Healey Proposes Major Changes to Massachusetts Shelter Law
Governor Maura Healey suggests reforms to the Right to Shelter Law amid rising costs and safety concerns in Massachusetts
Boston, Massachusetts, Shelter Law, Governor Healey, Right to Shelter, Background Checks
BOSTON: So, Governor Maura Healey is shaking things up with the shelter law in Massachusetts. The state’s family shelter system is really feeling the heat from rising costs and some pretty serious incidents happening on-site. On Wednesday, she laid out some big changes she wants to see in the Right to Shelter Law, asking the House and Senate to include these reforms in a new budget.
In her letter, Healey is pushing for tougher background checks for families looking to get into shelters. She wants the Executive Office of Housing to do CORI checks before families can move into emergency shelters. It turns out, her team had previously said they were doing these checks, but that wasn’t the case. Oops!
Now, every family member will need to show they’re legally in the U.S. to stay in a state shelter, unless a child already has that status. Right now, only one person in the family needs to prove their citizenship or legal presence. Healey’s also saying families should show proof of eligibility before getting a spot in a shelter, and they can’t just say they’re eligible anymore.
There’s been a huge influx of families trying to access the shelter system lately, which is making it tough for local families who also need help. Healey mentioned that around 48,000 people have been living in state-run shelters over the last three years. That’s a lot!
She’s also suggesting that all household members must be residents of Massachusetts and that anyone getting assistance needs to show they plan to stay in the state. This could be done through documents or by proving they’ve been living in Massachusetts for three months.
Last week, Healey filed a mini-budget with an extra $425 million for the shelter system and some major policy changes, including a proposed six-month limit on how long families can stay in shelters. This bill is currently with the House Ways and Means Committee.
Interestingly, just three days after filing the bill, her administration admitted to The Boston Globe that they hadn’t been doing those comprehensive background checks on all shelter residents. Healey has since talked about changing the Right to Shelter Law to better reflect its original purpose.
She mentioned that the law was meant to protect poor women and children, not to deal with the current immigration issues and the waves of people coming to Massachusetts.
These proposed changes weren’t introduced as formal legislation but were instead outlined in a four-page letter. Some lawmakers, like House Republican Leader Bradley Jones Jr., think this quick response from Healey looks more like damage control than a solid plan.
Republican lawmakers are calling for more transparency and accountability in the shelter system. They even wrote to Auditor Diana DiZoglio, asking her to audit the Emergency Assistance shelter program. DiZoglio has already started looking into the Executive Office of Housing.
Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr said Healey’s proposals don’t go far enough but show she’s on the same page with what they’ve been pushing for. Meanwhile, House budget chief Aaron Michlewitz wants more info on the crimes happening at shelter sites before moving forward with Healey’s bill.
Mariano, the House Speaker, pointed out that they’ve been trying to manage program costs and are open to more changes. He emphasized that they’re focused on fiscal responsibility and safety as they work on the supplemental budget.
Senate President Karen Spilka’s spokesman said she understands the need to support families in crisis while also managing taxpayer dollars wisely. They’re all about keeping families off the streets.
Some lawmakers are raising concerns about the proposed residency requirement, saying it might raise constitutional issues, but they’re still considering it.
Healey believes these changes are necessary to keep the shelter system sustainable and aligned with the law’s original intent, especially since Congress hasn’t stepped in to help.
Republicans have been calling for these reforms for a while now, and they think the changes are only happening now because of some recent negative information that came to light.
They’re shocked that it took this long to implement these reforms, especially since it seems crazy that families with kids were being housed without proper background checks. It’s a wild situation!
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Healey expands shelter law shakeup