Massachusetts Addressing Ongoing Crisis Efforts in Shelter, Services, and Housing Support

"Strategies, Shortfalls, and Community Impact Amidst Family Homelessness"

In Massachusetts, various local service groups, NGOs, and immigrant advocates have been actively assisting the migrants housed in the state on an emergency basis right from the start.

In Gardner, these support entities have been instrumental in providing English-language sessions, facilitating connections to essential services, and even supplying essentials like food, clothing, and guidance for accessing medical assistance.

Representative Jonathan Zlotnik from Gardner emphasized the primary goal of securing work permits for these individuals from the federal government. Remarkably, the progress has been swifter than anticipated. Initially estimated to take four to six months, most eligible migrants have already obtained their work permits.

While some are still in the process of obtaining paperwork, efforts are underway to secure employment opportunities, with some migrants already placed in jobs and others in line for potential employment.

Zlotnik expressed confidence in ensuring employment for all migrants, commending the collaborative efforts of local partners such as Mount Wachusett Community College, the Gardner CAC, and nearby churches for their contributions in offering English-language programs to families settled in the city.

He acknowledged the positive strides made in aiding the new residents since summer and stressed the importance of thoroughly examining the governor's report while emphasizing the necessity for a comprehensive plan moving forward, including an assessment of total costs involved.

In Worcester County, families are being accommodated across various communities, as detailed in a recent report from the Healey/Driscoll administration released on Monday. The report indicates that Gardner is housing 38 families, while a total of 818 families are spread throughout different communities in Worcester County. Among these, Worcester itself hosts the largest number of migrants, accommodating 303 families. Additionally, Westborough is hosting 105 families, Shrewsbury has 74 families, and Milford has 64 families.

To qualify for placement within the state's shelter system, migrant families are required to have entered the country legally under federal immigration laws. These families arriving in Massachusetts predominantly originate from countries in Central and South America, either seeking asylum, holding temporary protected status, or possessing lawful presence. Contrastingly, local families must meet distinct criteria, particularly concerning financial constraints, to qualify for emergency shelter.

The report, released on Monday, highlighted that there are currently 7,532 families in shelters, with approximately half of them (3,516 families) identified as migrants. An additional 200 families are on the waiting list, established in October after Governor Maura T. Healey set a cap of 7,500 families due to the strain on resources, including lodgings, service providers, and financial support, for both migrant and crisis-stricken Massachusetts-based families experiencing homelessness.

Healey's report outlines a plan to finance the state’s emergency shelter system, aiming to sustain it until at least halfway through fiscal 2025. This will be accomplished by utilizing the state’s transitional escrow fund, currently estimated at $700 million, to cover expenses related to lodging, services, and the development of more housing options and incentives statewide.

Initially initiated by former Governor Charlie Baker in 2021 with surplus funds of nearly $1.5 billion, the fund's primary purpose was to secure funding for fiscal 2022 appropriations. While withdrawals from the fund have depleted its resources, Healey has allocated the remaining amount to support the state’s shelter system.

Massachusetts has already expended $205 million in fiscal 2024 for funding the emergency shelter system and has additionally allocated $3.03 million to school districts to manage increased enrollment and the demand for bilingual teaching and support staff. In a move to further support emergency shelters, the state Legislature authorized an appropriation of $325 million in July.

The allocation provided to Worcester County's school districts totals nearly $800,000, with specific amounts distributed to different areas: Worcester received $436,280, Westborough obtained $186,992, Shrewsbury received $102,648, and Oxford was allocated $71,552.

Statistics reveal that once families qualify for aid, they typically spend over a year within the state’s emergency shelter system. This average duration serves as the foundation for estimating future expenses necessary to sustain the shelter system until the conclusion of fiscal 2025.

The report forecasts a shortfall of $224 million in fiscal 2024, despite a recent injection of $260 million into the system sanctioned by the Legislature within the supplementary or final budget passed last month. It further anticipates costs to exceed $915 million in fiscal 2025.

Authors Matthew Gorzkowicz, Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, and Edward M. Augustus Jr., Executive Office for Housing and Livable Communities, assert, "Fundamentally, resolving the crisis of family homelessness necessitates a comprehensive array of policies encompassing shelter, support services, education, workforce training, and affordable housing programs to aid families in transitioning from shelters to secure housing."

They also mentioned in the report, "Fortunately, the state possesses Transitional Escrow resources that can be strategically utilized to address FY24 and a substantial portion of FY25 without necessitating budget cuts in other programs to fulfill the spending requirements linked to the family shelter crisis."

Furthermore, the governor proposes transferring $150 million from the escrow account to the emergency housing and community trust fund. This move aims to invest in "housing production and preservation," fostering affordable dwelling options for individuals earning low wages.

Allocation breakdown from the escrow fund:

• $148 million designated for support services and secure shelter, encompassing case management, housing searches, public health expenses, community assistance, childcare, workforce training, and English language support.

• $67 million allocated for school districts and K-12 students without housing, aiming to address increased enrollments, special education services, language assistance, and the recruitment of multilingual staff.

• $10 million specifically dedicated to specialized immigration and refugee health services, along with community support initiatives. The administration anticipates reserving $326 million for fiscal 2025.

While Zlotnik expresses support for the administration’s initiative to boost housing across Massachusetts, he underscores the cost of a two-bedroom apartment in his district, ranging between $1,200 and $1,500 per month. Despite being relatively more affordable compared to similar apartments in other Massachusetts communities, he highlights the scarcity of available housing, noting that this shortage spans all types and has been accumulating over decades.

Insufficient housing availability and unaffordability remain pivotal concerns. According to Zlotnik, resolving the housing shortage isn't an immediate fix, as it's a problem that has evolved over time and won't be swiftly resolved. For years, the construction of multifamily residences has been limited, but with the backing of the Healey/Driscoll administration, new developments have received approval and are currently in progress. Zlotnik anticipates these developments will become available within the next few years.

Zlotnik also noted that the exorbitant costs of housing, typically associated with Greater Boston, have begun extending further westward in recent times.

Reflecting on the local situation, Zlotnik remarked, "I'm observing a house across the street from my own residence that just entered the market priced at $300,000. I never expected to see a house selling for $300,000 on my street."