Dozens of migrant families will be forced out onto the streets Friday because of Massachusetts' new shelter policies.
The new restrictions are creating controversy statewide.
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Protestors gathered for a vigil at the State House Thursday, rallying against these new emergency shelter policies that went into effect Aug. 1.
Those changes limit stays in overflow shelters to five business days. It also makes any family who chooses to stay at one of these overflow shelters after Aug. 1 — ineligible for the emergency housing waitlist for six months.
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Gov. Maura Healey's office has said the need to transition these safety-net sites to temporary respite centers and limit stays to five days is to free up space and provide short term respite to newly arriving families in need.
The administration notified 57 families who arrived in overflow shelters prior to Aug. 1 that they need to leave by Friday.
Some of these families have been "reticketed" or given plane tickets to family or friends out of state. Others may be allowed to stay longer, as shelter providers do have the discretion to extend emergency shelter stays up to 30 business days.
However, none of it sits well with people who work closely with these homeless families.
"The families that are in the shelters – whether they're migrants to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or whether they're people that have lived here a very long time, they need help and compassionate help right now, and we're a state with a lot of resources. I think we can help them," said Jeff Thielman, International Institute of New England.
"To me, it goes completely against the values of our state that Massachusetts should be embracing, that we really are for all, and everyone is welcome here," said Russell Weiss-Irwin, Boston Public Schools middle school ESL teacher.
It's unclear what will happen if any of these families refuse to leave the overflow shelters.
