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Lawmakers near agreement on bill that would limit shelter stays
A $425 million bill would keep the state's emergency shelter system afloat while imposing a new cap on the number of families being let in.
Lawmakers on Beacon Hill appear close to compromise on a new $425 million bill that would fund the state’s emergency shelter system while imposing new restrictions on how many families are allowed in shelters and how long they can remain there.
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On Monday, the Senate leaders unveiled their version of a bill passed by the House last week. There are many similarities between the two. Both would decrease the amount of time families can stay in emergency shelters from nine to six consecutive months.
They would also cap the system at 4,000 families. There were close to 6,000 families in the system as of late last week. When rising immigration levels and a lack of affordable housing combined to overwhelm the system back in 2023, Gov. Maura Healey imposed a 7,500 cap on the shelter system for the first time.
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Healey has also gotten on board with the push to drastically alter the state’s unique right to shelter law, which has guaranteed emergency housing assistance for families and pregnant women since 1983.
Currently, those seeking shelter benefit from “presumptive eligibility,” meaning that they can be housed before producing the necessary documents. Healey said the state should instead require families to prove their eligibility before placement. Applicants would have to prove Massachusetts residency, an intent to stay in the state, and that they are in the country lawfully. Both the House and Senate bills included these stipulations, but the Senate version proposed the creation of a waitlist for applicants that may be eligible but need extra time to obtain the necessary third-party verifications.
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State officials have said that removing “presumptive eligibility” will reduce demand on the shelter system. On average, about half of the families who apply for shelter are determined to be ineligible prior to being placed. The state conservatively estimates that at least 6% of families are determined to be ineligible after being placed already.
Sen. Michael Rodrigues, who introduced the bill Monday, said the Senate version was very close to what was passed in the House. He told State House News Service that he does not think there will be any major issues that cause an impasse between lawmakers trying to reach a compromise.
“I think the House actually did a very good job on their bill and struck a good balance. Certainly there are individuals on both sides of the spectrum who aren’t happy, which often happens when you strike compromise and try to reach acceptable middle ground,” Rodrigues told SHNS.
The goal is to get a shelter funding bill before Healey as soon as possible. Senators have a Tuesday afternoon deadline to propose changes, and they could vote on the bill Wednesday.
There is also a desire for more transparency from the Healey administration. The Senate included a long list of new information it wants the state to include in biweekly reports on the shelter system.
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Reports would now include the total caseload of the shelter system, how many families entered and exited it over the previous two weeks, the average and median length of stay for families, and the cost estimate for fiscal year 2026. The Senate is calling for the state to submit a report about how hotels and motels are being phased out of use by the end of this year.
The Healey administration’s handling of the emergency shelter system has been under increased scrutiny after it was revealed that full criminal background checks had not been completed on all shelter residents. High-profile incidents like the alleged rape of a 15-year-old at a Rockland shelter and an undocumented immigrant who was allegedly found with an assault rifle and fentanyl at a shelter in Revere in December prompted backlash.
More than 1,000 serious incidents were reported at emergency shelters during a 20-month stretch, according to records obtained by The Boston Globe. This included more than a dozen alleged sex offenses.
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