6.6 million, or 25% of their $26 million Everett: Lost $4.9 million, or 23% of their $21 million Revere: Lost $4.6 million, or 15% of their $30 million Boston: Lost $3.5 million, or 0.8% of their $432 million Leominster: Lost $1.9 million, or 10.7% of their $17 million Stoughton: Lost $1.5 million, or 25% of their $5.9 million Worcester: Lost $1.5 million, or 1.2% of their $123 million Chelsea: Lost $1.4 million, or 4.5% of their $33 million Lawrence: Lost $1.3 million, or 1.6% of their $85 million Holyoke: Lost $400,000, or 0.7% of their $58 million. Dracut: Lost $650,000, or 12.1% of their $5.4 million West Springfield: Lost $350,000, or 2.3% of their $15 million Lynn: Lost $340,000, or 0.52% of their $66 million Fairhaven: Lost $250,000, or 6.1% of their $4.1 million Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical: Lost $120,000, or 2.5% of their $4.6 million Ludlow: Lost $83,000, or 1.7% of their $4.9 million Blue Hills: Lost $21,000, or 1.6% of their $1.3 million Mashpee: Lost $2,500, or 0.11% of their $2.3 million Other impacted school funding Two private religious schools also lost funds due to similar cuts to the separate 'Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools' program in the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act. Mater Dolorosa Catholic School, Holyoke: Lost $120,000, or 15% of their $780,000 American Rescue Plan Act allocation. Saint Stanislaus School, Chicopee: Lost $173,000, or 13% of their $1.3 million allocation. According to the state, a total of $106 million in relief funds were terminated. The above schools and districts combine for about $93 million in lost funds, meaning about $13 million in unspent funds were due to other agencies, such as the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Advertisement Federal money was supporting teacher training and regional centers that help teachers with emergency licenses get needed certification to continue working in Massachusetts public schools, the state said. Christopher Huffaker can be reached at
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Healey signs $425M bill to fund Mass. emergency shelter system, prompting MassGOP response
Gov. Maura Healey signed a $425 million bill Friday to fund the emergency shelter system through June and make temporary and permanent reforms to address the cost and security of the system. The House and Senate took the last votes needed on the mid-year spending bill Wednesday with all Republicans in both chambers and a handful of Democrats (Reps. Colleen Garry of Dracut and David Robertson of Tewksbury, and Sens. John Velis of Westfield and Mark Montigny of New Bedford) opposed. The new law is designed to recapitalize the system, which ran out of funds about a month ago, and to shrink its high costs and the number of families served by it. It features a shorter shelter stay limit, pared-down eligibility criteria, a cap on families the state will serve in 2026, stricter security measures, and more. Healey's office also released a 53-page assessment she had former Boston Police Department head Ed Davis undertake of the Emergency Assistance program's security and security-related protocols. The administration said Davis and his firm The Edward Davis Company will now be retained 'to assist with the implementation of the report's recommendations, many of which are already underway.' 'We all know that urgent action is needed to lower the cost of the system and make sure it is a viable, safe and temporary option for Massachusetts families who have fallen on hard times,' Healey said. 'We're grateful for the hard work of the Legislature for passing this important bill and to Ed Davis and his team for their review of the security of our system – and we're ready to get to work on implementation.' Healey's office said one of Davis' 'key recommendations' is to limit the state's policy of presumptive eligibility, a mandate added to the EA system line item in 2005 requiring the state to place families based on self-attestations of eligibility. The supplemental budget Healey signed Friday addresses that by allowing the state to verify eligibility for EA benefits during the application process. The Massachusetts Republican Party blasted the law soon after Healey signed it, saying its 'reckless spending—pushed through under the guise of reform—does nothing to stem the flow of migrants into the state, nor does it improve the dangerous and unsustainable conditions in overcrowded shelters where crime has run rampant.' 'This is yet another example of Democrats prioritizing politics over public safety and fiscal responsibility,' MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale said. 'They claim this supplemental budget includes reforms, but in reality, these so-called changes are purely for show. They fail to address the root cause of this crisis and leave Massachusetts taxpayers on the hook for billions.' The announcement of Healey's signing included new information on the status of the EA system that has been a major humanitarian and financial challenge for Massachusetts for the last two-plus years. Almost 700 families exited the shelter system to stable housing in January, which the administration said was the highest number in more than a decade. The EA system currently serves about 5,800 families, a 22% decrease from the peak levels of 2023 and 2024. The number of hotel shelters, which the administration pledged to eliminate by the end of 2025, has been reduced by half in recent months. Following an influx that led Healey to declare a state of emergency in August 2023, migrant families now account for less than a quarter of the EA system's applicants. The Healey administration said that 'more than 75 percent of families now seeking shelter are long-time Massachusetts families.' The administration added that all 'adult EA residents have now been CORI checked or will be terminated from the program if they do not consent.' Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
