Overview

• The Massachusetts state's shelter system cap is under scrutiny by a Suffolk Superior Court judge, who will decide on its legality. Governor Maura Healey’s administration asserts the cap is necessary due to extreme strain on the program from increased migration and a housing shortage.
• The state’s shelter usage was close to capacity with 7,389 families receiving emergency assistance as of last Tuesday, and about 40-50 new families applying for support each day.
• New state regulations filed by Healey’s administration assert the 'right-to-shelter' state’s authority, but also propose instituting a waitlist and limiting the duration of stay for families in the system, an average of which is currently over a year.
• Critics argue that the plan violates the state's 'right-to-shelter' law and could force families back into unsafe and unstable living conditions.
• Mitigative measures proposed by Governor Healey include the provision of work permits for migrants to help them transition out of the shelter system and a $4 billion bill to make housing more affordable.