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As overflow shelters are prepared, Healey says migrant influx may be waning
Cold weather may be causing a decline in the number of families arriving in Massachusetts seeking shelter.
As winter weather sets in, Massachusetts officials say they are on the verge of opening additional overflow sites to house newly-arrived families in the state’s emergency shelter system. At the same time, the rate of families coming into the state appears to be decreasing, potentially making more beds available.
This year, a surge of migrants and the state’s existing housing crisis combined to inundate the shelter system with unhoused families. Gov. Maura Healey and her administration imposed a cap of 7,500 families, saying the system could not safely accommodate more. That threshold was met earlier this month, prompting families to be added to a waitlist for shelter.
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But as of Tuesday, just 7,457 families were enrolled in the shelter system, according to state data. Healey said Tuesday that officials are seeing a decrease in the amount of new arrivals seeking emergency shelter, State House News Service reported.
“We also have colder weather, and I think frankly, people are mindful of that as they make decisions about whether to leave Texas or Florida as they’ve come into the country,” she said, according to SHNS.
State data shows that 20 families enrolled in the system over a 24-hour period from Monday to Tuesday. Some days in September and October saw as many as 40 families coming into the system.
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The state has been exploring a number of options to create more space. This week, officials announced that it was setting up shelter beds in the state transportation building in Boston. This temporary facility has space for up to 25 families. Cots are being provided, along with limited amenities. It will only be used in the evening and overnight hours.
The transportation building shelter is only expected to operate for about two weeks. In the meantime, more overflow shelters are being set up through a partnership with United Way of Massachusetts. The organization is administering a $5 million grant program that will support community groups as they create short-term, overnight shelter sites.
Massachusetts Housing Secretary Ed Augustus told WCVB Sunday that these plans are accelerating. He said some of the overflow sites would open “very shortly” and “within a few days.”
The state’s unique “right-to-shelter” law guarantees shelter for homeless families and pregnant women. Healey has stressed that she is not looking to get rid of this law and that any eligibility requirements will not change, despite the current situation.
Advocates said Monday that about 90 families were still on the emergency shelter waitlist, SHNS reported.
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Healey has requested about $250 million in additional state money for the shelter system. That money remains in limbo as lawmakers could not strike a deal on a supplemental budget bill before formal sessions ended for the year. In a lightly-attended informal session Wednesday, the House adjourned for the week without taking action on the supplemental budget.
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