Immigration

Healey proposes new changes to right to shelter law

The proposed changes include background checks and stricter eligibility requirements

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey discussing background checks at emergency shelters on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025.
NBC10 Boston

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey discussing background checks at emergency shelters on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is proposing new changes to the state's right to shelter law as the state continues to wrestle with the cost of maintaining the program, which has housed thousands of Massachusetts residents and newly arrived migrant families in recent years.

The governor's proposal includes stronger criminal background checks, requiring proof of lawful status for all members of a family, changing eviction eligibility criteria, creating residency requirements that include intent to remain, and eliminating the current eligibility system that presumes applicants to be eligible for shelter before providing the necessary documentation.

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Massachusetts adopted its right to shelter law 40 years ago, the only state to do so, with the intention of providing emergency assistance to families in need, specifically focusing on pregnant women and children. But the system has been maxed out with a record number of people from other states and countries looking for help.

“I have evaluated the Right to Shelter Law and regulations as well as the operational burdens on the system. Based on that review, and in the face of continued inaction by Congress and no assistance from the federal government, I believe these changes are appropriate and needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the state shelter system in a way that aligns with the original intent of the law,” Healey said in a media statement.

Healey made the recommendations for changes in a letter to the Senate president, speaker and House and Senate Ways and Means chair. You can read the full letter below.

The Massachusetts GOP is proposing changes for the state's emergency shelter system amid an influx of migrants.

This is the latest proposal to change the emergency assistance shelter system. Since 2023 the Healey-Driscoll administration has made several changes to try to manage the growing costs of running the program, including capping the system at 7,500 and limiting the length of stays. They are also working on phasing out the use of hotels and motels as shelters. Just last week, Healey announced a requirement to conduct CORI checks on shelter system applications.

The issue of background checks came to the forefront after incidents over the last year raised safety concerns. Last March, a man was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a child at a shelter in Rockland, and earlier this month, a man was arrested at a hotel in Revere for allegedly possessing a large quantity of drugs and an assault rifle.

Republican lawmakers on Tuesday released their own proposal to revamp the system. In a statement issued after the release of Healey's plan, MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale said it was about time.

“It’s a shame that the Healey-Driscoll Administration took this long to come to terms with the gravity of the situation. And it’s an even bigger shame that it was only after the information they’ve known for the past two years became public that they finally decided to take action. If Democrats had listened to the calls for reform from Republicans two years ago, we would not be at this crisis point today. We’re proud that our advocacy has finally made a difference, but it’s bittersweet, knowing that these reforms could have saved people from abuse if enacted earlier," Carnevale said in a media statement.

The governor's administration noted that since November 2023 they have helped more than 6,000 shelter residents get work authorizations in the U.S., and more than 4,500 families have exited the shelter system.

Read Gov. Maura Healey's proposed shelter changes

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